Windows 7 Backup Fails to Start

[hawkeye62]

Here is an unexpected situation. None of my USB sticks are being detected by Windows. I know they have all worked with no problems in the past. And I know the USB port is working because I have a wireless USB in one port.

Maybe this is a clue to the underlying problem?

Thanks again, Jim

 

[karlsnooks]

Here is an unexpected situation. None of my USB sticks are being detected by Windows. I know they have all worked with no problems in the past. And I know the USB port is working because I have a wireless USB in one port.

Maybe this is a clue to the underlying problem? Could be.

Thanks again, Jim

Let's try this.

Take a USB stick that you can "sacrifice" to testing.

Connect the stick.

Now let's try to clean and prepare that stick:
[FONT=&quot]PREPARE A USB STICK[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ctrl + Esc | [/FONT][FONT=&quot]type Cmd in the “Search Box’ | hit Enter|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Type DISKPART | hit Enter[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Enter following DISKPART commands:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]List disk [/FONT][FONT=&quot](optional to help you specify the correct “index” number)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]select disk 1 [/FONT][FONT=&quot](for the case of 1 hard drive, assigned index of 0, and 1 USB stick)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]detail disk [/FONT][FONT=&quot](info will help verify that you’ve selected the desired USB stick)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]clean all [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{write zeroes to all bytes of selected disk)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]create partition primary [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{create a primary partition|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]select partition 1 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{select the partition you just created)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]active [/FONT][FONT=&quot](mark the partition as Active, ie, a system bootable partition)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]format fs=ntfs [/FONT][FONT=&quot](format the partition as ntfs)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]assign [/FONT][FONT=&quot](assign next available drive letter to the volume)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]exit [/FONT][FONT=&quot](exit DISKPART and return to the command-shell prompt)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Type EXIT | hit ENTER Exit from the command-shell.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

 

[carwiz]

You can't backup TO drive C: or G:, They have system files on them. Windows will not allow you to backup to a disk that has system files. That's what's in the reserved area. If you intend to use drive G: as a backup disk, it must be cleaned completely to remove the Reserved Area.

 

[karlsnooks]

Hello Latecomer,
That ground has already been covered.
You will find reading the entire thread interesting and informative to better prepare you to be a contributor.

 

[carwiz]

I see I missed a few pages. I was going to delete the post but thought it may be benificial to others and save pages of trials and errors. Besides, you'd have no one to make fun of.

 

[mjf]

Don't worry - after all that has been suggested, the OP could have done a clean install as suggested earlier. Also a "clean all" on D: and reformat.

 

[hawkeye62]

Here is an unexpected situation. None of my USB sticks are being detected by Windows. I know they have all worked with no problems in the past. And I know the USB port is working because I have a wireless USB in one port.

Maybe this is a clue to the underlying problem? Could be.

Thanks again, Jim

Let's try this.

Take a USB stick that you can "sacrifice" to testing.

Connect the stick.

Now let's try to clean and prepare that stick:
[FONT=&quot]PREPARE A USB STICK[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ctrl + Esc | [/FONT][FONT=&quot]type Cmd in the “Search Box’ | hit Enter|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Type DISKPART | hit Enter[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Enter following DISKPART commands:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]List disk [/FONT][FONT=&quot](optional to help you specify the correct “index” number)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]select disk 1 [/FONT][FONT=&quot](for the case of 1 hard drive, assigned index of 0, and 1 USB stick)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]detail disk [/FONT][FONT=&quot](info will help verify that you’ve selected the desired USB stick)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]clean all [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{write zeroes to all bytes of selected disk)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]create partition primary [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{create a primary partition|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]select partition 1 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{select the partition you just created)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]active [/FONT][FONT=&quot](mark the partition as Active, ie, a system bootable partition)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]format fs=ntfs [/FONT][FONT=&quot](format the partition as ntfs)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]assign [/FONT][FONT=&quot](assign next available drive letter to the volume)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]exit [/FONT][FONT=&quot](exit DISKPART and return to the command-shell prompt)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Type EXIT | hit ENTER Exit from the command-shell.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

OK, will try when I get back. I did a Sweeper with CD on Oct 10. Trojan Window something Malat was found and deleted.

Regards, Jim

 

[Layback Bear]

Do I understand correctly? Four days ago you were infected and you just now are letting us know. Even after removing a infection the damage or changes it could of made might not be repaired.

 

[hawkeye62]

Do I understand correctly? Four days ago you were infected and you just now are letting us know. Even after removing a infection the damage or changes it could of made might not be repaired.

As I said earlier, I was out of town. Hotel had pay $12 per day wireless. (Typical in Vegas.) I found an Apple store and used one of their IPads to Email the trojan finding. Trojan was Win32/Malat.

Jim

 

[hawkeye62]

Here is an unexpected situation. None of my USB sticks are being detected by Windows. I know they have all worked with no problems in the past. And I know the USB port is working because I have a wireless USB in one port.

Maybe this is a clue to the underlying problem? Could be.

Thanks again, Jim

Let's try this.

Take a USB stick that you can "sacrifice" to testing.

Connect the stick.

Now let's try to clean and prepare that stick:
[FONT=&quot]PREPARE A USB STICK[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ctrl + Esc | [/FONT][FONT=&quot]type Cmd in the “Search Box’ | hit Enter|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Type DISKPART | hit Enter[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Enter following DISKPART commands:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]List disk [/FONT][FONT=&quot](optional to help you specify the correct “index” number)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]select disk 1 [/FONT][FONT=&quot](for the case of 1 hard drive, assigned index of 0, and 1 USB stick)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]detail disk [/FONT][FONT=&quot](info will help verify that you’ve selected the desired USB stick)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]clean all [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{write zeroes to all bytes of selected disk)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]create partition primary [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{create a primary partition|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]select partition 1 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]{select the partition you just created)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]active [/FONT][FONT=&quot](mark the partition as Active, ie, a system bootable partition)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]format fs=ntfs [/FONT][FONT=&quot](format the partition as ntfs)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]assign [/FONT][FONT=&quot](assign next available drive letter to the volume)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]exit [/FONT][FONT=&quot](exit DISKPART and return to the command-shell prompt)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Type EXIT | hit ENTER Exit from the command-shell.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

Diskpart only shows HDD 0 and 1.

I think this failure to see a USB stick started after the update I did most recently. All of those optional updates had to do with USB.

Jim

 

[karlsnooks]

Updates have nothing to do with the problem.

Go into Device Manager. Are there any yellow exclamation marks anywhere there?

rb: | DEVMGMT.MSC | ENTER

 

[hawkeye62]

Updates have nothing to do with the problem.

Go into Device Manager. Are there any yellow exclamation marks anywhere there?

rb: | DEVMGMT.MSC | ENTER

No yellow marks. And BIOS setup shows USB devices OK. Do you think the system can be recovered? Maybe the trojan has done damage that can't be fixed?

I am about ready to restore my PC to the state it was in when I received it from Puget Custom Computers.

Thanks for your help, Jim

 

[karlsnooks]

Hawkeye,

In post #40, directions were given to how to run the Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.

Would you please fun a full scan over your entiire system and attach the logs mentioned thee to your next post?

thanks,
karl

 

[hawkeye62]

Hawkeye,

In post #40, directions were given to how to run the Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.

Would you please fun a full scan over your entiire system and attach the logs mentioned thee to your next post?

thanks,
karl

OK, here you go!

 

[karlsnooks]

Let me contemplate my navel. In the meantime, perhaps someone else has an idea or two to pursue.

What anti-virus software are you using?

 

[hawkeye62]

Let me contemplate my navel. In the meantime, perhaps someone else has an idea or two to pursue.

What anti-virus software are you using?

Eset NOD32.

 

[hawkeye62]

Some additional info. My usb stick shows up in Device Manager. Device Status: A driver for this device has been disabled. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. (Code 32).

I uninstalled the driver and let Windows install the driver on reboot. On reboot, the driver installation fails with message: Device driver software was not successfully installed.

Searching for a driver fails. Message: The current driver is up to date.

Any thoughts?

I am about ready to give up and restore to factory conditions.

Regards, Jim

 

[Layback Bear]

Okay folks we are trying to walk this dog sideways and it's a no go. If it was my computer I would save what I could save and wipe and fresh install and be done with it. I have a feeling we are not getting the information we need or don't understand the information we have got.

 

[Golden]

According to the system sweeper log, you still have a malware infection:

Resource Path:E:\Users\Public\Downloads\SuperGameHouseSolitaire3.exe->(nsis-6-ghsol3.exe)
Result Count:1
Threat Name:Trojan:Win32/Malat
ID:2147625421
Severity:5

What confuses me is how ESET let that through. You need to get rid of this infection before you attempt to tackle anything else. Try using Malwarebytes to do that.

Here is some information on Malat:

Trojan:Win32/Malat is a generic detection for malware that exhibits explicit forms of malicious behavior.​

Malware detected as Trojan:Win32/Malat may display a combination of the following behaviors:​

• Downloading and executing arbitrary files
• Modifying protected system registry values​
• Hiding in protected operating system locations​
• Creating remote threads in external processes​
• Dropping files to the System folder​
• Modifying the Windows Hosts file​
• Connecting to a specific IRC server and channel and awaiting commands from a remote attacker.​

 

[mjf]

@Golden
I am definitely NO expert in security. But on the couple of Occassions I ran the system sweeper it came up with quite a few false positives or at least I hope so.
Are you sure this is a Trojan.

@OP
As I said way back, isn't it time to just do a clean install assuming you don't have an image to fall back on.