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Removing Rogue 'Security'

The Maximum PC Staff — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:45:45 -0600

PC MightyMax 2009 was included with the purchase of my new HP a6827c with Windows Vista. After trying out MightyMax I decided I didn’t want it due to its obscene costs. I obtained the instructions for removal—go to the Start menu, go to the PC MightyMax folder, and hit the uninstall button, but the software does not fully uninstall. Help!

—Shannon Swank

Doctor, I managed to get two computers infected with AntiVirus2009, simply by following a link to a video review online. Both machines run Windows XP Professional SP3. One is a Dell Vostro laptop, the other is a desktop I built about three years ago.

I’ve run Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, which removed a bunch of copies, Rogue Remover, SuperAntiSpyware, ThreatFire, and ZoneAlarm Internet Security, but every so often a new browser window will suddenly open and try to access AntiVirus2009.com. I’ve looked at every website on the Internet (well almost) and nothing I’ve tried will get rid of it on either computer. The only way I’ve been able to keep using the computers is to manually block antivirus200*.* in ZoneAlarm. Every time I check the log, there’s entry after entry where it tried to send an ICMP ping to that website or tried to open Firefox to access it. I’m at the end of my rope. I don’t know what else to do and I’m sure that there are other people out there having much the same problem as I am. Is my only hope to re-install Windows?

—Steve Rugg

Ah, our least favorite kind of malware: the kind that masquerades as useful software. Here we have two of the most insidious and widely spread flavors. PC MightyMax is a fake antivirus app that throws up false positives in an attempt to get you to pay for it. The Internet is full of people trying to remove PC MightyMax, and the general consensus is that Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (www.malwarebytes.org) will remove the program. If not, you’ll have to remove it manually. Start the Task Manager and end the following processes: pcmm.exe, ExeAfter.exe, PCMightyMaxSetup[1].exe, and any other processes with PC MightyMax in the title or location. Then run msconfig and prevent them from running at startup. Reboot and delete the folder. Run CCleaner (www.ccleaner.com) to remove registry crud.

Antivirus 2009 is another faux-security malware program, but it’s even more insidious. Since you’ve already tried Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, which effectively removes most malware (including, for most people, Antivirus 2009), but your problems persist, you’ll want to check out our full malware-removal how-to for detailed instructions on purging your machine of baddies. If your problems persist even after a thorough scrub-down, however, you may have to reinstall Windows. It sucks, we know, but not as much as a security-compromised PC.

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION Are flames shooting out of the back of your rig? First, grab a fire extinguisher and douse the flames. Once the pyrotechnic display has fizzled, email the doctor at doctor@maximumpc.com for advice on how to solve your technological woes.

USB Shutdown

The Maximum PC Staff — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0600

At first I thought it was a fluke, but when I first installed Win7 Beta on a new HDD on my laptop, one of my USB ports stopped working and performance of the others took a nosedive, with some USB devices not getting enough power. I tried a reinstall with Win7 RC and now three of my four USB ports are having the same issues. It may not even be an issue with Windows 7 but there seems to be a correlation that the problem started and got worse with each installation.

I have Windows 7 running on two other PCs with no issues and all I can find on the Internet are people with the same problems but no solutions. I’m sure you can imagine how much it sucks having to use a four-port USB hub just so I can connect more than one USB flash drive.

—Guillermo Rodriguez

First, let’s make sure this isn’t a hardware issue. Grab a Linux LiveCD like Knoppix or Ubuntu and boot your machine from that. Test your USB ports one at a time. If they work, your problem is almost certainly a driver issue. Go to your laptop manufacturer’s website and download your device’s specific chipset drivers. If your USB problems persist regardless of drivers or operating system, it’s a hardware problem. If your machine is still under warranty, send it in to the manufacturer. Otherwise, unless you feel up to scrounging a new motherboard on the Internet and repairing it yourself, it may be time for a new PC.

8GB of RAM is Too Much?

The Maximum PC Staff — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:15:53 -0600

I have a home-built PC that uses a Gigabyte GA-EG45M-UD2H motherboard. When I load it with 8GB (four 2GB sticks) of RAM, I find that I cannot install either Windows XP or Vista 64-bit. The installation process fails partway through the “expanding files” section, with a “corrupt files” error. I tried new install media to no avail. Eventually, on a hunch, I removed all of the memory except the module in slot 1, leaving 2GB on the system, and the install completed normally.

I tested all of my modules in slot 1 and all passed. I then tested a module in each slot and all four passed. So what could be the issue with this motherboard? The memory (Kingston DDR2-800) is listed in the compatible memory list and the motherboard supports up to 16GB. I could find no information about this issue on Gigabyte’s website.

—Paul Jackson

Paul, your motherboard and OS should both be able to recognize 8GB of RAM. Since your OS installed correctly with 2GB, you should now try adding the rest of the RAM to that installation, rather than trying to reinstall with all 8GB slotted in. You may need to change your RAM voltages and timings to utilize all 8GB. Look up your RAM model number on Kingston’s website—you’ll find specific voltage and timing information there. JEDEC standards dictate that DDR2 draws 1.8V, but some performance RAM can draw up to 2.2V. Make sure your motherboard can supply enough voltage to all of your RAM, and set the voltages and timings correctly in the BIOS.

Restoring Preview Thumbnails

The Maximum PC Staff — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:45:54 -0600

I was recently reviewing different graphics programs for showing video files when I noticed that Explorer now refuses to display a miniature version of video graphics files when I go to the thumbnail view. It still shows miniatures of picture files (.jpeg and .bmp) but not video files. What would cause this? Is it possible to fix it without reinstalling the OS (XP Pro)? The video files show the miniature version when exported to another computer, so there must be something different with my OS. I’ve tried everything I could think of but no luck.

—Stephen Brown

Whether or not thumbnail previews show up for video files depends on your file associations and DirectShow filters. If you’ve been installing and uninstalling different video players, your file associations could be messed up. Make sure video files are associated with the player that is currently installed on your machine and that it can handle video preview thumbnails. You can do this in Windows Explorer; just click the Tools menu, go to Folder Options, and hit the File Types tab. Then make sure you have preview thumbnails enabled for all file types that support them by going to the Start Menu, opening Run, typing regsvr32 shmedia.dll, then hitting Enter. You could also have a problem with your codec pack. The Doctor recommends uninstalling whatever codec packs you currently use and replacing them with ffdshow tryouts (http://ffdshow-tryout.sourceforge.net).

By going to Windows Explorer's Tools menu, then Folder Options > File Types, you can change file associations and restore your graphical preview thumbnails.

Shrinking Free Space

The Maximum PC Staff — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:30:11 -0500

I have a month-old computer with a 64GB Falcon SSD for my OS and my most frequently played games. After I first installed the OS and all my games I had roughly 13GB of free space. Everything I’ve downloaded and installed since then has gone on my secondary drive; I have not added anything new to the primary drive. Despite this, I now have just 137MB free on my primary drive and am getting warnings of low disk space. Where is my available space going? I did a disk clean-up and that hardly freed any space. I’m running 64-bit Vista SP1. Any help would
be appreciated.

—Devin Binning

Without knowing more about the programs you’re installing (for example, Adobe Creative Suite 3 requires substantial C: drive space even if you’re installing it on a different drive), it’s hard for us to give useful advice. Our gut says to check your Documents folder. By default, Vista stores saved games and other application data in your Documents folder on the C: drive; you might be filling up with game data or even temporarily stored Internet files. We suggest downloading and installing a visual data manager like WinDirStat (http://windirstat.info) or SpaceSniffer (http://bit.ly/ssniff), which will show you exactly which files are taking up all of your space. You can then move them to your secondary drive or delete them at your leisure.

Graphical drive-space utilities like WinDirStat (shown) and SpaceSniffer let you see at a glance exactly which files are taking up precious hard disk space.

Access Denied

The Maximum PC Staff — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0500

I decided to do some cleaning of unwanted files on my PC, which has had occasional stretches of non-use. I now get an “access denied” message on my D: drive. I have all the latest drivers and updates for Vista Ultimate 64-bit. I poked around the Properties menu and am getting confused about how to regain access permissions. The creator is not listed. I don’t even remember what’s on the drive; it could possibly belong to my old user/admin account before a restore or reinstall. I cannot get ownership of the drive to open it. Any suggestions?

—Rick Smith

Vista doesn’t automatically give administrators full access to folders and files from other installations or users, even if the username and password are the same.

To regain ownership of the drive and its contents, right-click it and select Properties. Click the Security tab, then the Advanced button. Go to the Owner tab, and Edit it to give ownership to your computer’s administrator/primary user. Be sure to include subcontainers and files. Now click OK. Go back to the Security tab, highlight the Administrator you just gave ownership to, and hit Edit, then give Full Control permissions for that drive. You should be able to fully access everything on the disk.

Static Prevention

The Maximum PC Staff — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:00:53 -0500

If I wear latex gloves to handle PC components like videocards, processors, memory, and hard drives, do I still have to worry about static electricity?

—Reggie Wong

Merely wearing gloves won’t necessarily help prevent static shock—a big static charge can build across the thin latex of the glove. It’s essential to properly ground yourself while you work on your computer to prevent static buildup. Consider wearing an anti-static wrist strap. And don’t forget: Always unplug your computer when you’re working on it.

Dust to Dust

The Maximum PC Staff — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:30:00 -0500

I have a roughly year-old refurbished computer, and for the past few months the fan has been rather loud, and more recently the computer has been shutting down on its own, especially when I’m playing games, or even when I’m just on AIM or surfing the Internet.

I believe the computer might be overheating from dust caught in the fans, but I’m not entirely sure. If that is the case, how do you recommend I clean the computer? I’m quite comfortable working on the computer, but unfortunately I have very little experience working on the insides of my machine, so I have some fears about actually opening up my PC and accidentally breaking something or damaging it. Any advice, Doc?

—Michael H.

It’s important to keep your computer clean and free of dust, pet hair, and other debris. The best way we’ve found to clean out a computer without endangering any of our precious components is to clean it with a can of compressed air. Unplug your computer and remove the side panels. Then hold the can upright (to prevent spraying cold liquid) and clean the case with short bursts of air. It’s important to prevent fans from spinning out of control, so use a pencil or your finger to block them.

Or you can buy a micro-cleaning attachment for your vacuum cleaner, as reader Kevin Fields points out: “Shop-Vac makes the 1.25-inch Micro Cleaning Kit for around $12. It’s available from Shopvac.com, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, and other retailers. I have used this kit myself for several years. Although neither I nor any of my equipment has ever suffered any ill effects, it is still a good idea to properly ground yourself before performing any maintenance inside a PC.” Wise words.

Of course, that might not be the problem at all. You may have a faulty power supply or other hardware. Check out the Doctor’s answer to J.P. Allen and start testing your hardware piece by piece, if you feel comfortable doing so. Otherwise it might be time to take it to the shop.