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I'm at the end of my teather...

  • 11-01-2006 5:56pm
    #1
    MrJoeSoap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭


    Howya lads, some serious help required here.

    Twice in the last month, three times in total since I got this PC, I have lost everything. Essentially, what happened was that I returned to my PC on each occasion after leaving it for a while to find a message saying something to the effect of:

    -> The drive C:\ is corrupted and is no longer accesible. Try running "Blabla.exe" (think it was diskfrag or one of those things).

    Basically, my hard drive was quickly disappearing before my eyes.

    Since the last time, I have been trying to be ultra cautious. I have always had Zone Alarm and AVG Free installed and constantly running, with Spybot S&D run every few days or so. This time, I have Hitman Pro, which incorporates:

    -> Trend Micro CWShredder
    -> Lavasoft AdAware Se
    -> Search & Destroy
    -> Webroot Spy Sweeper
    -> Pc Tools Spyware Doctor
    -> Hitman Pro Anti-Spyware

    ... all into one excellent and easy to use program. The problem I'm having now, however, is that the program "vsmon.exe" is clogging up the CPU time quite a bit, and slowing the PC down to a halt. Also, when I turn the PC on and only have AVG and Zone Alarm running, my connection is still very active, sending and receiving quite a large number of packets. Maybe I'm paranoid or just technically naive but it seems to me that, yet again, there is something up.

    So heres the thing:

    I want peoples suggestions as to what they would do with a brand new system before allowing it to connect to the net. I'm going to backup whatever valuables I have tonight and format my hard drive, before re-installing windows (I use Windows 2000).

    Which programs should I have ready to install before I connect to the net upon re-installing Windows tomorrow?

    I'm thinking along the lines of which...
    • ... firewall
    • ... anti-virus
    • ... anti-spyware
    • ... anti-malware

    and so on.

    Also, is there a problem with allowing my system to connect to the net (even behind a firewall) when it isn't updated to Service Pack 4? As far as I can see there is no way to install Windows 2k Service Pack 4 without having a connection (without ordering the CD off Microsoft that is).

    Cheers for any help lads,
    Mark.

    (Ps - I'd prefer if the programs were free, but if paying for them is completely necessary in peoples views then I'll consider it)


Comments

  • #2
    kaimera
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,396 ✭✭✭✭kaimera


    anti_virus: nod32. http://www.nod32.com/
    anti_spyware: spysweeper http://www.webroot.com/

    neither are free, but if you want complete protection..


  • #3
    Blub2k4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭Blub2k4


    Do you have IDE hard drives?
    If so where is the master drive on the IDE cable?
    Is it on the end or in the middle?
    If it is in the middle change it to the end.
    This happened me once before and taught me not to build a PC "under the influence" at the weekend ;):p


  • #4
    MrJoeSoap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    I only have one hard drive and its SATA.


  • #5
    timeout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 919 ✭✭✭timeout


    1) I'd run a hard drive diagnositc just to be sure about the integrity of your HD no mater how old it is cos they can be faulty from the box. Sometimes you will not find a fualt till you start writting information to it. Find out what make it is, go the manufactures site, download a bootable diagnostics tool and check the HD.

    2) Would strongly recommend having SP4 for win 2k installed before connecting to the net. If you don't have BB, go to a net cafe, download it and put it onto cd. Should only be 1 hour to download so only cost €2 or get a friend to get it. Avalible here - http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp4/sp4Eng.mspx choose the netword download.

    3)AVG, ZoneAlarm and Hitman Pro are all fine packages and recommended by many members of Boards including me :D

    Timeout


  • #6
    MrJoeSoap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Thanks, I formatted my hard drive last night, reinstalled windows and it is running fine now. The only thing about installing SP4 is that the file you download off the microsoft website is actaully only an installer and you need to be connected to the internet to download the rest of the update. I did this behind Zone Alarm and AVG and everything went fine.

    I'm downloading the diagnostics tool now so if I've any problems I'll give you a shout. Hopefully all is fine though.

    Cheers for the help,
    Mark.


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