Hi one and all,
Have a problem I've come across before.
After someone dlownloaded some banking security software (Trusteer Rapport), the Vista sytem started to get very slow. Then next time it was booted up, the login screen appeared showing all available user icons but nothing is clickabvle except the shutdown button.
I then booted into Safe Mode, deactivated this software and it seemed to clear the problem.
Did 3 different Save points on System Restore option and thought all was fine.
But the next time for rebooting the same thing happened again.
Went through Safe Mode again, scanned the whole system (McAfee) and found nothing.
Went online and used F-Secure which found 3 files (quaranined/removed).
Tried again and still no luck at login screen.
Finally removed this offending software with the official safe removal tool but still no luck at the login screen.
Did a Chkdisk via Command Prompt (ok), Checked the memory (ok) and have now run out of options.
Saw your AVG rescue CD option, so will try that but has anyone else come across this peculiar scenario? Does anyone have a solution? Am I missing something so obvious?
Can anyone help, please?
peaches48

Four days ago this happened to me. After trying everything to fix my computer, with no luck, I called Microsoft.
The problem in my case was due to an overnight Windows Live One Care update which caused all my applications to stop functioning. I have spoken with a Microsoft person daily for the last 4 days and each day they say they are working on a solution and hope to have he problem fixed within 24 hours. I will see what they say today!

I was told that MANY users of WL1Care are experiencing this problem -

Hi there,
Thank you so much for the reply because I remember seeing the Live One care update, when going through what programs had been installed since I last accessed the PC.
I will await Microsoft's update with bated breath...... but did you try removing it and if so, did that make any difference?

If you hear before me, I would be so grateful if you could put the info here.

Many many thanks......
peaches48

I did try to remove 1 Care - also tried the Microsoft reps recommendation to run in Safe Mode with Networking - but since NO applications work - I was unsuccessful in doing anything on the computer. I have Windows XP on my laptop so I was able to go in and remove 1 Care; but according to another Forum (Google: removing Windows Live 1 Care) many of its network keys remain in your computer using a standard uninstall procedure and it is very difficult to remove the program entirely.

The Microsoft rep has not yet called me today so I will ask some more questions when they call.

Have you had any luck at your end?

Hi again,
I've just checked the Vista compter again and I can only find Adobe 9.3.3, Microsoft Office Live Add-in and Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant as the programs installed for around the date when the PC went wrong. So it looks like I don't have the Live One Care at all.
Could either of the other Live programs I mentioned have any impact the same way as the One Care has on your's?
I've tried removing them in Safe Mode, but it is not possible. So, it looks like I will have to remove all necessary data to an external Hard Drive and reformat the hard drive or reinstall Vista. What a pain!

peaches48

Hi Peaches!
Hmm.... That is interesting - I wonder what could have happened then.
Do you know the exact date the problem arose?

Today I went to see my son who is a computer pro. I am sorry I did not have your email yet or I would have asked him about your problem, now that I know it may be different than mine.

Anyways, he checked and on July 11th ( the date my computer problem surfaced) he confirmed that Windows Live sent out a service pack update that caused a shut down of all of the computers whose One Care subscriptions had expired (like mine!).

Because 1 Care is a security system, the analogy he used is that when it shut down - it locked all the doors, so to speak. Because all the doors are locked (ie all services and applications are blocked) even 1 Care (Microsoft) cannot get in (to the computer) to fix it!

He expected that Microsoft is paying attention to the large network users so no one is left to take care of us little guys.

My son found a solution which worked for some people - and I will try it tomorrow morning and let you know if it helps. (I was away all day so just got home).

Talk to you tomorrow!
yg

Hi yg,
Eventually after I almost gave up in desperation, I rang Microsoft tech.
He got me to take everything out of the Start-up option, after going in to msconfig, then doing a restart. I managed to get the system to reboot but then had to find the offending program that was causing the freezing of the login screen.
I got down finally to the Kontiki Delivery Manager, which although it did try to load, Windows says there is an error with it, and closes the program.
So, I've managed to get the whole system up and running which is a relief but some of the programs are not acting right. Sometimes when I try and switch user or log-off, the system just sits there and does nothing (most annoying). And then when it is in the process of shutting down, it sits there, saying 'shutting down' but actually doesn't.
So, the tech guy said to phone him on Monday am, and let him know if I had any success with logging in (which I have) and if I found the offending program (not sure if Kontiki is the correct one) but he might know more things I can try.
And because I use Windows Live on the system, I can't say for sure that the issue isn't with the security issue you mentioned.
I hope you've had success with your son's solution, if not, you could try what the tech guy told me..... if you want a walkthrough of the steps, please let me know and i'll write them down here for you.

talk soon,
peaches48

Hi Peaches

Good luck on your fix - it sounds like your problem is slightly different, but still similar to mine.
None of the solutions we found worked on my system. I continued my daily phone conversations with Microsoft and in the end they told me that I would have to take my computer in to either the manufacturer (HP) or my store where I purchased it. Microsoft could not fix it (even thought they confirmed absolutely that it was an automatic Windows Live update sent by Microsoft on July 11th that torpedoed my system.

It is costing me $180 (plus tax plus purchase of a new security software system) to back up all my files on an external HD (just for assurance sake) and reinstall Windows. After the install, I still have to reinstall ALL my software programs personally (the store wanted extra $$ to do this). When I took in my computer, there were several other customers, computers in hand, coming in with the same problem. I took it to Future Shop and ordinarily they can have this type of repair ready in 24 - 48 hours, but due to the large number of people with this problem, they estimate 4 to 5 days. So my computer (which is a home network server) will be down about 2 weeks, and cost me personally quite a bit of money, time and aggravation due to a crash caused entirely by Microsoft.

Have you gone into Task Manager, looked in the Services Tab, to see if any of your applications are STOPPED? If so can you right click on them to RESTART? That is how I found out that a lot (99%) of functions were shut down and I did not have permission to restart.

I am not familiar with the Kontiki Delivery Manager but it does sound like something is preventing some of your programs - or services - from functioning properly.

What is the Mfg. of your computer?

Good Luck
YG

Hi YG,
It seems that although I can now access the system, some programs are still playing up.
The Microsoft tech guy rang me this morning (as he said he would) to check and see if I had managed to get into my system and find the rogue program.
He was happy I had done that much but said I could phone him this afternoon about the other issues (McAfee shutting down it's automatic scanning option, not being able to log-off or switch user etc).
I wish in hindsight I had taken a virtual image of the system originally. so that I could just go back to that and start again. But if he can't fix these other issues I think I will remove all the necessary data and then do a re-install of Vista to clear the niggles.
Yes, I went into Services and saw that many of the programs had been stopped (no idea why), and I have started some of them but half of them you never know what they do, talk about confusing! I'm fairly well versed in computers but sometimes, the jargon just overwhelms you....
This PC is an Acer Aspire x3200, 64bit O/S AMD Phenom 9650 Quad core processor, 4Gb RAM, 2.30GHz 640GB hard drive. So, it is quite a good machine and has been running very well up until 11th July 2010.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having to pay so much to get your's fixed. Is there no way to get compensation back from Microsoft, given that it was there update that has caused this? Can you get together with some of these other people and form a committee to petition Microsoft? I know that this is a nuisance, probably just when you don't have the time but releasing this update, when surely it couldn't have been tested properly, was totally irresponsible.
Have you been able to go back with System Restore or is that also not functioning? You can do that by either hitting the F8 key and holding down while the system starts or else F12 and trying the Vista options.
I really wish you luck with the repair and please let me know if I can offer any help (small such as it is) with your system.
Kindest regards,
peaches48

Hi Peaches!

Thank you for all your suggestions - I did try the system restore options you mentioned but of course the system restore application was not functioning either. I could not even install Windows using safe mode!
I really thought your idea of taking a virtual image of your system was great, but I believe that you may be more astute than I when it comes to computers - how would you do that? Your system seems to be a really good one. Mine is only a System 32, Service Pack 1 although it relatively large & fast and I have 2 external drives - one for back-up and one for photos and movies (I do a lot of digital media work for family and friends).

Future Shop called and my computer will be ready tonight! Good News! I hope that Microsoft Office has been included in their reinstall as I do not have the discs for it since the computer originally came with it included. I have also considered a petition - but have been so busy lately that I have not done anything yet. (Perhaps some of the larger networked users of 1 Care have gotten better results!

I have been using a Mac Computer in the last couple of weeks and am getting to like it for certain things (including its high immunity to outside viruses etc!).

Good Luck with everything!
YG