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Author Topic: The computer suddenly changed settings.  (Read 5064 times)

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longshinshen

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    The computer suddenly changed settings.
    « on: August 28, 2018, 11:28:35 AM »
    I use desktop.
    Norton security and Win8.1.
    After looking at the web and shutting down the computer is normal but the next day when it boots up everything goes back to the initial installation state of win.
    This computer, controlpanel icon disappears from the desktop. The controlpanel does not appear in the file explorer window. Pc setting can not be opened. It seems that the program to control windows can not open. The names of file description are displayed in Chinese. i can not change user account. There is no norton security icon in the taskbar.
    System restore is still running but things are not changing. All programs are returned at the default installation. The disk and CPU always run at a high level even if I do not do anything.
    Recently in a few months I encountered this problem.
    Did someone hack my computer from the network? Please tell me why.

    Geek-9pm


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    Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
    « Reply #1 on: August 28, 2018, 12:38:13 PM »
    Quote
    Did someone hack my computer from the network? Please tell me why.

    Answer to first question: Yes, you have been hacked.
    Answer to second  question:  Hated to say. The hacker may not even know who yu are. Even so, you need to check with your bank and credit card company and make sure nobody is spending your money.

    EDIT:Somebody might say your were careless. Not likely, Windows 8.1 is a current OS and Microsoft is still providing updates and I would assume you already have some kind of anti-virus. Even with every precaution, people get hacked everyday.
    Here are some statistics:
    https://revisionlegal.com/data-breach/2018-statistics/
    Quote
    This focus suggests that cyberattacks will continue unabated because the cybercriminals can make large amounts of money with minimal effort and little risk of being caught/punished. In market-speak, cybercrime is lucrative because there are minimal barriers and low cost to entry, there are few downside risks and there is a high rate of return on investment.
    Even if you lived on a small isolated  island you would not be safe. :(

    Mark.



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    Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
    « Reply #2 on: August 28, 2018, 08:21:09 PM »
    or it could simply be a corrupted user profile and a new, temporary one is being created every time to log in.
    to test that theory, manually create a new user account, log out of the current one, and log onto the new one.
    make some changes, reboot, log back onto the new one and see if your changes have stuck.

    longshinshen

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      Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
      « Reply #3 on: August 29, 2018, 09:24:31 AM »
      thank you everyone!
      Each time, I can not change and edit anything. I can not fix the win just overwriting the old operating system and it took a long time to reinstall everything.  :(
      I have joined the game on plarium.com. I go to sites that have dangerous warnings then I will go out and if not then I still go there. I think norton security will remove all dangers.
      Do you have any way to know if the computer has been hacked, way to check or something...
      (Currently I have reinstalled everything still worried)

      Mark.



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      Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
      « Reply #4 on: August 29, 2018, 03:24:13 PM »
      did you try creating a new user account?

      patio

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      Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
      « Reply #5 on: August 29, 2018, 04:14:25 PM »
      Geek i have no idea how you could state definitely he has been hacked....
      " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
      « Reply #6 on: August 29, 2018, 05:30:52 PM »
      Geek i have no idea how you could state definitely he has been hacked....
      He said:
      Quote
      Norton security and Win8.1.
      After looking at the web and shutting down the computer is normal but the next day when it boots up everything goes back to the initial installation state of win.
      This computer, controlpanel icon disappears from the desktop. The controlpanel does not appear in the file explorer window. Pc setting can not be opened. It seems that the program to control windows can not open. The names of file description are displayed in Chinese. i can not change user account. There is no norton security icon in the taskbar.
      I am 97% certain.  ;D

      BC_Programmer


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      Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
      « Reply #7 on: August 30, 2018, 12:04:35 AM »
      Hacked? No. Infected? That's a good bet. Particularly considering Plarium.com is apparently well-known for distributing Trojan Horse malware and tricking people into installing browser hijackers.

      Hackers don't waste their time actively attacking end user consumer systems. Trojan horse malware is how end-user systems get compromised, because that is the easiest way to infect most end-user systems.

      It is corporate networks or other possible "targets", which need to be concerned about actual hackers because then they are an actual target which a hacker may actively attempt to exploit and get access to. A hacker isn't going to waste several hours with nmap figuring out weaknesses in a consumer NAT Router in order to get access to and then launch a further attack against the end user PCs on the inner LAN because they don't get anything out of it. It just doesn't make economic sense in a "return on investment" way. Why put all that extra effort and time in when a "hacker" can just distribute malware with the promise of something users want?
      I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

      longshinshen

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        Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
        « Reply #8 on: August 30, 2018, 10:54:55 AM »
        This computer and controlpanel icons disappeared and only appeared with commands. I was unable to change or create a new account and I chose to show all hidden files but when I restarted it was not work.
        When booting up the screen appeared a few words: hi, installing app... few lines that when you install win8.1 will first appear. Black background and a Chinese text was displayed in date and time in taskbar. Only the win driver, other drivers did not work. That means I'll see it again...
        I have been playing games on the Plarium for several years.
        Someone knows how to check the computer is safe.

        Mark.



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        Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
        « Reply #9 on: August 30, 2018, 03:01:54 PM »
        at best, it sounds like you have malware.
        at worst, system corruption due do failing hardware like your hard drive.

        first priority is to backup your files because, for me, the next step is a clean install of Windows.
        see if booting the PC into Safe Mode will allow you to do a backup.

        SuperDave

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        Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
        « Reply #10 on: August 30, 2018, 04:14:08 PM »
        longshinshen, if you want to run some scans to make sure that your computer is clean please let me know and I will move this thread to the malware forum and give you further instructions.
        Windows 8 and Windows 10 dual boot with two SSD's

        longshinshen

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          Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
          « Reply #11 on: August 31, 2018, 09:10:03 AM »
          thank you please help me!
          And I want to ask a few more things.
          Some people have been taken personal clips to net(Are they careless or anything else?) and I wanted to ask how to prevent that.
          How to prevent hacking and malware.
          norton securiy always block web attacks and malware but at that time i did not get any notifications and when booting up it was like this.

          SuperDave

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          Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
          « Reply #12 on: August 31, 2018, 04:00:17 PM »
          Quote
          Some people have been taken personal clips to net(Are they careless or anything else?) and I wanted to ask how to prevent that.
          I'm not sure what you mean by this. Could you be more specific?

          I will move this thread to the malware forum and you can run these scans.

          Please download AdwareCleaner onto your Desktop. AdwCleaner

          Before starting AdwCleaner, close all open programs and internet browsers, then double-click on the AdwCleaner icon.



          If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.
          When the AdwCleaner program will open, click on the Scan button as shown below.



          AdwCleaner will now start to search for malicious files that may be installed on your computer.
          To remove the files that were detected in the previous step, please click on the Clean button.



          AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to reboot the computer. Please do so and then click on the OK button. AdwCleaner will now delete all detected adware from your computer. When it is done it will display an alert that explains what PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) and Adware are. Please read through this information and then press the OK button. You will now be presented with an alert that states AdwCleaner needs to reboot your computer.
          Please click on the OK button to allow AdwCleaner reboot your computer.A log will be produced. Please copy and paste this log in your next reply.
          *********************************************
          Download and install: Please download Malwarebytes' scanner to your desktop.
          Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
          • It should update automatically if the computer is connected to the internet.
          • Click on Threat Scan and click on Scan Now.
          • The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.
          • When the scan is complete make sure all the infections have "quarantine" selected in the Action box.
          • Click on "Apply actions" You may be asked to Restart your computer to completely remove the infections.
          • When disinfection is completed you can click on "Copy to Clipboard".
          • Paste the log in you next reply (CTRL+ V)
          *************************************************
          Download Security Check by screen317 from the following link and save it to your desktop.

          Security Check

          * Double-click Security Check.bat
          * Follow the on-screen instructions inside of the black box.
          * A Notepad document should open automatically called checkup.txt
          * Post the contents of that document in your next reply.

          Note: If a security program requests permission from dig.exe to access the Internet, allow it to do so.
          Windows 8 and Windows 10 dual boot with two SSD's

          longshinshen

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            Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
            « Reply #13 on: September 01, 2018, 08:49:46 AM »
            Thanks for the help I will know how if the next time it repeats like that!
            And the story is like this.
            She has several personal clips on her computer and has been posted on social networking sites.
            I do not know what her computer is installed for protection.
            No matter where you install the security software, hackers can take control of your computer and upload your confidential documents.
            In case I want to ask about mobile phone being eavesdropped, where should I ask?

            SuperDave

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            Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
            « Reply #14 on: September 01, 2018, 03:57:45 PM »
            Quote
            I do not know what her computer is installed for protection.
            No matter where you install the security software, hackers can take control of your computer and upload your confidential documents.
            In case I want to ask about mobile phone being eavesdropped, where should I ask?
            So, it is not your computer. I still can't figure out what you mean by "clips".
            If the computer is well protected it is very difficult if not impossible to get hacked.
            You could post the question about mobile phones in the "Other" forum. Perhaps someone there can find an answer.
            Windows 8 and Windows 10 dual boot with two SSD's

            longshinshen

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              Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
              « Reply #15 on: September 12, 2018, 08:57:56 AM »
              This time, I got that condition.
              I updated the new chrome version and the next day when I restarted the word "Hi" appeared and win was like that.
              But this time I think the file system has problems. (Unknown cause is malicious code, conflict or a vandal...)
              Checked for norton security still working.
              Icon icons on the taskbar do not appear.
              This computer and controlpanel icons did not appear on the desktop. The controlpanel did not appear in the directory tree in the window. Pc setting was not able to open and the win app did not open.
              Turned off and restarted it nothing. Usernames and passwords are normal.
              Trying to create a user but the results have not changed.
              system restore useless.
              When I checked to show hidden files, it did not work. It just flashed off and off...
              I think the user has changed permissions on the system and tried to fix the pc setting and win app to see if everything is back to normal.
              sfc /scannow
              DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
              Successful but not help.
              I used acronis true image to go back to the OS a year ago and it took me a while to update my entire win.
              Does anyone know the cause and solution?

              SuperDave

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              Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
              « Reply #16 on: September 12, 2018, 03:30:15 PM »
              Run the scans and post the logs here.
              Windows 8 and Windows 10 dual boot with two SSD's

              longshinshen

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                Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
                « Reply #17 on: September 13, 2018, 09:19:19 AM »
                I scanned it with norton security and nothing was wrong.
                File system has problems and it changes the settings of win.
                Previous times may have been malicious but this time I think the installation conflicts.
                My problem is that the pc setting does not work and the win app, winstore is the same and how can it work again?
                sorry for bothering. I do not know what this topic belongs to...

                Allan

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                Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
                « Reply #18 on: September 13, 2018, 09:41:02 AM »
                I'm moving this back to Windows from the Malware Forum. The OP won't run scans and says it isn't a malware issue.

                patio

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                Re: The computer suddenly changed settings.
                « Reply #19 on: September 13, 2018, 03:11:31 PM »
                If he won't take advice given you should move it to Off Topic...
                " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "