Blue Screen Error Upon Startup

[nialmoconnor]

Hi Everyone,

I have recently begun to get to get this blue screen error message when windows loads

stop  0x00000008E (0x00000005, 0xEE2C6B3A, 0xB7DA3784, 0x00000000)

after microsoft tells me a serious error has occurred from the previous session. Unfortunately, the error by microsoft does not remain on the screen long enough to be read and I don't get a chance to get an error report before the blue screen comes up.

A couple of days ago a friend had given me what may have been a pirate/cracked copy of Microsim 8 with WinRAR files and installation instructions which required an .exe file to be placed in system32 folder. The software worked fine and I have shutdown a few times since it was installed so I'm not sure if this may be the problem.

I have a USB to Mobile Phone connection which has always been a little bit dodgy which I disconnected without safe removal just prior to my last shutdown before the problem occured.

Any help would be great,

Niall

[Broni]

Can you boot to Windows, or you're stuck with the error?

[patio]

Points to a driver issue...if the phone is the only new hardware lately uninstall it from Device Manager and use Add/Remove to get rid of the software,

[nialmoconnor]

Yes I can get to windows momentarily (around 30 seconds) before blue screen appears. I can also run in safe mode but can't perform a system restore or install certain spyware or regedit software.

[patio]

The above advice can be done in safemode...

[nialmoconnor]

I have uninstalled the phone software but this was installed and used for the past few months. I think the .exe file which came with the cracked software messed around with the .dll and .sys files to bypass the licensing on the software. When I executed the file a dos screen appeared which showed some .dll files in rapid succession.

[Broni]

In Safe Mode...

Go Start>Run (Start Search in Vista), type in:
msconfig
Click OK (hit Enter in Vista).

Click on Startup tab.
Click Disable all

Click Services tab.
Put checkmark in Hide all Microsoft services
Click Disable all.

Click OK.
Restart computer in Normal Mode.

NOTE. If you use different firewall, than Windows firewall, turn Windows firewall on, just for this test, since your regular firewall won't be running.
If you use Windows firewall, you're fine.

[nialmoconnor]

Hi Broni,

This looks good. I have followed your procedure and have access to windows without the blue screen crash (albeit windows informs me that I am working under a different mode from normal mode). Does this mean that a piece of software I have installed is causing the crash? Also, does this assuage my fears that I have installed a virus by following the procedure to install the licensing .exe for the cracked software? Many thanks by the way, this really spooked me, 3 years of work towards a PhD are on this computer!!!

Regards,

Niall

[patio]

Time to start considering a regular backup strategy and give up fooling around with warez.....

[nialmoconnor]

Hi,

I used the procedure as per Broni and was able to install registry fixing and malware detection software whilst in the custom startup mode (This wasn't possible in safe mode as the system would not allow - The system did not recognise me as the administrator or permit certain program installations) .

I also removed any software which I had recently installed. However, I do not seem to have full admin privileges. I found a link on microsoft's website to change user settings in the computer management program but the local security file or local security settings are not present - see attached.

I am the only user on the machine and am titled as administrator in the user accounts folder.

Anybody know what the problem may be??

Thank you in advance,

Niall

[Broni]

albeit windows informs me that I am working under a different mode from normal mode

Totally normal.
It's possible, that your computer got infected.
I hope, you read, what patio said.

Are you still in custom mode?
If so...
Download HijackThis:
http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis/download
Click on Download HijackThis Installer
Install HJT.
Re-enable all disabled msconfig entries.
Restart computer.
Run HijackTHis, and post its log.

[nialmoconnor]

Hi Broni,

Yeah I read Patio's reply, suffice it to say I wont be taking chances on software like this again!!

Yes, I can now run windows in normal mode with the msconfig settings reversed. I have run hijackthis and the log file is attached. What do you think??

Cheers,

Niall

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Broni]

patio also mentioned a need for backup strategy...

Your computer is infected by DNS hijacker, maybe more.

Read here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html
Start new topic here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/board,7.0.html

[Broni]

while posting there, mention:

a friend had given me what may have been a pirate/cracked copy of Microsim 8 with WinRAR

because I still can see it on your computer.