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    Problem with M17 freezing

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by EviLCorsaiR, Sep 5, 2009.

  1. EviLCorsaiR

    EviLCorsaiR Asura

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    Okay well, I had to format and reinstall Vista last night due to Vista contracting an error that wouldn't even let me log in. However now whenever I attempt an antivirus scan (currently using Vipre) my whole system freezes a few minutes in. It allows me to scan in Safe Mode without problems and doesn't come up with any viruses so I don't think malware is the cause.

    Anyone got any advice on what to try?
     
    EviLCorsaiR, Sep 5, 2009
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  2. EviLCorsaiR

    EviLCorsaiR Asura

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    Just wanted to bump and add another detail:

    When I set Vipre to not scan rootkits then it doesn't freeze at all. Do you think I might have an infected rootkit? (Note that the freezing doesn't appear to always be on the same file, but I'm not certain of that)
     
    EviLCorsaiR, Sep 5, 2009
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  3. lordqarlyn

    lordqarlyn Global Biz Consultant

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    I have a very similar problem with my Toshiba. It freezes periodically, for no apparent reason. When I scandisk or try to defrag, it always stops at the same point. Likewise when I do an AV or adware scan. Now that I have my M17x - and migrated my data, I someday will look more into this so I can restore my Toshiba.

    The nearest I can tell, on my system at least, is there may be a corrupted sector(s) on my hard drive. I will find out when I reformat the whole thing. If it gets stuck at a certain point, consistently, then the HD is bad. Otherwise it may simply be corrupted data.

    You have something that can inspect the rootkit? Has it froze since you reformatted and reinstalled? Can you consistently replicate the freezing?
     
    lordqarlyn, Sep 5, 2009
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  4. EviLCorsaiR

    EviLCorsaiR Asura

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    The freezing happens every time my antivirus scans the rootkit. Nothing else has caused it. The freezing didn't happen before I reformatted and reinstalled, but I can't remember if I enabled rootkit scanning so I'm unsure whether it's a bad sector on my HD or corrupted data. Freezing never happens with anything else though so if it is a bad sector then it doesn't contain crucial system data.

    I hope that I will still have ample antivirus protection without scanning it but as far as I'm aware most antiviruses don't scan the rootkit and I've never had a virus problem before. (Apart from once, but that was because I decided to try Norton again which is meant to be far better now...don't make me laugh)
     
    EviLCorsaiR, Sep 5, 2009
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