BleepingComputer.com: Can't figure out what my friend did

Cursory examination of your screen shots indicates they are all (except for the webkinz thingy) normal xp windows. They actually look a lot like what I had to do to a clients computer so I could fix it without having convulsions from all the bizarre fonts, flashing popups, chat clients and dozens of browser addons and after the repair of a broken profile.

Perhaps you should ask your BIL to join us here to see if we can work out what the issue is.

There are hundreds of ways to customize xp and some people get lost when it is set back to the classic functions familiar to NT or 98 users.


If your account profile got damaged and had to be replaced, your cookies, saved passwords and some versions of saved documents would not be available to you without some moving and/ or manipulation of permissions on the new account.

If you use online banking, amazon or even pizza delivery sites that save your creditcard info or logins and passwords, you should be able to simply re-enter the info. If you have something with your SS number on it on your computer, you better have a working and uptodate antivirus and antimalware scanner and run it regularly.

Did your brother in law tell you he cleaned a virus? Did he re-create an administrator profile?

Looks like a little confusion going on as to who did what to the computer.

But first, the answer to the question about do I have a program that logs everything I type.
Yes, all the programs I have seem to do that function. My browser is one of them that does it, Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Outlook Express, Access, so many things.
So, for example when you open the browser, go to tools, options, is where you see all the columns like Username, Passwords, etc..
So, yes, since my college has us use our Social Security Number for the username, then that is what is showing up there.


The thing about who has messed all the stuff up with my computer is that several people keep messing it up over the years is the problem. So, this is why we are about to give up about calling repairmen anymore. They mess things up worse and then don't even fix the original problems too.
The reason I mention my brother-in-law is he seems to know way more than the repairmen we keep getting seem to know and keep messing everything up. He understands way more about the like the registry, and all that type of stuff than I do. Plus alot of the things that you have to do requires alot of typing, hittting more than 1 keys at the same time and all and other things that I physically can't do due to my handicaps and disabilities.
One of the repairmen we had told us to do an FDisk without backing anything up. They said it wouldn't erase anything. We asked several times before doing this if we need to back anything up. They said No.

Of course about the only other good thing is all these computer problems we keep having over the years, both me and my mom's computers, both of us actually keep getting a good education and learning more and more on what to do and not to do for problems.

Yes, we already know both mine and my mom's computer have viruses, spyware, all that stuff. The repairmen and my brother-in-law(the last time he was over months ago) have all found them when they do the scans. But the problems are still happening or new problems too that were not happening before they worked on the computer.

This is why anytime anyone will be doing any work on the computer, if it doesn't sound correct, we just of course now try and just kindly end it before going any further and try to find someone else who knows more what to do and all.

This latest problems that are all messed up is due to a friend of mine who just did that Remote Access thing where someone can login from their end. He was trying to help with getting things backed up for me. But the problem is that he started getting files from places that I didn't tell him to go to. The reason all this happened is something is happening with my emails causing them to get messed up and things not to get sent correctly. Probably from spyware and stuff still being around causing some of this. But also, he writes to me asking if these files are the ones I want. I knew he was in the wrong folder/directory because some of the files he was getting were not in the areas I told him to go to. So, then when I try to tell him I don't need the files, confuses the whole situation and causes him to think that I mean that I don't need the files at all. So, he says something about writing a script to remove these things.

I'm afraid this is what he has done, and maybe this is why things are missing, such as the functions to change my colors and other things I can't get fixed back. They are missing out of the list of options I use to have. I am looking at my mom's computer which also has Windows XP, and hers has those options that mine does not have anymore.
But the other thing too I know he didn't do correct either so I tried to email him and stop him from doing it is he said about renaming the index.html files to index2.html. On things I did get backed up on my own, never required me to rename these files and it worked just fine. So, I tried to tell him this when he said about renaming them. He didn't get the email or something because the next thing I see everytime I go into all my folders/directories or anything it keeps saying at the top of the screen in all red writing too, 'Warning no index.html or index.htm files'.

The very first computer I ever had a Compaq had a problem with not being able to find the operating system half the time. So, ever since that, we worry anytime things can't find things. Which that is also the computer that the tech had me do an Fdisk on.
The computer I have now and my mom too both of us have Dell's. The other thing too is we are wondering if my friend could have somehow got into my mom's computer too. Since my nephew(who setup the router and modem when we switched from Earthlink Dialup to Bellsouth DSL) warned us a bit about this that since our computers are all hooked up together now, people can Access my mom's through mine. That is because when we were getting switched over, someone else was going to do that Remote Access thing to try and figure out why my mom's computer could not get connected. Mine was on just fine. The modem and router are both hooked up to my computer and go through the attic out to my mom's which is out in the Garage.


The other thing too is this is just making me sicker too. Stress makes my illnesses I already have going on worse. Using the computer though is one of the things that is suppose to be helping me get my mind off not feeling well, which is why when it's not working right as is happening right now, is not that helpfull at the moment.

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Maybe you are using a newer version of IE than I am, but when I go there, I do not have any of those columns. However, those columns do not indicate to me that IE is doing any logging of the things you type. Those other programs you mentioned do not automatically log what you type either. They are not keyloggers.

I would not tolerate my system logging things.

What is in those programs that give you the impression that they are logging all of your keystrokes? Where do they store the info that they log?

If you have viruses and spyware on that computer, you should not be doing any banking on it or credit card purchases with it.

You could get help cleaning your system of viruses in the Am I Infected section of this forum.

I am really sorry that you are ill and I can understand why having these problems with the computer are not helping. I am sorry that the thing that is suppose to give you some relief is only causing you more grief.

I wish I could help more but I really do not know how to fix the problems you are having other than to suggest that they may all be related to malware and may go away if we get your system cleaned up in the other section of the forum.

If you would like to get help cleaning your system of viruses and malware, just start a topic in the Am I Infected section of the forum after clicking this link....

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum103.html

Please don't take this the wrong way.

I have several clients that resemble you in different ways. I do free work for people with disabilities, on public assistance or on unemployment.

Some have been burned a few times, but more simply do not have a basic understanding of what a computer does and are apparently incapable of understanding the idea that some free games and screensavers and smiley face programs are not safe even if they are on the net. Some cannot understand the difference between what is on their computer and what is on the internet.

When I fix these clients computers, I always explain step by step what is going on, but since most of it sounds to them like Charlie Browns parents, (wahwah, wah wah wah) they slip back into paranoia and confusion as soon as I leave and panic over the removal of their dangerous programs with the smiley faces. Some handicapped users have indeed been victimized by geek squad, comcast and clearwire as well as many yellow pages "techs" over the years and there are even some who think that since I don't charge them for anything except hardware, I have some ulterior motive.

There is little I can do for them but clean it up after they finally have tried everyone else.

Here is a simple (to me ) method to make your computer safe to use.

To start with you have Dell computers. If you posted the service tag from the back of the one you are worried about, we could see exactly what hardware and software came with it .

Dell computers after Nov of 2004 have a recovery partition that will return your computer to factory new condition and allow you to then do windows updates and reinstall the programs you need. Most users however do not understand how to do a reliable file copy backup or where their important files are on the hard drive.

This is probably where the BIL comes in. He will know how to backup the important files on your computer.

He may have done a recovery recently or a system restore point or even run a antimalware scanner and not reinstalled every dangerous cookie and adware supported game to the system because either he knows which ones are dangerous or it was too much trouble (or impossible) to sort through every cookie, browser add-on and game to figure out which ones were safe to use and which were the vectors for infection.

If you want actual help with this system, and are willing to let your brother in law help you or vet the instructions you get from this forum, we have the expertise and patience to talk you step by step through anything to do with your computer.

But first you must be sure your system is clean of malware and viruses and up to date with Dell drivers, windows updates and a antivirus and antimalware combination of some sort.

I have not seen any indication you understand enough about your computer to safely try any of the suggestions given so far, on your own.

Try the "Am I infected" forum next. But if you find you do not understand the instructions you are given, or the request don't seem to work, contact your BIL and point him towards these forums so he can help you implement the instructions of the very highly trained people of the virus cleanup area.

Hi everyone,
How are you all doing today?

Thank you so much for being here.
Just got a screenshot of what I'm talking about where the computer stores the information.
Seems to be the same thing as like whenever I program/set the vcr/dvd to record a certain channel and it has the start and end time I enter in. That information seems to always stay in there, unless you go in and physically hit delete, but then sometimes it still stays in there. Like when we unplug the thing to do a reset thing. Seems the information is still in there when we plug things back in.

Yes, I understand that some people don't understand alot on computers. That isn't true for me though. That is why I'm trying to explain I have taken several computer classes over the years. So, I understand all of this stuff. Also, my dad worked as a computer programmer. So, I also learned alot of things from him too.
Here is a Computer Concepts and Applications Homepage to one of the classes I took and got an A in it. So, that you can understand better what levels I'm at. Also, since I am really good with things such as math, way better than I have ever been in reading/english type classes, I've taken an Accouting on computers class. That is the other thing too, is that vocabulary words are always a challenge for me in life. So, I think that causes people to think I don't understand as much in life as I do.
The only reason I can't do alot of things are because of my handicaps like I said. Yes, I know how to back things up. I have done it before lots of times.
But now can't due to my handicaps being worse. You have to select the files you want to backup. Which since my disabilities affect my muscles/joints all in pain all the time and other handicaps, is why I need someone else to physically do these functions for me.
The other thing too is that some things, yes I have also had to relearn alot of things I've learned over the years because of my illness getting worse and I got something that affects my brain and caused me to even forget things such as my own name.

The other thing, I understand that I shouldn't do anything involving using credit cards or other things online with all these viruses, spyware, etc. But my mom and others in the family keep doing this anyways. My mom doesn't understand as much about computers as I do. She has never even taken a computer class, but has learned enough through other ways. From all the computer issues we have had over the years is one way. Like I said, how this one tech had us do the Fdisk. So, this is how we both learned more on what exactly this function does. She also helped me setup the whole computer when we got it, and same with hers too. Plus as I mentioned my Dad(he passed away) being a computer programmer.
One of the things we really enjoyed doing all the time together too is chatting. Like whenever he is at work, we enjoyed making our own chatrooms and stuff and then sometimes playing around with each other too, and do things such as kicking each other out of the room.

But then the other thing too is so many different answers people have as to where things are and give all different answers that don't make much sense either. There seems to be so many differnet explanations as to where or how things actually got to places. I thought that if you go to file and then Save as, and then type the name of what you want to save the file as, such as if it is a picture you just scanned. I save it with the extension, meaning what is after(to the left of) the period. So, like jtt.jpg
is a jpg file. But then the other thing that sometimes gets a little confusing is since I thought that an extension is what comes after the period, some people have things written a bit different.
Like they have /html
Which this is what gets a bit confusing. I thought that html was an extension. Meaning it should be typed .html
So, it looks like the first thing would be wrong.
So, then if you start learning the wrong ways, will always get you very confused in life if that is the way people have always taught you how to do things.

About the only other thing is that about a year or so ago this one person starts acting like everything I'm doing is incorrect. Then when I try to get more help on figuring out what they are talking about, and still not sure I understand the problem with using the software I use already to create the web pages I've created. If I use notepad or something else, then with my handicaps I have mentioned I have, I can't do certain things much. So, I would have to do alot more typing and stuff than I'm doing. Like if I want to use a different fonts. I just choose it from the list of the fonts in the drop down menu. I don't have to write the word font and put all those brackets around the word font and then put the name of the font. Same with if I want to do a paragraph. I don't have to put the letter p in between the brackets or do any of the other things. I just type the sentences/words of the paragraph and put the periods at the end or a question mark if it is a question I am typing on the page.
Then like I said, when I save the stuff I just did, I go to file, save as and then type the name I want. Then of course computer does the rest, puts the extension. I've actually even done a few pages of course on my own where I did type the codes or whatever you want to call the stuff in the brackets, just to sort of test myself on how much I actually remember about things. Seemed to work when I went to view it.
If you want to see it, here is the very first site I created back in 1995 is when I started it.
Amy's Jonathan Taylor Thomas Site

Hi Amy,

I am doing fine today and I hope you are too.

I just looked at your screenshot and since there are no passwords stored there, you really do not have to worry. That thing is not going to automatically save passwords that you use, you would actually have to tell it to save the passwords. Just because something can store information does not mean that it does.

I wish you lived by me cause even though I am not an expert, I think I could help you alot if I could spend just a little bit of time on your computer to see whats what on it and I would like nothing better than to do that. I could help you so much better in person than I can here and I would love to help you but I am really out of thoughts on how to do that here other than to tell you to try to get the malware off it in the other section of the forum and then post back here if you are still having problems. I am really sorry that I cannot be of more help.

I hope you get feeling better soon and get your computer back to being something you can enjoy instead of being something that gives you grief. Good luck.