BleepingComputer.com: Need Startup editing utililty

Hello All,

This computer is running Win XP Pro.
I'm interested in your opinions on best editor utility for startup and system config utility.
I don't like it when I can't see the entire path showing where the programs are.
Isn't it just like microsoft to have a dinky editor for something so important.

Also, a strange thing. Sometimes, even when I am not doing anything, my computer makes a noise like "chk chk". I have scanned for trojans and malware and I am supposedly clean. I can't figure out what process is doing this. It doesn't seem to hurt anything but it's very suspicous.

-P

Startup Tool

A very simple, straightforward app for managing startup apps (not services) is Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel. I've been using and recommending it for as long as I can remember - works with all WIndows versions:

http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

In my experience, the most powerful startup utility is Autoruns from SysInternals. It's not the simplest tool to make sense of, but it's the most thorough.

I personally am partial to WinPatrol.

Just to clarify - I am also a user of WinPatrol and Autoruns. But for shear simplicity and ease of use, nothing compares to Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel. Again, it lists only startup apps, not services.

Thanks to all who have responded, the same night that I started the post I began using AutoRuns. There is still some things I'm trying to figure out about it but I did use it to take off some of the startup programs. I'm going to try the other ones that have been mentioned here on this forum but I'm going to be out of town for a week and not around the computer so I'll have to finish testing the others when I get back.

Again thanks to everyone.

-PoleAxem

Just a cautionary note, with Autoruns .

The tabs...exist for a reason. They determine just how much detail you want to see.

The Logon tab is what will reflect the normal startup items which won't include drivers, Windows items, etc.

Louis

Hello,

Thanks for the input. Tried most editors, been using autoruns the most. I unchecked many items, my computer stopped that annoying sound. It highlights somethings in red, like "file not found" (are those from leftover registry entries of uninstalled software?), but some in red are legit programs I want, don't understand that.

Some entries come back again like Windows Messenger and some for Outlook Express, neither of which I use.

Another program I tried for the first time, TCPview, showed me I have (5) processes "listening". That can't be a good thing. I know I'm "bug free" according to Malwarebytes and Reimage. Are there any legit reasons for my computer to "listen"? My computer is slower than it should be even after upgrading my RAM to 3G.

-PoleAxem

Every computer will have listening ports. If you post the port numbers I can quickly tell you if it looks strange.

alg.exe 3596 TCP base01 1025 base01 0 LISTENING
iexplore.exe 1556 TCP base01.stx.rr.com 2029 fcds330.dal.llnw.net 1935 ESTABLISHED 2 14 2 36
iexplore.exe 1308 UDP base01 1975 * *
iexplore.exe 1556 UDP base01 1783 * * 60 60 60 60
jqs.exe 1820 TCP base01 5152 localhost 2044 CLOSE_WAIT
jqs.exe 1820 TCP base01 5152 base01 0 LISTENING
lsass.exe 1028 UDP base01 isakmp * *
lsass.exe 1028 UDP base01 4500 * *
svchost.exe 1272 TCP base01 epmap base01 0 LISTENING
svchost.exe 1380 UDP base01.stx.rr.com ntp * *
svchost.exe 1380 UDP base01 ntp * *
svchost.exe 1804 UDP base01.stx.rr.com 1900 * * 80 16,845
svchost.exe 1804 UDP base01 1900 * *
System 4 TCP base01 microsoft-ds base01 0 LISTENING
System 4 TCP base01.stx.rr.com netbios-ssn base01 0 LISTENING
System 4 UDP base01.stx.rr.com netbios-dgm * * 3 588 17 184
System 4 UDP base01.stx.rr.com netbios-ns * * 10 524 70 2,350
System 4 UDP base01 microsoft-ds * *

PoleAxem, on 03 March 2012 - 03:41 AM, said:

Many of the drivers on the computer will appear as File not Found in Autoruns even though the files are actually there.

Orange Blossom,

Thanks, I take it that by unckecking all of those "file not found" entries, I could have disabled needed drivers? Since I've been using Autoruns, I deleted no itemns but unchecked many. I've noticed no ill effects so far. My computed has sped up some but still should be faster. My main complain is slowness, also, Netflix will lockup fairly often when streaming movies.

A little history: This computer had previously been severly infected. A computer tech used Combofix on it, I watched him. Since I've become a member here, I know he didn't follow the recommended proceedure as explained here Bleeping. I then used Malwarebytes, Super Antispyyware and Reimage to finish cleaning it. I still worry that maybe there may be some leftover damnage or backdoor done by the trojan.

Hello,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. If you are still concerned about being infected and given what has already been done to disinfect the computer, please follow the instructions in ==>This Guide<== starting at Step 6. If you cannot complete a step, skip it and continue.

Once the proper logs are created, then make a NEW TOPIC and post it ==>HERE<== Please include a description of your computer issues and what has been done to resolve them.

If you can produce at least some of the logs, then please create the new topic and explain what happens when you try to create the log(s) that you couldn't get. If you cannot produce any of the logs, then still post the topic and explain that you followed the Prep. Guide, were unable to create the logs, and describe what happens when you try to create the logs.

If HelpBot replies to your topic, PLEASE follow Step One so it will report your topic to the team members.

Orange Blossom