# Having trouble connecting to Microsoft Update site



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Since last Friday, July 2nd, I have not been able to connect to Microsoft Update website. I have searched the internet and have found that if you have a trojan virus, this problem will occur. I have run my full virus scan and NO VIRUS. Any ideas out there? I'm at the point of using my wife's MacBook Pro!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm having an unusual problem with my oldest puker too! Scans say all is well but I get this problem where randomly my computer switches to "for the hard to see program, and enlarges everything, it tells me to restart, and then it takes 20 mins to reload and end up like I had it before the problem. It say an error message, next time it happens I'll write it down. Maybe some computer geeks out there can tell me what it is. Something like a tkl driver or sumtin??????. Regal


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Gary, just went there and it did work for me. I'm running windows XP home edition on a Gateway from 2004. Regal


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Regal, 

I checked my settings for Automatic Updates and it is "checked". Hopefully someone has a clue. I'm running XP Pro on a P4, 3.2 GHz.


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## JonScott (May 12, 2010)

Try running Malwarebytes http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php Free version. I had this problem not too long ago at my office, it will find all sorts of bad stuff that virus scanners won't.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I use MalWareBytes all the time on my machine. Found nothing.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Gary, what O/S are you running, might be able to help you... 

email me privately, please. 

Regards, Greg


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

THX Greg. E-mail was sent.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

To All, 

Last night, I was able to finally fix my computer to connect to Microsoft's Update webpage. If you do a search on the net about this problem, it will say that a trojan virus acts this way and will give error messages and quickly hijack websites. This is what I did to fix my "box". Go to Microsoft.com and use their MALICIOUS SOFTWARE REMOVAL TOOL. It took over SIX hours to run this scan and it DID find a trojan called "Win32/Alureon.H". The tool removed a good portion of the virus, but not all. You have to then run your standard anti-virus program to actually "kill" this thing. You RESTART your puter per Microsoft's instruction. AVG and Norton NEVER found this virus during scans! Hope this helps someone.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Ok Gary the problem I am having just did it again yesterday my screen goes to what I perceive as the hard to see for seeing impaired way large format on my screen then it tells me to reboot when I do everything is fine until next episode. The message I get is that the ati2dvag driver is something or other. Greg if yer a seein this let me know if there is a fix. Okay I know just throw the old compuker away!!! Hah LOL IT's still functional even though quirky sometimes. Regal


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Email me the complete text of the message... sounds like windows update updated your ATI driver... This is typical on a Dell computer, Dell implements the hardware a bit differently, creates their own driver, everything is peachy. 

Windows update comes along, "oh I see you have an ATI video card, here's a newer driver"... wham.. you are screwed... 

Try going to the device manager, find the video card, and "roll back driver"... 

Greg


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Greg I'll look at that, but this is on my Gateway the oldest one of the 3. I'm running the malicious tool now. If and when I get that thingy again I will copy it and get it to you this randomly happens never know when!!! Goin out and bake my brains on the layout again after 6+ hrs yesterday had a switch break, found another one this morning had to re-work it too! Now going to try to fix where I left off yesterday, and then jump onto the switch later this afternoon or ASAP and try to fix the one into the garage. Like you said leveling trying to get the humps out!! Humph!! Bah Humbug on Aristo and LGB switches. Regal


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg and Regal,

This threat is fairly recent and the latest update for Microsoft Maliciuos Software Removal Tool was just updated yesterday 7-13-2010.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/p...fAlureon.H

Greg notice this trojan goes after drivers, as well as other things. As of this morning, my "box" is running great. We'll see.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If you have your computer set to auto-update, it will automatically download the malicious software tool in the wee hours of the first Tuesday of each month. It normally runs then, and then reboots your computer. 

This is the standard monthly critical releases from Microsoft. If you do not have your computer set to auto-update then you need to be an expert in Windows. 

I never get any problems, I run a spyware sweeper and antivirus every morning, and have 2-3 resident active programs at all times. I cannot remember the last time I got a virus... I think it has never actually happened since I had my first pc in 1975. 

Regards, Greg


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I have it downloaded now and I have aut updates set. Gary and you were right that tool picked up a trojan in my system too that my virus program has missed I guess. We'll see if I can tell any difference. Seems better already. It picked up the trojan w32/fake xpa whatever that is???????????? Regal. Just finished 1/2 (a big half) of my projects on the layout. Sent you pics Greg. Now to go to work on the other switch. Bout 7hrs to install and get working good two newer switches at the East End. Now this afternoon work on the west switch up into the garage. Looking for humps????? Hah LOL Regal


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

I usually turn my computer off at night around midnight unless I'm doing a weekly scheduled virus scan at 2:00am. I'll be keeping it on Monday night-Tuesday morning on the first Tuesday from now on. Thanks for the suggestion. You have been lucky OR you actually know what you're doing. He. He. This is a joke-no flame please. 

Regal,

I'm glad to hear you found a virus. From what I understand, the virus I found and the one you had, are from the same family and do equal damage to your confuser. The only reason I STILL use a PC is for MasterCAM. But I have found out that I can run MC on a Mac with an add-on program my son-in-law told me to use. I think a MAC is definately in my immediate future.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Oh man Gary!!! Greg is gonna get you, prolly me too!! Hah LOL Regal








Thanks to Greg, and Gary from me too!!


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

No fear. Greg and I are pals.................I think.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Gary Armitstead on 14 Jul 2010 02:23 PM 
No fear. Greg and I are pals.................I think. 

Well.......... maybe you USED to be..........


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

What the heck did I say? I said he knows what he's doing. Sheeesh!! Did you NOT see the comment about the joke? Damn, you guys are gettin' beligerant in your old age.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I understood Gary, at least for myself, Greg and I are friends, I poke him now and then, just to see if he's payin attention or still kickin!! Never get serious unless defendin my honor for myself!! The world is toooooooooooooo Sterious sometimes!! Regal


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree about the world gettin' too serious. I hope that between me, the amateur, and Greg, the expert, that this thread can help somebody else with this problem. It seems to be a fairly common problem, but even if you go to Microsoft's website it doesn't really help. Too much technological double-speak, if you know what i mean. Did you see the thing about using Windows Defender? Maybe Greg can weigh-in on this program.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

All in good fun for sure guys! 

Yes, I do know what I am doing and I am lucky to boot. I don't deserve it, but there you go. 

Great thread. 

Get rid of windows defender... it rarely catches anything, but worse, it interferes with most antivirus. I used to mandate it since it was free and the "story" was that it was the best at protecting IE. I mandated it for all company computers since it became available from Microsoft (it was purchased by them and renamed)... 

But lately, it has been the cause of crashes (no data lost, just interfering with operation) and also deactivating or interfering with antivirus programs. 

It is also a bit of a performance hit. 

Regards, Greg


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Greg about the info about Windows Defender. It's out of my machine now!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Gone here too!! Thanks Greg onto bigger and hopefully bigger things out on the flat lands (well somewhat) anyways of my layout to tweek yet another switch. Regal


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, it's too bad about Defender, it has promise when it was first purchased, but never developed into a good tool. 

On spyware sofware, malwarebytes is a good free one, and while it does not catch everything, it's good at removing some of the nastier viruses. 

to clean your registry and temp files, get ccleaner (from download.com), good, free, fast. You can even see all the programs that automatically start and stop or disable them. You may be surprised. 

I also use the free version of ad-aware, good cleaner mostly cookies, and many viruses/spyware. 

For an AV, I use AVG Free edition, again, free, fast, works well. 

Just a few more tips. 

There's also tips for XP, Vista, and Windows 7 on my site, select "electronics & gadgets" from the home screen, then computers... 

Regards, Greg


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

The support guys were having trouble with that today. Client had an antivirus I'd never heard of that was preventing windows update. I told them it was protecting them from that notorious Windows Update virus









At work we have McAffee "Sonic Wall" firewall that scans everything going in or out. On my pixie, I have AVG Free. Microsoft Security Essentials absolutely destroys our older system's b-tree files. Sounds like a conspiracy to me


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Gary Armitstead on 14 Jul 2010 02:31 PM 
What the heck did I say? I said he knows what he's doing. Sheeesh!! Did you NOT see the comment about the joke? Damn, you guys are gettin' beligerant in your old age. 

"OLD AGE"????? I ain't old... I'm so young that my kids are older than me!


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'd like to voice my vote for AdAware free, the latest version caught a nasty looking bug the previous version missed just before getting the new version. A new version has just been released. I run it once a week and after visiting unusual sites... 
I got it at download.com 

John


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