posted
It looks as if you've installed software from Support.com, that's what's broken at the moment (in the registry, as Bok said). You might try either uninstalling the program, disabling it from starting up, or reinstalling the software from the website.
Posts: 1368 | Registered: Sep 2002
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"Make sure the text for the key is right (the period in particular looks problematic, but I can't be sure)."
I've never installed anything directly from support.com, that I'm aware of. I wonder if any of my crazy Symantec Norton Protection Centers scans have "cleaned" something up that didn't need to be.
Posts: 3771 | Registered: Sep 2002
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The CD-ROM from my cable company, Charter, for running the cable modem installed some programs from support.com in a version 2 1/2 years ago. It tried to auto-start with every boot, but I took that out and just used it occasionally.
Check your programs that start on boot-up. If your computer's slowing down you should look at that anyway.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Morbo, that makes sense. The cable company did something to my computer as well when they installed Road Runner.
I understand where to go to check programs that start on boot-up, I've just never deleted anything. I'm always worried that I'll create more problems by trying to "fix" my problems.
Posts: 3771 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
That's understandable. But you can temporarily disable start-ups individually using a program like a-squared HiJackFree 3.0 (I'm sure there are many similar programs, it's just what I'm familiar with.).
You said you're computer keeps slowing down. It's not just malware (although you should check for that too), you might just be bloated on boot-up with too many programs, some of which you might rarely/never use.
It's free and very easy to use. Just install it and go to the Autoruns menu. Click on registry and examine all the programs. There are checkboxes to the left of all of them. If you click and take off a check, that program will not start at boot but you can later change your mind easily and check it again so it does boot. If support.com has a program listed, check it. If things work ok for a week or two, you could delete it (the autostart entry, not the program itself--you might need that.) If there's a problem, you can just check it and it will start running at boot again.
If your internet connection is running well, you probably don't need support.com except on rare occasions (assuming the ISP installed it.)
If you recognize other programs that you don't use much, check them or delete their autostart entries.
If there's stuff you don't recognize, search on your computer or google it. But do the easy, recognizable ones first. Also, don't disable too many at once, if there's a problem you won't know which disabled start-up caused it. Just disable a few at rhe beginning, then one or two at a time.
Personally, I only have a Pentium 3 @ 1000 MHz, so I keep my autostarts pared down as much as possible. My computer doesn't multi-task well.
I hope that helps, if not get the original Hijack This and run that.
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