I’ll repeat here what I wrote before. There are 2 separate items about restore points. One thing is the list of available restore points. If you want to go back to a certain restore point, it needs to be listed.
A different thing is the files themselves; those that conform the restore point itself.
Depending on the specific method or tool to “delete” restore points (or setting them “off”, disabling them), the real files may or may not be really deleted. One example is CCleaner, which deletes the list, but not the files. There are different methods in Windows itself too.
That’s why I said that “deleting” a restore point, or even “disabling the feature”, it may or may not actually delete the files of old restore points.
In any case, if you re-enable System Restore now, the older ones should not be listed in Windows anymore, and new restore point files should eventually replace any potential older remnant, if any were to be left from the older restore points.
I just want to let everyone who posted with me that I ran a scan this morning and nothing was found so it appears I am back to normal.
Turning System Restore off, then back on, thus clearing all the restore points is what seemed to do the trick.
I still state firmly that the sequence of events was that I turned the computer on after it had been off for about 21 days. I updated Avast and Malwarebytes and ran scans. I got a mile of files showing up in my Avast scan that were marked as password protected. It was only the following day that I updated Shockwave so I don’t see how one can have anything to do with the other.
I’ve just accidentally stumbled on some information in the forum that Avast has apparently caused problems with System Restore for some.
Anyway, I’m just letting all of you know that clearing SR points did the trick, but I wouldn’t really want to have to be doing that all the time.
I've just accidentally stumbled on some information in the forum that Avast has apparently caused problems with System Restore for some.
That’s not exactly what is presented in that other topic. They are talking about Avast, just because this is Avast Forum (and they want a better behaviour or workaround from Avast in relation to the issue). But the issue is present in many other security tools too.
In any case, that issue is completely unrelated to yours. In your case, the report was about password protected files, but the fact that they were in some restore point is almost a coincidence. The same type of report could had been received about some other files in some other folder, with no relation to restore points.
Also Internet Explorer is the basis of all Windows functions.
[b]Windows Explorer[/b] is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is possible without Windows Explorer running (for example, the File | Run command in Task Manager on NT-derived versions of Windows will function without it, as will commands typed in a command prompt window). Located in the C:\Windows directory, it is sometimes referred to as the Windows Shell,
My experience is that malware loves to hide in XP restore points.
Best software I have found to date to remove that malware is the free version of Emsisoft AntiMalware. Run a full scan or minimally the drive when the restore archives are located and it will zap anything found there. Once removed by AntiMalware, I have never has it return assuming you are running a good AV. Of course if you restore from that cleaned archive, things might be a bit hosed …
I do not trust advice from users that do not post their system configuration in their signature as this shows they do not know what they are dealing with.
As far as I am concerened Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) is the best malware remover.
How about the multiple IT certifications I have plus 30 years IT experience?
I have run MBAM for years; both free and pro versions. I consider the Pro version spyware since MBAM by their own admission will scan your HDD for unregistered software and God knows what else. The free version is so-so. In the years I have run it, it missed more malware than it found. In fact, I can’t recall the last time it found anything.
Wow! This post sure took off with a life all it’s own. I had to look clear back to make sure it was even the one I started. I’m wondering if there is truth in what I read about Malwarebytes. If so, I am sorry I just purchased it a couple months ago. Oh, well …
To answer YoKenny’s comments, I do have IE9 and Firefox 8.
