HitMan Pro Software--where can I complain??

Really sorry about your problems, and I am also sorry that Surfright didn't follow up on this.

But what is very strange that your Mouse and Keyboard ain't working in Safe Mode.

Can you go into the Bios (if possible) and check if USB is disabled by any chance ?

 

I really hope you're able to find out what files it removed- that'd be the best way to prevent this happening to others. Once you do get your machine running again be sure to post the quarantined files (or a screenshot at least).

But try that startup repair in that link above:
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/wi...-with-windows-7-system-recovery-options/4537/

 

To DBone--I wouldn't feel warm and fuzzy either if I were you. This program has a "new" approach, that doesn't wait until trojens or malicious programs are reported, but tries looking at behavior, as I understand it. An aggressive approach and idea, but, from experience--VERY RISKY !!!

 

I do agree, very mysterious that the keyboard GETS me to the repair screen, and it also ran the f12 Dell Diagnostic Screen--where the MOUSE and the KEYBOARD worked....this checked all the hardware, including USB ports... But when I actually GET in to WINDOWS in safe mode or regular--won't work. Another problem,is that HMP runs immediately at start up. I let it finish it's scan one day, it brought up another suspicious alarm--but I couldn't even click on "next" to let the program finish !! So the computer is "waiting" for a response that I cannot do. I am upset by now, and am thinking a remote program, but that hasn't been successful yet. I am going to read more on that today. Kind of hard to "think" at this stage...if I just didn't want to "lose my stuff so badly"...I would get on the repair screen and click last good configuration, but don't want to get "stuck" in that and not be able to back out--if no restore point comes up. . There is just no one I know with good experience where I live...just to answer questions.

PCs have caused me some "grief" over the last 13 yrs, but this one tops them all.. I just sort of wish I could take the XPS and "reinvent" it to mainly run Adobe products, but a person still has to get on-line to do that, at times. Honestly, Microsoft products are a pain to run, but just cannot afford the Apple I would need...

Thanks for responding...

 

Well, don't know if I mentioned it here, but I am not sure the system restore points are being done as W7 is suppose to do (when I looked at the instructions on that web page you so kindly sent above.)...It was a life saver in XP and I used it a lot. I also know (I really checked it out before I even clicked quarantine) and I think the files were a part of a Windows update on Jan 26 or Jan 28 ..Don't know why I even checked it out, except I was probably "wary" about deleting a part of a Windows update--and why I did the quarantine instead of delete, thinking I could go back and undo quarantine... If there is any way for me to do any kind of screen shot on the files or anything physical that can be captured, believe me I will do it...and gladly share it here as I sure wouldn't want this type of thing happen to anyone else..

Thanks for the help. BTW, this is Monday morning, and no email in my box from Mark Loman either...

 

The whole thing is strange that they would work in one part and not the other. Honestly, NO IDEA how to get to BIOS, much less see about the USB ports when I got there. Honestly, I am not a "geek"/Tech" person. What I know has come from paying attention and running a PC for so long... All I want to learn is be a better photographer, and become better in the Photoshop areas that interest me.. I am retired, and pretty much tired of thinking and learning, especially not in my "field", all the technical aspects that are needed now days. The competition to put out something better or different--too much just plain old business stuff. I am from the days when AT&T (?) had to split up their monopoly--and we in the south ended up with just different names for Bellsouth.. and now they are back to the AT&T again. I know how Microsoft got to be a monopoly with PC systems, I just wish there had been some competition against them doing that !!

Thanks for your concern and however the situation turns out--good or bad for me--I will let you know.

 

Actually, see if you can get a log from C:\ProgramData\HitmanPro\Logs cause that'd tell us too what was removed.

No better time to learn: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000192.htm
The BIOS is built into the mainboard, it's what loads before Windows (which is on your hard drive obviously). It's worth a shot to see if you could find any usb options in the BIOS.

I think a lot of people that learn about fixing computers do so when their own machine breaks.

 

TBH, I'd steer someone away from bios settings if they don't feel competent...To many 'techy' options for those that aren't computer savvy...Perhaps if she knows someone who is more familiar with computers they could check for her or, maybe someone could help her with a 'picture' led pictorial.

 

I just sent them a video about how to boot from a Linux cd if it comes to it. I really want to see these the logs from C:\ProgramData\HitmanPro\Logs to see what got messed up.

 

Good man

 

Hi Margaret,
We are a Dutch company and from all the days in the year you have this problem on exactly the days our offices are closed because of country holidays. I am writing this in my free time.
But thank you again for your elaborate wording. I understand more about your problem and why you are unable to do or send me the data I requested. You have a particularly rare case. I am preparing some help to address the problem you have. But first I would like to know if you (perhaps) have the official Windows 7 installation cd at hand, which would allow you to use Windows System Restore to put back a restore point (HitmanPro automatically creates one) - you won't loose your files but do not go in there by yourself.
Best,
Mark

 

Probably any one or combination of usbhub.sys, usbport.sys and usbehci.sys got quarantined during update process.

 

Hi Margaret,

If have some instructions for you to recover from your current situation:

1. Please power up the computer and before the Windows logo appears, keep pressing F8 until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears.
   
2. Select the option Repair Your Computer.
3. At the Select a keyboard input method select US and click on Next. (Your trackball and keyboard should work here)
4. When asked for a username, enter your regular account details and click OK.
5. At the window where you can choose a recovery tool, click on System Restore.
6. The 'System Restore' program appears. Click Next to bring up a list of restore points.
7. Select a Checkpoint by HitmanPro or another check point that was made before the date and time that the USB port functions were lost.
8. Click Next.
9. At the screen to confirm your restore point, click Finish.
10. Click Yes at the windows asking for confirmation to continue.

When finished, restart the computer and boot normal.
Please let me know if this helped or not.

Best,
Mark

 

All the mentioned drivers are protected by Windows Resource Protection (WRP) and will never be removed by HitmanPro, no matter what happens.
Infected versions of these files will be replaced with clean safe versions and if these are not available the infected versions remain. HitmanPro will always prevent a dead machine - which is why I mentioned this is a strange and rare case, and why we would want to know how this was possible. The situation her computer is in should not have been possible, even if USB drivers were infected. I really hope Margaret gets her input devices working again so we can figure out which files were flagged suspicious and which ones she manually set to remove (default is ignore). Or perhaps there is still (partial) malware on her system that somehow causes this.

 

Hi Margaret,

I found a pretty good and thorough walkthrough on our Support website, that is there to help users to recover any files that were quarantined:
http://www.surfright.nl/en/support/recovery#quarantine

Let me know if you need any extra help.
Best regards,
Mark

 

Oh, absolutely, I couldn't navigate in BIOS . I just honestly don't know anyone personally to help, and I do steer away from "friends, brother-in-laws, etc" recommendations . I found out quickly how sometimes I knew more than they did, or they might get it in such a state that it would be hopeless. All I remember about BIOS, is my daddy had to load a disk first before loading a program, WAY back when--and it might not have even been BIOS. I was still working then, and too busy.

 

You are so right. Necessity is a great motivator ! That is how I learned--plus I am an "inquiring minds need to know person" and wasn't afraid to try -- Windows XP was such a great system to learn on. I practiced as a CPA during work years, and somehow I saw it as a "logical accounting"...Yes, I am kind of geeky in my heart..

I did go to the link above and bookmarked it. I am strictly not a good "google person"...

 

Strictly a visual learner. Give me enough pictures and my brain usually catches on. All those different letters make it hard. I need a book of "computer language"..

 

Yes, my computer is TOTALLY DISABLED..couldn't send a thing--although, right now I don't remember what you asked for. Personally--not really understanding how a computer system works--it doesn't seem reasonable that the ports would work in one area, and not another. Just visualizing it--it must be sort of "stacked" with bios on the bottom?? Or for some reason, there are duplicate files amoung the different partitions on the hard drive.?? I don't really have a clue.

I did find the W7 CD that must have been sent with the computer--and a disk with Drivers on it also. Well, I didn't know that HitMan Pro made a restore point, also, but I do not know where it would be. When I tried to go to "restore point" on the black repair screen, it said once again--you have no "restore point"...Then said do you want to make one ?? Well, I have tried that so many times, and asked tech men "inside" the computer to fix it--but they couldn't do it either. Then it had a warning that "this cannot be undone" and I didn't even know where it was going?

I am going nowhere by myself. Would it be possible to put that c/d in the this laptop , and send the restore point to one of those thumb drives that I could stick in the laptop USB drive?? I do have a little 64 G drive like that. Then put that one in the desktop.?? This is a W7 laptop. But wouldn't the restore point be "way out of date"? I think it has been about 3 years since I got the desktop---and microsoft has had MANY updates since then ?? I just remember on XP when I did a restore, I had to pick a good date that was fairly recent ?? It would not have all the many, many other programs I have loaded since then, would it??

This is just above my head-- when I do not have a good overview grasp, of how a system
"fits" together . If I cannot "see" the whole thing, it is just hard for me to grasp bits and pieces.

If you can come up with an answer that wouldn't wipe out my "data" etc files, I sure would like to hear it....

Thanks

 

Wow seems like you are in a mess.
Exactly what i thought, you might want to try to boot your computer with Linux (CD or USB).
That way you can retrieve and backup all your files just in case. (You could also see the logs and even restore the whole Windows to its original state after backing up data)

 

Considering your ongoing dilemma, & your wish not to lose Anthing. It might be Very nice if Surfright offered to have your comp airmailed Securely to them, & back, so they could analyise & fix it ! If it turned out that it was no fault of theirs, you would pay @ least the airmail charges.

 

Excellent suggestion, and that would show goodwill from both parties.

 

As said not looking for support but a place to complain, a petty the admins seem to have disabled TIPS

 

Mine was just a guess based on the problems she was facing with. I don't and can't exactly know how Hitman Pro works. I am just as curious to know what happened, the problem piques my interest. Booting from a live cd can be a possible solution to read the logs and get flagged files as suggested, as well as a possible platform to perform a fix.

 

That too ^

I was wondering if maybe malware had done it.

EDIT

I'm writing them a guide today, step by step, on how to boot a linux DVD and browse over to the Hitmanpro log folder and be able get those logs. The only major issue with Linux live disks are they want the users to be Root in able to access hard drives. I think the Tails distro may actually and ironically be the easiest as it allows you to set a Root/Admin password on boot. Then you can easily browse the hard drive.