Total System Malfunction

Major system malfunction. System details at end. Sequence of events was:

1. Download update from A-Square Free.
The update was strange in that it was one file rather than the usual download of many small update files. File size about 36 MB and it took about 45 minutes to download. I thought it somewhat unusual but didn’t think too much about it.

2. Ran A-Square Free. It found a small trace of something and listed it as a medium risk. Deleted the specified file.

3. Attempted to launch another application and found to my shock that most of my apps were missing!!!!

4. Hot re-boot… Oh NO... hal.dll is missing or corrupted. NO Windows load at all. Cold boot same result. Not even startable in Safe Mode!

5. I’m seriously, seriously dead in the water and looking at a complete rebuild. Praise the Nine Lords of the Universe, I use Acronis and simply rolled back to previous backup with minimal loss.

Note: the only new application on the system was Ubuntu, which I was experimenting with. I was in Windows rather than Linux mode at the time of the system meltdown.

WHAT HAPPENED? I need to know so that I can avoid the same problem in the future.

System:
Win XP Pro SP3
Intel Dual Core chipset
Dual 300GB drives plus Tbyte external drive
Lots of apps but reasonably vanilla system.

Full time security…NOD32, current version and up to date; Online armor (HIPS), old version 2, not up to date, all modules inc. firewall turned on.

 

probably another one of A2 famous FP's by my best guess... gotta be careful and read where the malware is located etc. to make sure its not a FP before u delete it.

 

I just ran an update on a2 the other day and it was like a 40 meg update and took forever like you stated, haven't run a deep scan on it yet but think ill wait a little bit now.

although if its something i have no idea what it is i normally won't let it delete or even quarantine until im sure. doesn't really explain why most of your programs were missing though if it was just 1 file unless theres some bug that nukes everything or entire main dirs

have you contacted a2 or posted to their forum yet?

 

A repair install would help. Or you could boot in the recovery console, uncompess the hal.dl_ file on your CD/DVD, and copy it to your system.

 

Does this look like your problem? http://forum.emsisoft.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=4508

If so, it was a false positive and was fixed very quickly. Your very lucky smart to have an image to restore .

 

TechOutsider...tried to expand hal.dl_ from recovery console but, for some very strange reason, it simply could not find on the XP install disk althought I know it's there...go fish!! Also Last Known Good wouldn't boot either. Did I panick...fur shur!!

Innerpeace...that is absolutely what the problem was!!!!!!!!!! I must have started the upgrade download in the very small window that was available.

Thanx A LOT folks...I can rest easy that it wasn't a drive by virus or some other nasty.

 

Kevinz...DO NOT RUN THE A SQ Free scan as the trace element it finds is a false positive with no file reference and if you click "Delete" or "Quarantine", it will attempt to delete/quarantine your entire C drive!!! Download another update. I only managed to avoid disaster 'cause I use Acronis.

 

Wow, i just read the posts on their forum. If i am understanding this correct it was a result of a FP which then will clear your entire C: if you let a2 delete or even quarantine?

That's a rather alarming error on their part if that is true.

 

If you had Rollback RX installed, you could recover from a messed up installation by going back in the time to the point everything last worked perfectly. Its much better than have to reinstall Windows from scratch when you find it will no longer boot up.

 

That's a really stupid design. How would you like your anti-malware software to delete your entire OS? Man, then you are REALLY hosed!