Has my laptop been hijacked?

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
21
huwyngr wrote:
Freddles wrote:
huwyngr wrote:

Good news -- check out the Dell website too. I've used it for some machines and it is fairly helpful with support including downloadable pdf manuals that are much more comprehensive than anything you are likely to get on paper.


You are right there Huw, I have been reading throught the setup guide and it continually refers to getting support online.  I am running the boot tests on the laptop at the moment, will take aout 30mins, but all seems to be well so far.  I'm trying to work out if this is a DEll problem or a Microsoft Windows problem.  Any idea how this problem of 'user profile cannot be loaded' occurs?  I'd just like to understand what has happened here.

 

Thanks for all replies from everyone so far.

Have a look at this MSKB   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947215   

 

In view of one of the "for example" interferences try disabling your Norton by right mouse clicking on the system tray icon and selecting Disable Antivirus Autopotect -- select permanent (but don't forget to re-enable afterwards) and rebooting the computer. I would actually shut down for about 20 seconds and then restart instead of using Restart on the Shut Down selection. (Make sure your Power Options are set to Shut down and not Hibernate or Sleep).

 

But that MSKB does have a FixIt button for method 3.

 

Note I haven't had a chance yet to re-read the whole thread and see what you have done and what can't be done like trying a different user account.

 

Can you give me the exact Dell model identification (not the serial number) so I can look it up on their website -- would look like Inspiron M731R or Inspiron 15 Non-Touch .....

I've found the original receipt of purchase which was in 2010 and it is a Dell Inspiron1764.

Bit in red: I have no way of doing this Huw, I cannot get past the Windows Logo screen.  I need to find some way of disabling or getting past my security password log in.  I have felt happy so far, knowing that no one can get into my computer without knowing the password, but it has come back to bite me on the proverbial. :smileysad:

Just off to read that link now.

22
Freddles wrote:
huwyngr wrote:
Freddles wrote:
huwyngr wrote:

Good news -- check out the Dell website too. I've used it for some machines and it is fairly helpful with support including downloadable pdf manuals that are much more comprehensive than anything you are likely to get on paper.


You are right there Huw, I have been reading throught the setup guide and it continually refers to getting support online.  I am running the boot tests on the laptop at the moment, will take aout 30mins, but all seems to be well so far.  I'm trying to work out if this is a DEll problem or a Microsoft Windows problem.  Any idea how this problem of 'user profile cannot be loaded' occurs?  I'd just like to understand what has happened here.

 

Thanks for all replies from everyone so far.

Have a look at this MSKB   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947215   

 

In view of one of the "for example" interferences try disabling your Norton by right mouse clicking on the system tray icon and selecting Disable Antivirus Autopotect -- select permanent (but don't forget to re-enable afterwards) and rebooting the computer. I would actually shut down for about 20 seconds and then restart instead of using Restart on the Shut Down selection. (Make sure your Power Options are set to Shut down and not Hibernate or Sleep).

 

But that MSKB does have a FixIt button for method 3.

 

Note I haven't had a chance yet to re-read the whole thread and see what you have done and what can't be done like trying a different user account.

 

Can you give me the exact Dell model identification (not the serial number) so I can look it up on their website -- would look like Inspiron M731R or Inspiron 15 Non-Touch .....

I've found the original receipt of purchase which was in 2010 and it is a Dell Inspiron1764.

Bit in red: I have no way of doing this Huw, I cannot get past the Windows Logo screen.  I need to find some way of disabling or getting past my security password log in.  I have felt happy so far, knowing that no one can get into my computer without knowing the password, but it has come back to bite me on the proverbial. :smileysad:

Just off to read that link now.

Well after having read questions & feedback on the Forum at Windows, I am REALLY scared now.

It seems that others who have passwords to lock their computers have had a slighlt different experience to me, in that they are issued with temporary password to access their account.  This is one reply:

 

'When you log on, you may receive a temporary profile at the workstation, and you may receive the following error message:

Windows cannot locate your roaming profile and is attempting to log you on with your local profile. Changes to the profile will not be propagated to the server. DETAIL: Network path was not found.

If you have not logged on to this workstation before, you also receive the following error message:

Windows cannot find the local profile and is logging you on with a temporary profile. Changes to your profile will be lost when you log off.

When you log off, your profile is deleted.'

 

I am scared that my sign in password was hijacked to give access to someone else.

As this all happened after I had found spam/phishing emails in my various email accounts and went to change my password where I found what looked to be an alert from my ISP.  I did not click on any link, although it gave one 'for further information'.  There are some links I just don't lke the look of.  But as I said in my first post, my isp stopped responding within minutes, so I did a cntlr+alt+del and opened up the computer again, as the windows logo starts I'm asked for my security password but got 'User profile cannot be loaded'.  I am just shaking at the moment as I am so afraid of what is going to happen now. :smileysad:

Does being connected to the internet (i'm wired) make any difference to my computer being accessed?  I realise that not being conneced means that Norton cannot update.

 

And if my laptop has been hijacked in order to steal my information - what steps can I take to minimise disaster?

23

" And if my laptop has been hijacked in order to steal my information - what steps can I take to minimise disaster?"

 

Hi,

 

You could purchase and add a new HDD and reinstall Windows from scratch from recovery CD's.

Also you could purchase a retail licence from Microsoft.

 

Regards,

24

See if either of these helps from the User Guide for your laptop

 

http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-1764_setup%20guide_en-us.pdf?c=us&l=en&cs=04&s=bsd 

 

Have you tried to see if you can access the Dell Diagnostic utility:

 

When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu and press <Enter>.This may invoke the Pre-Boot System Assessment (PSA) on your computer.

 

That user guide does say how to do a system restore which involves the F8 key at startup but hold that in reserve.

 

One thing you could try is to download and burn to disk one of the bootable recovery disks one can get. The use Linux very often and enable you to see if you can read your hard drive. If you can then you should be able to recover your personal data files.

 

But if you can't, depending on what the PSA shows, then it could be that you have been locked out by malware .... but if so at least you have not had a ransom note yet .... I hope.

 

One step at a time .....

 

PS Did you ask your ISP if they sent the email?

25
Apostolos wrote:

 

You could purchase and add a new HDD and reinstall Windows from scratch from recovery CD's.

Also you could purchase a retail licence from Microsoft.

 

Regards,

It's a laptop .....

26

" It's a laptop ....."

 

Very smart comment, since when a user cannot change a HDD to a laptop or use Recovery DVD's to reinstall Windows??

I have the possibility to do this with my laptops and if I remember correctly I purchased them on Planet Earth.

I'm not familiar with Dell laptops but there should be a Recovery partition that Dell, in it's infinite wisdom, should also allow it to be burned on several DVD's.

Maybe you wanted to tell something about the retail licence and I misunderstood.

 

Regards,

 

27

Hi,

 

By "retail", I meant that there is also the possibility of a clean installation not OEM anymore.

 

Regards,

28

One of your posts you said "I'm able to boot into safe mode but that doesn't get me anywhere".

 

Can you explain what that means?

When your booted to safe mode chances are your in an administrator account.

If by "it doesn't get me anywhere" you mean you can't find your files, thats understandable because you may be in another user account.  (maybe the administrator).

 

Just go into the: control panel > Users

And see if you can remove the password from your regular user account.

 

Dave

29

 

huwyngr wrote:

See if either of these helps from the User Guide for your laptop

 

http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-1764_setup%20guide_en-us.pdf?c=us&l=en&cs=04&s=bsd 

 

Have you tried to see if you can access the Dell Diagnostic utility:

 

When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu and press <Enter>.This may invoke the Pre-Boot System Assessment (PSA) on your computer.

 

That user guide does say how to do a system restore which involves the F8 key at startup but hold that in reserve.

 

One thing you could try is to download and burn to disk one of the bootable recovery disks one can get. The use Linux very often and enable you to see if you can read your hard drive. If you can then you should be able to recover your personal data files.

 

But if you can't, depending on what the PSA shows, then it could be that you have been locked out by malware .... but if so at least you have not had a ransom note yet .... I hope.

 

One step at a time .....

 

PS Did you ask your ISP if they sent the email?

 

Thanks so much for all the support and suggestions I am getting on here - I'm just an ordinary user and understanding all the things I'm advised to do is difficult, but I'm doing my best.  I'm really stressed out over this, which isnt helping my thought processes.  Can I just deviate slightly and ask if anyone knows what the repercussions are to having one's computer hijacked?  As I can't get into my computer, I guess they can't send me any demands, but I'm worrying about the information they can extract from taking over my computer.  I'm concerned that my email addresses might be used to lure other people into this trap.  My isp usually freezes email accounts that are used for sending spam, but that is the least of my worries. 

 

Can the hijackers get onto this computer by me using my email?  I'm wondering if they can track my online movements.

 

Yes I sent a copy of the alert warning to my isp but I haven't been into my email today.  I have been checking through the boot settings - which takes hours when you don't know if you are doing the right thing.  I have convinced myself that my laptop has been taken over, due to the sequence of events preceding the lock out and seemingly confirmed by the information in my above post taken from the Microsoft Windows Forum. 

 

 

30

" I'm really stressed out over this, which isnt helping my thought processes.  Can I just deviate slightly and ask if anyone knows what the repercussions are to having one's computer hijacked?"

 

Hi,

 

If you can get to a point, and I hope you will, that everything is nuked from your pc and have a fresh installation, then, as far as the pc is concerned, everything should be ok.

However, some very nasty Rootkits can survive a system format, this is why I suggested to change a HDD.

But we are not sure yet that it's the case, there are only indications.

Concerning your email and bank and other accounts, it would be wise to reset everything but, from a clean computer, even if you will be able to boot your system, do not do it from there, until a possible malware infection is exonerated.

Hope this helps,

 

Regards,

31
DaveH wrote:

One of your posts you said "I'm able to boot into safe mode but that doesn't get me anywhere".

 

Can you explain what that means?

When your booted to safe mode chances are your in an administrator account.

If by "it doesn't get me anywhere" you mean you can't find your files, thats understandable because you may be in another user account.  (maybe the administrator).

 

Just go into the: control panel > Users

And see if you can remove the password from your regular user account.

 

Dave

Hi Dave

It means that my brain is so fried I don't know what i am looking at!  I'm trying to assimilate what i am seeing and on a positive note - have learned a great deal about what is in my computer and maybe will make use of this info in future.  I'm exhausted having been on both computers all day trying make sense of what is going on and can't emphasise strongly enough how grateful I am to the posters on here who are being so helpful.

Thanks so much.

32
Apostolos wrote:

" I'm really stressed out over this, which isnt helping my thought processes.  Can I just deviate slightly and ask if anyone knows what the repercussions are to having one's computer hijacked?"

 

Hi,

 

If you can get to a point, and I hope you will, that everything is nuked from your pc and have a fresh installation, then, as far as the pc is concerned, everything should be ok.

However, some very nasty Rootkits can survive a system format, this is why I suggested to change a HDD.

But we are not sure yet that it's the case, there are only indications.

Concerning your email and bank and other accounts, it would be wise to reset everything but, from a clean computer, even if you will be able to boot your system, do not do it from there, until a possible malware infection is exonerated.

Hope this helps,

 

Regards,


Can this laptop be considered a 'clean computer'?  I have been onto my bank (again) and I'm reassured that my details are very difficult to get into.  I just don't know how clever these beggers are.  I don't want to go into any of my accounts in case they have the capacity to track me.

 

Edit: Sorry, that should read Desk top.

33

" Can this laptop be considered a 'clean computer'?"

 

Hi,

 

Difficult to say for the moment, I meant a second pc or a friend's "clean" computer.

 

Regards,

34

Hi,

 

According to Microsoft the message you are seeing could be:

 

"This issue may occur if the user profile was manually deleted by using the command prompt or Windows Explorer by a user??? or by some program???.

A profile that is manually deleted does not remove the security identifier (SID) from the user profile list in the registry. Since the SID is still present, Vista (or Windows 7) will still try to load the profile by using the ProfileImagePath that points to a nonexistent path. Therefore, the profile cannot be loaded".

 

Regards,

35

Do you think there is any point in getting a techie in to look at my laptop this stage?

36

Hi,

 

Did you already follow suggestions in message 24??

If yes, what were the results??

Thanks.

 

Regards,

37
huwyngr wrote:

See if either of these helps from the User Guide for your laptop

 

http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-1764_setup%20guide_en-us.pdf?c=us&l=en&cs=04&s=bsd 

 

Have you tried to see if you can access the Dell Diagnostic utility:

 

When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu and press <Enter>.This may invoke the Pre-Boot System Assessment (PSA) on your computer.

 

That user guide does say how to do a system restore which involves the F8 key at startup but hold that in reserve.

 

One thing you could try is to download and burn to disk one of the bootable recovery disks one can get. The use Linux very often and enable you to see if you can read your hard drive. If you can then you should be able to recover your personal data files.

 

But if you can't, depending on what the PSA shows, then it could be that you have been locked out by malware .... but if so at least you have not had a ransom note yet .... I hope.

 

One step at a time .....

 

PS Did you ask your ISP if they sent the email?

Yes I have that booklet, thanks.

I'm off to bed now - totally worn out, another day of solving problems tomorrow! G'night all - and thanks.

38

Apostolos

 

You said << You could purchase and add a new HDD ...  >> not replace.

 

Very few laptops have two drive bays.  Lenovo & HP I seem to remember and Dell but Dell apparently didn't know about it!

 

http://consumerist.com/2012/03/22/dell-thinks-that-second-hard-drive-bay-is-just-a-big-hole/ 

 

The OP says he found his Dell recovery disks so he should be able to do a Restore to Factory Condition but I want to try and save his personal files if possible.

39

Fredddies

 

<< I'm off to bed now - totally worn out, another day of solving problems tomorrow! G'night all - and thanks.  >>

 

Don't do anything while like that! I would not recommend moving towards wiping the computer clean and starting over at this point. You could be in a simple situation once you identify it.

 

When you are rested please answer:

 

 1 -- Do you have personal files on the computer that are valuable to you and are not backed up somewhere off the computer?

 

 2 -- Tell us exactly what happens when you try those two multiple key press (F8 and F12) described by Dell.

 

And in answer to Dave's question in

 

http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Internet-Security-Norton/Has-my-laptop-been-hijacked/m-p/1131906#M258537 

 

please describe in words as best you can what you see on the screen -- a menu of choices; nothing at all; what looks like Windows desktop but distorted ....  ???

 

Until we have some idea what happens when you try to get into safe mode we are stymied.

 

You asked about taking it in for technical support. One down side of this is that many places take the easy route and just reinstall Windows or even if the do the Restore to Factory Condition that those recovery disks should do that leaves you having lost all your personal files and programs.

 

That's why I asked you about personal files and mentioned the bootable recovery disk download -- if that works you can salvage personal files of a computer that won't boot up as long as the disk drive is OK.

 

Sleep well.

40

"

You said << You could purchase and add a new HDD ...  >> not replace.'

 

Hi Hugh,

 

OK, I see now, should have said replace.

 

I hope that OP will get the problem fixed without losing all the data.

 

 

Regards,