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Thread: Invalid Time stamp

  1. #1
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    Invalid Time stamp

    I am running Windows 98, and last month ran into a problem that I initially thought was the Swen virus. While I was working on my PC, it turned itself off. When I rebooted, all it would power up just fine, but after I entered the Windows password, I the task bar was visisble for a fraction of a second and then the screen went blank (with a black background) except for the arrow, which I can move around the screen.

    When I hit control-alt-delete to see what programs are running, no programs come up in the dialogue box. I have scanned it for viruses (using stinger that was creatd last Thursday), and there are not viruses on it.

    Juist now I did a 'chk dsk' on it and got back some messages that I have invalid time stamps on some files which may be causing the trouble, not the least of which may be windows\system\mscomctl.ocx. I don't know what that is, but I have a bunch of other files that came up with an invalid time stamp that look suspicious. It looks like many of them are from Nullsoft\duo and they are named things like alien intercourseIII.avs, the happy danceII.avs, Camphor.avs, etc.

    Any idea what's going on here? Window checked the file system and found no problems other than the invalid time stamps about 25 in all. I can copy files to my A: drive okay. It appeas the executable files have been hooked (or that's what I thought, since that's how the swen virus works), but I really don't know.

    Any ideas?

    I'd appreciate your help.

    Jack
    Jack

  2. #2
    Extreme Member! BipolarBill's Avatar
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    Viruses also damage files. Getting rid of the virus does not repair the bad system files. You will have to reinstall Windows for that.

    You could also try running System File Checker. Click Start > Run > SFC > OK and scan for altered files.
    MS MCP, MCSE

  3. #3
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    My son has taken my Windows '98 disk with him to Japan, and I'm without that disk. Since the SFC is started with an executable file, it won't check for changed files until it starts.

    Just wondering....would it be possible to download the sfc file from the WindowsME platform I'm using on my laptop? I'm using a rescue CD on my PC that will allow me to run windows off of a CD. I can downoad the sfc files from Windows ME onto a difkette and restore it from there.

    Do you see a problem with that?
    Jack

  4. #4
    Extreme Member! BipolarBill's Avatar
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    The SFC file itself is already there. Your biggest problem is that you don't have the Windows 98 CD. You could also upgrade to ME, yes?
    MS MCP, MCSE

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