The hell is wrong with my mom's computer?

Magus`

Windows 7

The issue: When I start it and login (IE, get to desktop) it will freeze (except for the mouse) as soon as I try to do anything - move an icon, open the start menu, what-have-you. This doesn't happen if I start in Safe Mode. This happens in my isolated, personal login as well.

Additionally when it started it said it was trying to configure for an update - which failed. I'd love to check Windows Update but hey, that won't run in Safe Mode. I've looked at Google and I can't seem to find any real help. There are no System Restore points to be used. Nothing in MSConfig that could be causing it (all are disabled). This is really starting to bother me.

Additionally, she has got some god awful malware (that I can't seem to axe) that redirects my search results 50% of the time. I've cleared cookies and removed an entry in the Host file, but it didn't seem to take. Sigh.

Donovan Puppyfucker

Nuke it from orbit, and start again with a fresh install of Windows.
Then install Microsoft Security Essentials, and Malware Bytes.
And Chrome.

Magus`

I don't have a disc to reinstall with handy. It came pre-installed from Dell and I'm not sure if they gave her a disc to go with it. If they did, she probably threw it away.

Magus`

There was an option to restore things to 'factory default' in the repair menu, but I'm not sure if that's a format or what-have-you (never used a Dell before). Is there some way to prevent her from installing a bunch of junk if it IS a reformat? Not sure if the stuff you listed would be enough.

Eat it You Nasty Pig.

Dell systems come with a hidden partition on the hard drive that contains an image of the HD as it came out of the factory. Using the restore function will wipe the rest of the drive and revert you to that image. Whatever junk dell put on it when it came out of the factory will be there, but it'll get rid of whatever malware you've caught.

MSE and a modern browser (firefox/chrome) running noscript and adblock will stop most random infections. You should also set her up with a generic user account that doesn't have administrative privileges; that way if the computer does get infected again, whatever you catch won't be able to take over system restore/msconfig.

Magus`

Yeah, I've reinstalled it via said partition. I'll make myself an admin account and remove the admin privileges from hers.

No idea how she keeps doing this, though. Does AdBlock/Noscript have a Chrome version? I added it on Firefox on the previous run but she complained nothing would run (which is true, but she isn't able to understand what to allow and what not to).

Eat it You Nasty Pig.

There are versions for chrome

I dunno what it'd block that she wants to see; I can count the number of times I've needed to unblock anything on the fingers of one hand. If you want you can whitelist whatever sites she regularly visits in noscript and hope for the best, but flash exploits occasionally show up even on major sites that seem like they should know better.

Magus`

Sigh, she's already complaining about not being able to install things because it's 'her computer'. When I try to explain the reasons behind it and how she keeps getting things which causes problems, she yells at me and says she knows 'everything' about computers. Shoot me.

Ego

You could make an account called 'FOR INSTALLING ONLY' with administrator privileges, and just explain to her that administrator privileges don't apply only to her, but also to the malware that destroyed all the data on her computer earlier, so she really needs to use it only for installing software.

I mean, ideally this is what everyone should work with: one administration account and then user accounts for regular use. Hate to sound like a linux guy (believe me, I'm not, though I've sure tried to get into it) but that's the safest way to run a system.

Eat it You Nasty Pig.

If she knows everything about computers, let her do her own tech support

I mean I guess it's your mom, but still, horse to water

Apothe0sis

You can teach her to use Run As for when she needs to install things. Which will at least allow you to maintain the separation of privileges.

Magus`

I'll see what I can do, but chances are if she gets any such permission I'll be looking at in a week and it'll have yet another 200-some odd viruses/malware.

I don't know how she does it.