Windows error message (1 Viewer)

[wordswort]

Anyone else seen this? Usually on sites such as Myspace & Youtube. It says something like 'Windows has caused/detected an error and will now close down'. But it doesn't close : what it does is send a message-box inviting you to 'report' the error to Windows. If you do, you'll get a virus. DLL32, or similar.

I had to change my cpu in order to get rid of mine.

wordswort

 

[Simon_MT]

I would check for a hijack or some other threat.

Try:

Ad-Aware 2007
Spybot Search and Destroy
Anit-virus
Regpair

Simon

 

[wordswort]

Thanks, Simon. I had those when my previous cpu was hit. Plus Avast and Sygate firewall. The error message got through. It's well-known ; there are several discussion sites that mention it ; but no one from MS Windows has ever commented. I've tried to message them but they got rid of their 'contact us' button years ago. All you get are FAQs. Which are no faquin' good at all.

best

bob

 

[Minkey]

I had to change my cpu in order to get rid of mine.

wordswort

erm your CPU ? that would point to a hardware error but

Usually on sites such as Myspace & Youtube. It says something like 'Windows has caused/detected an error and will now close down'.

This points to a software problem, possibly your flash plug in or an issue with your browser (which one IE ?)

But it doesn't close : what it does is send a message-box inviting you to 'report' the error to Windows.

That's normal behavior (providing it's real) it's the Microsoft error reporting tool, it's used to compile a list of issues that's Microsoft can fix with patches etc.

If you do, you'll get a virus. DLL32, or similar.

See above (this is a virus if it's called DLL32.exe) but you may already be compromised by something else, so changing the CPU won't help.

I would do a full scan with updated anti-virus etc. update your browser to the latest version and patch it up. Try Firefox as an alternative, and make sure you've got the latest version of flash.

 

[wordswort]

There was no exe, but it certainly behaved liike a virus. It knocked out my 'search' and 'desktop' and 'add/remove programmes' access, and somehow deleted my 'restore' file, and everything I tried to get rid of it failed.

As for the 'normal windows error reporting tool' function someone mentioned, I would recommend not going near it. After all, if Windows detects an error, why does Windows then require you report it back to them?

I didn't actually need to replace my cpu because of the error message, but getting rid of it from my hard drive would have cost £40, and upgrading from ME to XP another £200, so I thought it was worth while to go the whole hog and pay £300 for a cpu already loaded with the XP programme. Which meant I could go wireless, impossible with ME.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

bob