Sounds like you have picked up a nasty.
Sounds like that last virus that was going around. (wont let you update any security programs)
Try going here to do an online virus scan

Here is a link that might be useful: Online virus scan (Housecall)

I'm on my colleague's computer bc. my desktop just got worse. Genes- I did go to dothe online virus scan - and the results said it detected vulnerabilities MS08-074. It also said "an error occurredw hile trying to retrieve more ifnoration about this vulnerability. There is currently no more information available." And that's it. It stopped and offered no more courses of action.

In the meantime, things got worse. I went to my start menu to open Microsoft Word. The start menu came up - and I was not able to click on anything. Nothing would open - and I couldn't get the window to shut - and I couldn't click on it and drag it elsewhere. It is stuck. So it is now blocking the portion of computer forum where I would type a message and hit preview or submit. So I can't add more to this thread from my computer.

When I try to run housecall again, it says are you sure you want to restart it. I'm not sure. NOt sure it will help.

I can't shut my computer down from the start menu. Can't run housecall.

Help. Should I try to run Avast even though it hasn't been updated in a few weeks? Not even sure it will run.

If I shut my computer down using alt-control-delete - or the power button, I'm not sure I won't restart to the same problem.

Any ideas what I should do? I have a thumb drive (although I've never used one and need instruction). Is there a way to get updates off my daughter's computer and onto mine? Of course, if the start menu window blocks me from doing things, I'm not sure what to do.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Lynn.

Lynn, I'm not sure why you are referring to updating AVAST as it automatically updates daily. Within 1 minute or less after I boot up my computer AVAST announces that it has updated.

However, it does sound as if you have a malware infection of some type. Before you can run any scan, you will have to shut down your computer. Use ctrl/alt/delete first to stop any running programs. Then try again to shut down normally. If you cannot do this, I see no other option than to use the power button.

If it boots up again normally, try running a scan with malwarebytes if you have it. If not, post back here and someone will give you further instructions.

do your virus scan in safe mode if you can

Avast will do a Boot Time Scan that can find and fix many things that it cant when run inside windows shell.... that is if you can figure out how to turn off the confusing archaic looking advanced interface window so you can actually configure things.
Its on the file menu of the Simple user interface after you right click the tray icon and choose 'Start avast Antivirus. Which runs the manual scans.

Gmail login will time out after some unused time period ... and the page you're sitting on will sit there forever unchanged with that log-out link showing.

lynn I would try to start in safe mode and run malwarebytes it won't have the latest updates but it may find something, if you can get it to boot with networking and get the updates for malwarebytes that would be best. It is sounding like it could be an infection. you might have to get the latest version of malwarebytes from another pc and put it on a flash drive to your pc and run in safe mode.

Raven - I took action about 2 minutes before you posted. NOw I'm on my daughter's computer. Let me take this in order:

grandms - the Avast Virus database gets automatically updated, but I don't have antivirus program updates - in case there are new viruses that weren't handled in the program just a month ago.

canibus - I"m not sure how I run virus scan or malwarebytes in safe mode. I did not see that option on avast.

I can't get to malwarebytes bc. I had no taskbar, no start menu and the open,but blank start menu was blocking the malwarebytes desktop icon.

I did go ahead to get Avast to do a Boot Time Scan. It said it had to restart the computer first and I said okay. It is running the boot time scan now. I'll report back when I see what happens.

On the positive side, I think I briefly saw my taskbar return when the computer restarted just before the boot time scan began.

the gmail login time running out is still a puzzle - bc. sometimes it happens in the middle of my reading and writing a bunch of emails. Right in the middle of using it - not after it sat idle for a while (although it's done it then too). It sounds like that may be a kink that's unrelated to this other trouble.

A couple of other questions:
I have updated malwarebytes on my daughter's computer - but how would I get that on a flash drive and load it on my computer. Sorry I need to have that broken down into baby steps.

I'm also a little confused between whether the recommendation is to run antivirus or antispyware (ie malwarebytes). I will try to do both - but is the thinking that this sounds like a virus (to be handled by Avast) or spyware (to be handled by malwarebytes). Perhaps it's too early to know which.

Thanks.
Lynn.

PS - the avast boot time scan is 12% done. This could take a while. In the past few weeks I've uploaded about 200+ GB of tv shows and movies from my Tivo. (I am looking into swapping out the Tivo hard drive for a 500 GB drive so I don't have to keep sending stuff to my computer to store it.)

Boot to safe mode see if you can run Malwarebytes, put Avast away for now, here are steps for entering safe mode,

1. Restart your computer.
2. When the machine first starts again it will generally list some equipment that is installed in your machine, amount of memory, hard drives installed etc. At this point you should gently tap the F8 key repeatedly until you are presented with a Windows XP Advanced Options menu.
3. Select the option for Safe Mode using the arrow keys.
4. Then press enter on your keyboard to boot into Safe Mode.
5. Do whatever tasks you require (Run Malwarebutes) and when you are done reboot to boot back into normal mode.

 Make sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
 If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
 Once the program has loaded, select "Perform Full Scan", then click Scan.
 The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.
 When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
 Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
 When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart.(See Extra Note)
 The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
 Copy&Paste the entire report in your next reply.
Extra Note:
If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove,you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts,click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process,if asked to restart the computer,please do so immediately.

Just run it for now you probably wont be able to update it, just follow the rest of the instructions for it

I hope I didn't cause problem. My daughter was on her computer so I didn't see zep-s entries. After Avast boot time scan ran, I did not see a result - I was down doing laundry. When I came back up, I had my regular desktop restored - taskbar restored and a screen from superantispyware which said updates are available - did I want to install. So it seemed that the updating problem had been fixed. I clicked yes to update superantispyware. Then went to malwarebytes and updated it - no problem. Then started a full scan on malwarebytes - which it is currently running.

So it wasn't in safe mode - I hope that's not a problem.

I will copy and paste the results from Notepad. Zep - I'm glad you mentioned that bc. usually since it's all Greek to me, I just delete that. I will post those results.

But for now,I do wonder if the Avast boot time scan fixed the problem.

Lynn.

Malwarebytes finished scanning and there were no infected files found. Not sure there's much point in posting it here, but I'll post it just in case:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.36
Database version: 2079
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2

5/5/2009 6:53:44 PM
mbam-log-2009-05-05 (18-53-44).txt

Scan type: Full Scan (C:\:)
Objects scanned: 162741
Time elapsed: 26 minute(s), 40 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
-----------------------------
I guess the Avast boot time scan fixed the problem. Or it was some kind of weird glitch that automatically resolved itself by restarting the computer. Everything appears to be working well now. Thanks for all the help.

Lynn.

Hard to say I would think Avast would have prompted you before removing any files.

weird glitch that automatically resolved itself by restarting the computer.

Gee - I wish I had just restarted the computer in the first place. I could have saved myself some time and grief - although I did learn a lot through this process and everyone's advice. Thanks again.

Another weird kink - with my gmail. Today I noticed that the emails being sent to me by gmail are time-stamped 4 hours earlier than than they were actually posted. For instance, Zep's post stated that it was placed over 4 hours ago - instead of in the past 10 minutes. I don't think this has happened with my other emails - but I'll have to pay closer attention.

Always restart first for any problem.

Lynne, are you by any chance using dialup for your internet connection? If so, that sometimes causes trouble with gmail.
Open gmail, and there is a place at the bottom of the page where you can choose the View you wish to use. If you have a slow connection, choose Basic HTML. My friend had this same problem and that fixed it.

Grandms - no dialup here. Fast cable broadband (10mbps). It is only gardenweb emails that show the incorrect time once I open them up in my email box. The inbox itself states the time correctly.

Zep - it seems a great rule of thumb to restart first - but I shied away from that bc. I just had a problem last week doing that. My keyboard was acting crazy - so I figured "restart." Well - I couldn't get on my computer bc. it wanted me to log into the system - but my keyboard was still typing multiple letters per stroke - so I couldn't type my password and get into the computer. Hence, I was a bit reluctant to just restart in case that made it worse. Obviously a bad keyboard is an exception to the rule.

Thanks.
Lynn.