My Windows 10 system seems infested with something odd

[Rusty_Rusty]

I opted to do just the quick scan with RogueKiller as I think malware is not my problem and the other tools have already done so much (including a FULL scan by Windows Defender). RogueKiller found nothing and so I am not posting any log for it. Of course if you insist, tomorrow, I could still do the long RogueKiller scan. Now on to Quick Diag Scan.

[Rusty_Rusty]

I ran Quick Diag. Its progress bar showed about 80% done when it chashed with a system “error allocating memory”. It seems that happened to me once before if recollection serves. So I tried a second time and it did exactly the same thing at exactly the same point in its progress, leaving a 181kb log file. I am attaching that, hoping it is of some value.

So that concludes the tool runs for now, I am turning my Windows Defender realtime protection back on and logging back in to my Google Chrome account. I sure hope I can still access my bank accounts readily, ad-free weather forecast service subscription. I hope my wife’s use of MyPoints is still functional and all that good everyday stuff.

And lo, the problem with the Start Menu is now much better!! ..but I don’t think it is entirely cured. I will reboot and see. It no longer grays out disabling everything! But it is still totally nonfunctional as to using Cortana or the several launch items to the left: Power, Settings, Documents and Pictures.

I feel quite sleepy now, goodnite.

[Rusty_Rusty]

Thank you for moving this thread to a more appropriate sub-forum.
Recapping: the Start menu problem is greatly alleviated now, as I don’t see it dimming out and going into that totally disabled/unresponsive/non-scrolling state. However the disablement of Cortana and those few functions to the left of the programs list (Power, Settings, Pictures, Documents, User) continues. So I cannot put the machine to sleep I guess, as the only means I have is the physical power button on the CPU box. Oh I’m sure that another means is possible but I don’t know it. And the only means I have to navigate into Settings is to right-click empty Desktop and select Display settings and thence proceed to Settings home et al. And I have no known means to log in as a different user but that is okay since this is a home system for the wife and I and we don’t bother defining separate users. Again, I’m sure there would be an alternate avenue but since I never use that feature I am unfamiliar. I know how to get to Documents without the Start menu.

Still, I wish this bugaboo would alleviate. Looks pretty hopeless, like it’s something deeply embedded. You know, it just now occurred to me that I would have no way to allow this PC to update Windows-10, without the Power functions button working from the Start menu area. Can someone kindly advise me how I could affect a Restart and/or a Restart with updating (when updates are available). Maybe Microsoft is on to this quirky bug that has assailed me and maybe a fix is in the pipeline but alas I have no way to allow its installation.

[Malnutrition]

Alright, I need a full log from your machine, so lets do this.
Download Process Close and unzip it to your desktop.
Right Click Run As administrator.
Click on the search button.
Then: Double click on users folder.
Then select ken&vicki folder.
Double click on desktop.
There you will find Quick Diag.
Right click on it and run as adminstrator.
Choose the quick scan.
Post the log here.

This should allow you to run the full scan from quick diag.

[Rusty_Rusty]

Slight problem but I think with your help we can work around it. Upon download it was deemed a trojan and disabled, but I told Defender to allow it and next download succeeded. I unzipped it to desktop. I disabled virus protection. I ran the download as Administrator. It comes calling itself Virus SOS. But all I see is 5 blank lines looking as if they should be command buttons, but without any text. I clicked one at random and it was NOT the Search you told me about. It has really messed with my system and nothing is displaying correctly. I clicked on the 5th and final blank button and that apparently was EXIT. The pgm exited. I reran Virus SOS or ProcessClose. Uh, I am reluctant to approach this randomly. I need advice now; sorry for long delay as I was watching TV for a while.

And hopefully we can undo the harm ProcessClose did when I clicked a button at random - 'may have been the 2nd one… now everything displays in Explorer as icons only, no details or filenames. Arggh Excuse me - also context menus display truncated kinda.

[Malnutrition]

Reboot your machine, then run it immediately.
The search button is the third one down.

[Rusty_Rusty]

Thank you so much, Malnutrition. But while awaiting you I experimented, clicked 3rd button and found it to be that Search, opened folder “Users” and failed to find ken&vicki. It listed Default, Default.mi (remainder truncated), Public and talk2. I thought I’d find ken&vicki within talk2 but did not. I will reboot now but be thinking about this here conundrum meanwhile.

[Malnutrition]

Just use the Talk2 account.
Desktop folder then quick diag.

[Rusty_Rusty]

HELP! Hey man, you’ve got to help me right the wrong that first blank command button did because now everything is truncated even more! How can I revert this. Even that explorer system within ProcessClose is truncated to like 3 or fewer characters!!! I cannot even see the words Public or Default or talk2! Arggh, I may need to do a FreshStart install now, THIS IS A DISASTER. PLEASE, Malnutrition, do you know how to revert this fiasco. I would rather live with the Start Menu problem than deal with this TOTAL FIASCO!

[Rusty_Rusty]

I am sure it was button number 1 that I clicked back then on first run

[Rusty_Rusty]

Sorry for rambling… this ultra-truncation problem is affecting everything, every display, menus inside pgms, EVERYTHING!

[Rusty_Rusty]

The dimming out disabling of my Start menu is also back but not every single time, sporadic kinda.

[Malnutrition]

[ol]
[li]Press the “Windows + R” key to open a Run box.[/li][li]Type msconfig and click OK.[/li][li]On the General tab, click Selective startup.[/li][li]Clear the Load startup items check box.[/li][li]Click the Services tab.[/li][li]Select the Hide all Microsoft services check box (at the bottom).[/li][li]Click Disable all.[/li][li]Click the Startup tab.[/li][li]Click Open Task Manager.[/li][li]On the Startup tab, right-click each enabled startup item and select Disable.[/li][li]Click OK.[/li][li]Click Restart.[/li][/ol]

[Rusty_Rusty]

sure I’ll do that. BTW I am not getting those push notifications now.

[Rusty_Rusty]

Ok I have GOOD news, pal. Hear me out. Prior to your msconfig suggestion I had, in a panic, initiated a quick scan by W-Defender. I don’t think it finished, not sure. I ran msconfig, with which I have some cursory familiarity. Everything blinked mysteriously for about 10 seconds while msconfig tried to launch. Then it seemd to launch but it was utterly unrecognizable because all was truncated to zero-to-3 characters. I clicked the X-for-close in the upper right corner. At that point the system went into reboot and those truncation problems are gone. I am relieved. Not sure what I might do/try next. This last episode has left me scared!