low D-drive disk space on HP P6340F (new).

[astrobilia]

Dave, Vidya, et al:

Sorry - Didn't want to bend any rules by posting to myself, but the help process seems to have wound down - I was also unaware that those answering me were covering multiple forums and I hope there was no rules compromise by asking the same question in 2 separate forums, both of which seem germane to my unsolved problem.

If there was a problem, please accept my apology, as I was earler unable to get any help by phone and found these friendly "Aid Stations" here! ;-)

Tom

[astrobilia]

OK - I guess there is no more support available nor solutions proposed?

[Vidya]

@astrobilia

Sorry for the delay. Actually, I tried but unable to find any reason behind this issue. I sent it as an internal escalation and still waiting for the response

[astrobilia]

---

Vidya wrote:

@astrobilia

Sorry for the delay. Actually, I tried but unable to find any reason behind this issue. I sent it as an internal escalation and still waiting for the response

---

Thanks, Vidya -  I was just wondering if the subject was "stale" from "old-Age" (GRIN) and as I continue to load  and refine my work on the new 6340F, I worry about that lurking D: drive with 56 MB (only)  left on that 11 GB drive becoming a problem later.

I don't want to go back to a "format and reinstall virgin Factory system" status as (at my age and disabilities) it is a major problem for me. I also don't trust the supplied backup routine, as that is what caused the problem OF the 56 MB D: free space (up from 11 MB by deleting manually all those hundreds of xxxx(2) dupe copies in the D-Drive.)!!

I am manually backing up my documents, Web page work, and other labor-intensive work to an external drive for now.

Tom

[astrobilia]

---

Vidya wrote:

@astrobilia

Sorry for the delay. Actually, I tried but unable to find any reason behind this issue. I sent it as an internal escalation and still waiting for the response

---

What is the usual response time, Vidya, and hopefully it will be a true tech solution, as opposed to the "Reinstall the factory configuration" answer which does not identify or cure the problem by analysis, but defaults to the "simplest" fix-attempt, but is the most complicated for the user who has laboriously (and out of necessity) forced to continue moving forward with necessary program loads (medical and insurance-reporting, as well as NFP Web sites maintained for others) and essential to keep running.

This support site and the folks offering to help is a godsend..

Tom

[streaker]

SUBJECT:  My FINIS_IT ( or FINIS_IT.txt ) Adventures

I have a Compaq Presario PC CQ5210F ,

but I suspect FINIS_IT can happen to anyone (not sure).

Here is my FINIS_IT ( or FINIS_IT.txt ) Adventure, in chronological order.
Sorry so long, but I think this is important...

FRIDAY - AUGUST 20, 2010...

I apparently cause a virus which goes by several names...
        " Trojan.FakeAV "          ...           Symantec ( a.k.a. Norton ) 's name
        " Rogue:Win32/FakeSpypro      Microsoft's name
        " Trojan.Win32.FraudPack.bfsl  Kasperky's name

I tried Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware... unfortunately, "Object Infected: 0 ".

SATURDAY - AUGUST 21, 2010...

Using my LapTop, I acquired Norton Power Eraser, NPE.exe.
However executing NPE.exe requires an internet connection and the virus has that disabled.

I had copies of " My Documents " and "My Pictures" and a MozBackUp of
my emails... all about 1 month old and I also had other various backup files
on a 1TeraBit backup hard drive that is normally disconnected.

However, I did not have a recovery DVD+R DVD except from 8 months ago
and I think (*not sure*) the Users Manual fails to suggest creating them monthly.
*NOTE to HP:  Now there is an opportunity for improvement.*

Therefore, I chose load the factory image and just install my Apps on top.
The first thing I installed was Norton Utilities and ran the Registry Cleaner
which Repaired 91 Problems ( but that's normal ).
Then I installed... Mozilla FireFox, Mozilla Thunderbird, MozBackup, restored
my emails from 1T drive, copied MyDocuments over and MyPictures over.
Installed OpenOffice.
OBSERVATION:
        NU Registry Cleaner repaired 4 Problems.
        NIS's # of Scanned Files is 312,357 and is less than before I installed
                OpenOffice (317,901). This may be due to hueristics, not sure.

SUNDAY - AUGUST 22, 2010...

Plugged in my HP OfficeJet J3680 and it just worked as it did before.
Plugged in my MagicJack (for long distance telephone service = $20 annually) and
I connected to the Internet to see if I could make outgoing (and incoming) calls.
First, when I connected to the internet, 40 Microsoft Updates were installed.
Everytime I reboot, I run the Norton Ulilities Registry Cleaner and
Norton Internet Security LiveUpdates and Full Scans.
All seems well and this is a great time to make a Recovery Manager DVD+R
User Backup by tapping the F-11 Key as it powers up until you see the
"Loading Windows Files" and eventually HP's Recovery Manager GUI.
I CREATED THE RECOVERY MANAGER USER BACKUP DVD+R.

P.S. Tapping the F-11 key and getting to the Recovery Manager GUI
seems to work ONLY WHEN USING THE HARD DRIVE THAT CAME WITH THE PC
(and does not seem to work with any other hard drive).

NOTE: After each step (above and below), I often reboot and run the
NU Registry Cleaner and the NIS Quick Scan and often times, the Full Scan as well.

AND THEN...
1) Installed Java 6 Update 21 when asked for permission ( Thank You ).

2) Installed MagicJack and it does work if (and only if) it is plugged into
a general purpose USB port is used  (as opposed to an Explorer USB Port).

3a) Using an Acronis Clone of my currently Trojan.FakeAV *infected *hard
drive (which I created initially), I used MozBackup to get my FireFox
bookmarks (only) and saved them to yet another drive.
3b) Used MozBackup to restore the backup of  FireFox bookmarks 
(  and maybe a virus or two, not sure ).

4a) *Norton Utilities did a "Smart Update" *related to a "Performance Test" and
with properties (strings) files supporting approximately 15 different languages.
I left "Performance Test" selected along with "English" and deselected all the other
languages. The update occurred.
4b) Then again, Norton Utilities "Smart Update" came back asking me to
download all of the other languages... each requiring about 1 MB. I agreed.
*Was this Norton Update Authentic?  or was this Trojan.FakeAV again?  ( not sure, yet ).*

MONDAY - AUGUST 23, 2010 early morning...

5) Installed *Adobe Flash Player *( required by Bloomberg TV ).
OBSERVATION: NU Registry Cleaner finds and repairs 7 Problems.

PROBLEM: About 3:00 Pm, FireFox was unable to access some web sites
but able to access others.
ReStarted PC and NU Registry Cleaner finds and fixes 1 Problem and, however,
NU could not be launched subsequently ( unless I restarted the PC ).

Using the "HP Support Assistant", I reported the above problem.
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION :
Norton Utilities / Registry Cleaner identifies a problem with a registry entry
apparently added by HP and the value is Invalid.
I captured the Screen Shot and saved it in an email so I can forward that to you upon request.
TROUBLE SHOOTING:
Any Registry Cleaner should reproduce the problem.
*REGISTRY LOCATION / ADDRESS... *
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage\NewShortc ???
*INVALID VALUE... *
C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Programs\HP\HP SupportAssistant.lnk=00000001

HP's response is basically to start all over again.

Before I start all over again ( or with my Recovery Manager's User Backup DVD+R ),
Let's take some backward steps.
I went to CONTROL PANEL | UNINSTALL A PROGRAM
Locate the Column Header entitled "Installed On" and click it to sort by date in Reverse
Chronological Order... and in my case...
1) Adobe Flash Player
2) HP Support Assistant
3) magicjack
4) OpenOffice.org 3.2
5) Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x64
6) Java(TM) 6 Update 21
7) Microsoft Live Search Tool Bar
8) HP Games
9) Norton Utilities

So, here we go.
Uninstalled Adobe Flash Player, restart... NU Registry Cleaner problem still exists.

Uninstall HP Support Assistant
I get a Pop-Up Window:
--------------------------------------
"USER ACCOUNT CONTROL: Do you want to allow the following program from an unknown
publisher to makes changes to your computer?
Program Name:        C:\Windows\ Installer\bc9e0.msi 
Publisher:                  Unknown
File Origin:                 Hard Drive on this computer.
--------------------------------------
I opened Windows Explorer but Windows Explorer could not see a " C:\Windows\Installer " directory.
In the Windows Explorer search area, I entered the filename:  bc9e0.msi  and the file was found in
a hidden " Installer " directory and the file, bc9e0.msi , is dated " *8/22/2010 10:46 pm* " .

So, you ask What the hell does this have to do with the subject...
" My FINIS_IT ( or FINIS_IT.txt ) Adventures " ?
Well, the time-stamp on FINIS_IT.txt is " *8/22/2010 10:49 pm*  " and according to my notes,
the FINIS_IT.txt file appeared during the Norton Utilities "Smart Update" with a Performance Test
supported by about 15 different languages.

THIS RAISES THE QUESTIONS...

1) Is this Norton Update Authentic and problem caused by Norton?
2) Or, is this Trojan.FakeAV ( caused by User restoring FireFox BookMarks *+ *infections *).

3) What caused the Registry Value to be Invalid

I'll start over beginning with the Recovery Manager's DVD+R I created and
this time, I will not restore FireFox bookmarks (from infected computer) and see what happens.

P.S. It's also possible my DVD+R is infected from copying "My Documents" and "My Pictures"
directories.

I sure hope that maybe some AntiVirus person could key off of that filename, bc9e0.msi , 

 or is that randomly generated?  Sheesh!  I googled... didn't see anything.

[streaker]

I should have mentioned...

the FINIS_IT ( or FINIS_IT.txt ) file is located in the top level C:\ directory.

I was able to right-click and open FINIS_IT.

FINIS_IT contains the following text...

.........................................................

Finis - Starting
Finis checking for AuditBoot key
Finis AuditBoot key not 1
Application recovery mode
Finis completed

.........................................................

It was not able to delete it.

Michael

[astrobilia]

Hello, Vidya - Have been away and having a few  "procedures" done at Hospital. Still no solution with my D: drive problem? ? - I am still in the same state with the 55 Meg free D: drive and daily backing up everything in fear of a loss of a lot of (for me) hard work with my proprioperception quirks. :-)

 It has been almost 2 months since you escalated it. No answer from HP, Vidya?

And anyone else who can help! - Am VERRY receptive to a fresh look at this nagging problem!

THANKS 'n G'Bless.

Tom