Windows 10: Need Windows Maintenance advice - Malware removal, etc

Hi all,

After a serious mess up on my part, I got my old PC up and running again with Windows 10. I had lost internet connectivity for about a day and a half and I believe it was a result of being careless while using a Malware removal tool called RogueKiller - which I paid a 1 yr license for and since I have little to no clue on what files would ultimately kill settings if removed, I just deleted whatever it found. My computer is pretty old and I was surprised when Microsoft said my computer was approved for the free Windows 10 upgrade when it came out.

Come to find out that I do have some issues with memory(even though all scans of memory have been clear, no issues, no bad memory sticks) and my ATI Radeon 4300/5000 series graphics card does not have a supported driver from the manufacturer - they won't release a driver for Windows 10, so I'm stuck with a Microsoft based driver for it. These issues will result in "the blue screen of death" happening erratically at unexpected times - sometimes, I'll have a blue screen per day, sometimes I'll go days without issues at all. However I do have some performance issues that I want to take care of PROPERLY so I don't mess up my settings again and make my internet experience more smooth (there are a lot of times where shockwave will freeze or I'll be online and then I get "blue screened" with Page Fault on nonpaged area or something along those lines. Either it's a driver issue or I have a virus or malware present.

I do have Avast Internet Security on my computer and virus scans have found nothing - both in the boot time scan and while windows is running. However when I had RogueKiller (system restore removed it since) it showed several PUPs in the registry that to me, seemed harmless to have removed - they seemed to be "re-direct internet related" so I though - hey, no harm, delete. Most of them were highlighed yellow, but a few were highlighted Red or "potentially dangerous".

I would like to get a crash course on what files are ok to delete and should either be left alone - just deal with it - or try to "clean up" or remove the threat without deleting the file. I already spent money on RogueKiller - is that a good program to use? I used to have malwarebytes free edition, but haven't had that in the longest time. I just want to use a program that will not remove any Windows Based files - or warn me that what I am about to delete could hurt Windows Stability before more harm is done.

After I had restored my system to an earlier date, I had a start up error "0xc000021a" appear several times, however it eventually overcame the problem somehow. I have since done a SFC scan through command prompt, but that came out clean of any issues.

:)

 

Windows defender unable to turn on

What Virus Protection is displayed in the Security and Maintenance section of Security Center. ?? (In the səarch box on the taskbar, enter
security and maintenance and then select Security and Maintenance. )

What other anti-malware products are installed and running ?

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Verify that you have removed all other real-time anti-malware products that were ever installed on your PC, including free/trial product that were installed when the PC was purchased (Norton (Symantec), McAfee, AVG, Malwarebytes (paid),
etc). Then, use the cleanup tools here:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/wiki/mse-protect_start/list-of-anti-malware-product-removal-tools/2bcb53f7-7ab4-4ef9-ab3a-6aebfa322f75

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Windows Defender Definition Update Error 0x80004004

Phyllis,

0x80004004 You might be trying to use more than one real-time security product at the same time.

If you are alrəady running another security product you might need to turn Windows Defender off.

What Virus Protection is displayed in the Security and Maintenance section of Security Center. ?? (In the səarch box on the taskbar, enter
security and maintenance and then select Security and Maintenance. )

What other anti-malware products are installed and running ?

Verify that you have removed all other rəal-time anti-malware products that were
ever installed on your PC, including free trial product that were installed when the PC was purchased Norton, McAfee, AVG, Malwarebytes (paid), etc) Then, use the cləanup/uninstall tools

List of anti-malware program cləanup/uninstall tools <== Created by Stephen Boots July 17, 2013

<<List of anti-malware product removal tools>>

Restart after you run their removal tool, whether prompted to do so or not. REBOOT

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