Windows 10: windows 10 marks directories as "read only" and i am unable to change

Hmmmm haven't seen that , if you are sure frozen or not responding (CTRL-ALT-Delete and see in TM ) then restart computer and try Eset with a different Browser perhaps.


KB

 

I've seen this happening lately, even on my own computer recently. It appears to be a problem with ESET when finding something. You can kill the task. Did you run the scans in post #21? I would do those first - ESET scan is usually done last, as it gives the "all clear".

 

Another option is bootable virus-scan rescue media:
Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10

How to create a Bitdefender Rescue CD

 

Good Idea Simrick ...if ESET found something , perhaps try Hitman Pro 1st and then go back to Eset.


KB

 

but it downloads before scanning.. does it matter what browser it downloads from? yes it was frozen, because I did finally try to stop it, and when I did, windows said the program had stopped responding. so I immediately re-enabled mcafee..

 

it runs in the browser ,that why i said try another....eg chrome or brave.

try uninstalling mcaffee and install avira free or avast free and scan with that too.

.

 

I did not, mainly because I don't have a third drive. also hitman pro only scanned the main drive. not sure if Eset found something on the external drive. it is possible. but it is not clear since eset freezes.

will that option work without the third hard drive? also kapersky didn't find anything either, just like mcafee isn't. but eset finds something (just not clear what it is). will these "rescue disks" scan both the main disk and external? I think that I need to scan both. but I am not sure where it is at. the read only thing is going on whether or not external drive is plugged in.

 

First, let me just say that, ESET will find everything - and I mean everything - that is possible to find; meaning that sometimes it even finds stuff that really is nothing to worry about. So keep that in mind. You can try this to see if you can get a look at what it flagged:
Run ESET Online scanner again, only this time, tell it to run only on memory (not any drives). That should make the scan really short, and finish without any (additional) infections. At that point, you should be able to view the ones it found already, and have a look to see what they are. See method #2 here:
Restore files quarantined by the ESET Online ScannerESET Knowledgebase


But, let me just say this: When I clean infections, I follow steps which may or may not include ESET; it's always the *last scan* I perform, as it gives me the "all clear", if I feel it's needed. I don't do it first, and many times I don't use it at all. It depends on what the infection is I am dealing with. This is why I posted the list of scans for you in post #21. The results of those scan logs would give me the information needed to determine if ESET is even necessary.

That said, it is always a good idea to have an image backup before beginning a cleaning operation, so in case things "go south", you can always get back to where you were and start again. So, if you can't write to the existing external hard drive, and you don't want to buy another one, then I guess we forego the "insurance policy" of having an image. This is the reason I suggested creating the Macrium Rescue Media, booting your system from it, and try making the image that way. Macrium will attempt to image "outside the constraints of the operating system", not dependent on Windows VSS services, and you may be successful, (even possibly on the existing external drive).

The cleaning and restoring operations can be done without an image, but now you see the risks - it's your call.

Once you've successfully run the scans in post #21 and posted the logs as each one is run, we will be able to determine if the system is indeed clean, and ready for a repair install. It may be that those scans are the only ones you need. *Wink

 

@simrick is giving good advice Josh , I don't want to confuse you , so I will watch from the sidelines for now.....

KB

 

simrick, but if i tried to run eset, and it froze during the scan, how would i know it would find what it found already? i did not set it to automatically clean or delete. i had wanted to choose the action. so when it froze, it likely just froze only. maybe nothing is quarantined.

 

Just skip ESET and go back to post #21. *Smile

 

i would like to know if post 21 scans both drives. also, since i only have the external drive to back up on, how can i check that drive first? i just ran avast prior, and it only basically found potential threats like 7zip, etc basically. can anything check the external drive before following through with that? what about the boot disc virus scan or whatever? i had let avast quarantine or delete some files but i kind of think none were dangerous. Also, is post 21 something to do prior to an inplace-upgrade? or instead of? this morning my system couldn't login and was stuck, but maybe that is basically because files are corrupted. This was in the lock screen after sleep mode or restart after some automatic updates.

 

Best bet.......Leave the external unattached for now...get the computer function correctly 1st , then deal with the External.

whether that is by scanning or doing an Inplace Upgrade or Clean Install is up to you....


KB

 

Let's put the instructions in post #21 here:
Post #21

So, my recommendations were written in the order they should be executed.
In the Malwarebytes custom scan, you can select what it scans, including your external hard drive.
But I must reiterate, the scans should be performed in the order I presented them.











You can't do the repair install until you are sure the system is clean. A repair install would not fix an active infection.
If you would like me to evaluate your Avast log, please upload it.

 

okay, so i would make an image prior to any of this? if so, i save an image of the main system onto my hard drive, but the other one onto the external drive?