Windows Vista Fix

Windows Vista Fix is a Vista-specific variant of other fake defragmenter and computer optimization software that attack your file-viewing settings and ability to use various programs, including your web browser. Although Windows Vista Fix pretends to find and fix errors on your hard drive, Windows Vista Fix creates fake errors instead of finding real ones and is incapable of fixing any PC error whether minor or serious. Never spend money on Windows Vista Fix, since any money or information given to Windows Vista Fix is as good as in the hands of criminals. Instead, use a preferred anti-virus program to delete Windows Vista Fix and with it, all related symptoms.

The Unpleasant Symptoms That Windows Vista Fix Shares with Its Kindred

Windows Vista Fix is far from the first rogue defragmenter in its line, even though Windows Vista Fix tries to appear as a separate and unrelated application. Some other fake defragmenter tools that are as good as twins to Windows Vista Fix include Windows XP Fix, Windows 7 Fix, Windows Fix Disk, Windows Disk, System Defragmenter and Win Defragmenter. Windows Vista Fix and related rogue defragmentation programs are known for attacks such as:

• Interfering with your ability to use security-related programs and basic Windows utilities. Anti-virus scanners and similar software may only be disabled with fake infection warnings, while your web browser is more likely to be hijacked and redirected to Windows Vista Fix's own website.
• Creating fake pop-ups and fake system scan results that make your computer look as though it's nearing a possible breakdown.
• Making files undetectable by interfering with the Windows Explorer's file-viewing settings. If you use an alternate program to view your files, it will confirm that Windows Vista Fix hasn't harmed them; Windows Vista Fix only made it difficult to find them in the first place.

Shuffling Past Windows Vista Fix Pop-ups to Get to the Real Fix

Windows Vista Fix's most well-known and distracting symptom is its proclivity for erroneous and alarmist fake error messages. Some of Windows Vista Fix's fake errors may resemble the following samples:

Hard Drive Failure
The system has detected a problem with one or more installed IDE / SATA hard disks. It is recommended that you restart the system.

Low Disk Space
You are running very low disk space on Local Disk (C:).

Windows - No Disk
Exception Processing Message 0x0000013

System Error
An error occurred while reading system files. Run a system diagnostic utility to check your hard disk drive for errors.

Critical Error
Hard Drive not found. Missing hard drive.

Critical Error
RAM memory usage is critically high. RAM memory failure.

Critical Error!
Damaged hard drive clusters detected. Private data is at risk.

Critical Error
Hard drive critical error. Run a system diagnostic utility to check your hard disk drive for errors. Windows can't find hard disk space. Hard drive error.

Critical Error!
Windows was unable to save all the data for the file \System32\496A8300. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware.

Critical Error
A critical error has occurred while indexing data stored on hard drive. System restart required.

System Restore
The system has been restored after a critical error. Data integrity and hard drive integrity verification required.

The existence of these errors is purely for the sake of convincing you of Windows Vista Fix's real threat-detection features, but since those features are as fake as the errors they claim to find, you should avoid any purchase of Windows Vista Fix or related fake system defragmentation programs.

Use an appropriate anti-virus or other security program to scan your computer and remove Windows Vista Fix, since improper removal can cause other system problems and may fail to detect other threats on your PC. As of July 2011, Windows Vista Fix is still a recently-emerged rogue application and may require updates to be removed.

File System Modifications

• The following files were created in the system:
  

  #	File Name
  1	%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]
  2	%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].dll
  3	%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
  4	%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~{RANDOM CHARACTERS}r
  5	%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~{random}r
  6	%UserProfile%\Desktop\Windows Vista Fix.lnk
  7	%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Vista Fix\
  8	%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Vista Fix\Uninstall Windows Vista Fix.lnk
  9	%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Vista Fix\Windows Vista Fix.lnk

Registry Modifications

• The following newly produced Registry Values are:
  HKEY..\..\..\..{Subkeys}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download "CheckExeSignatures" = 'no'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Use FormSuggest" = 'yes'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced "Hidden" = '0'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced "ShowSuperHidden" = 0'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "CertificateRevocation" = '0'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "WarnonBadCertRecving" = '0'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop "NoChangingWallPaper" = '1'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations "LowRiskFileTypes" = '/{hq:/s`s:/ogn:/uyu:/dyd:/c`u:/bnl:/ble:/sdf:/lrh:/iul:/iulm:/fhg:/clq:/kqf:/`wh:/lqf:/lqdf:/lnw:/lq2:/l2t:/v`w:/rbs:'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments "SaveZoneInformation" = '1'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System "DisableTaskMgr" = '1'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "[RANDOM CHARACTERS]"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system "DisableTaskMgr" = '1'

Additional Information on Windows Vista Fix

• The following messages's were detected:
  

  #	Message
  1	Windows - No Disk Exception Processing Message 0x0000013
  2	Hard Drive Failure The system has detected a problem with one or more installed IDE / SATA hard disks. It is recommended that you restart the system.
  3	System Error An error occurred while reading system files. Run a system diagnostic utility to check your hard disk drive for errors.
  4	System Restore The system has been restored after a critical error. Data integrity and hard drive integrity verification required.
  5	Low Disk Space You are running very low disk space on Local Disk (C:).
  6	Critical Error RAM memory usage is critically high. RAM memory failure.
  7	Critical Error Hard Drive not found. Missing hard drive.
  8	Critical Error Hard drive critical error. Run a system diagnostic utility to check your hard disk drive for errors. Windows can't find hard disk space. Hard drive error.
  9	Critical Error! Damaged hard drive clusters detected. Private data is at risk.
  10	Critical Error A critical error has occurred while indexing data stored on hard drive. System restart required.
  11	Critical Error! Windows was unable to save all the data for the file \System32\496A8300. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware.