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Thread ID: 26328	2002-10-24 19:56:00	"This computer is locked"? (XP Pro)	argus (366)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
92639	2002-10-24 19:56:00	Another one to add to the more mysterious range of phenomena that I (only half joking) call "plod footprints" (ie evidence of ham-fisted attempts to intrude into my machine). When rebooting (because something's locked up or slowed unacceptably) I more than occasionally get "another user is using this computer" - when I know that neither of the two other users (wife and daughter) with accounts on this machine has been using it and forgotten to log off. I fear that someone, somewhere can get in and use one of the accounts on this machine, and that Zone Alarm does nothing to prevent it. Or is there some innocent explanation? This morning, I rebooted to be confronted with "This computer is locked; to unlock it requires either (my account-name) or an administrator." This was accompanied by the usual ID-and-password slots, but greyed out. I rebooted again; and it did the thing where Zone Alarm doesn't start up automatically, and on my launching it independently, puts a different icon at the RH end of the bar; not the normal half-yellow, half brown thing, but a brown square with a yellow X on it like a close box. And the IE browser won't access my home site (Paradise). This too is a familiar pattern. Roboot again, and everything's OK. Has anyone experienced any of these symptoms, and what might be the cause if it's not flat-footed coppers? Argus	argus (366)
92640	2002-10-24 20:43:00	I suggest you switch on Security logging. To do this Click Start-> Run and type MMC Click File->Add/Remove Snapin Press the Add Button Select Group Policy and press Add. Press Finish Press Close, Press OK Open: Local Computer Policy ->Computer Configuration ->Windows Settings ->Security Settings ->Local Policies ->Audit Policy Double Click Audit account logon events and select Sucess and Failure Press OK Do the same for Audit logon events Reboot the computer. Now you can check to see who has logged on and off from then on by Right Clicking My Computer and clicking Manage. You can look in the Events logs container and view the security log to see who has logged on and When.	BIFF (1)
92641	2002-10-24 20:47:00	Maybe a scan with a trojan detector is in order. It would put your mind at rest if nothing else.	Susan B (19)
92642	2002-10-25 03:46:00	Thanks, Can you recommend a good Trojan detector? I'm not sure it would "put my mind at rest" completely, though. There seem to be altogether too many ways to intrude that may not be classed as Trojans or viruses. I suppose I should keep an eye on cookies too, and continue my regular scans with AdAware. not to mention filtering out the spam. Hardly seems much time left to use the computer productively :-) These intrusions and puzzling failures seem to come in rashes; it'll go quiet for weeks and the machine will work quite smoothly then suddenly everything will go bananas. Internet (particularly downloads) slow RIGHT down and weird things like this happen. I was hoping someone might say: XP does this occasionally; it's a bug; install SP2 (or update this other thing) and it'll go away. But it's clearly not that simple. Argus	argus (366)
92643	2002-10-25 03:47:00	Thanks.	argus (366)
92644	2002-10-25 04:06:00	I've got these two in my favorites and I can't remember which one I've used but both were recommended so one will do you. They are the cleaner (www.simtel.net) and trojan remover (www.simplysup.com). Both are shareware so if you are going to keep them on your hard drive and continue using them you will need to pay for them. I don't have Win XP but your symptoms don't sound at all right to me and you'd be very wise to continue to investigate until it's fixed. It doesn't sound very nice at all. Good luck with the cleaners, let us know how you get on.	Susan B (19)
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