Verizon MyFi "Upgrade" Trashed My Computer

wdk450

Well-known member
Gang:
I use the Verizon Nortel USB 760 thumbdrive modem for my usual wireless internet. 3 days ago when logging on, there were popups announcing upgrade software for the USB drive and another popup announcement for new software for the VZ AccessManager wireless utility the thumbdrive runs through. The thumdrive upgrade went OK, but the VZ AccessManager upgrade TRASHED MY COMPUTER!!! All of the personalities of the computer (screensaver, etc.) were changed to the factory default after the upgrade, my browser was changed from Firefox to IE, and ALL OF MY FIREFOX BOOKMARKS WERE GONE (100'S OF WEBSITES).
I tried rebooting several times, tried a system restore, with no effect. The next morning, the computer came up with a system restore completed (I thought it had completed and rebooted the last night. Like a fool, I thought the upgrade wireless internet software must be important, set up a restore point with the computer running correctly, and tried the upgrade again. BAD MOVE!!! This time I am back where I was, tried to restore several times with no change (probably another bad move), and have lost critical documents like my monthly bills spreadsheets for several months, and my calendar of where and what RV park for this 8 week trip. I am now getting hang-ups, intermittent crashes of Firefox, bad boot-ups (which eventually clear after shutting down and another boot try), bad shut downs, and things like the Firefox icon returning "Program not recognized".
I will work this stuff out, but thought I would put this up as a warning to others. I called Verizon Tech support, and the lady there said this can be expected as the AccessManager is made to work with IE (but should work OK with Firefox). Whenii installed the original AccessManage software I HAD NONE OF THESE PROBLEMS. If I didn't have the $150 investment in the thumbdrive and a $50 monthly fee paid for this month. I would probably abandon the whole thing.
 

back2nature

Well-known member
How horrible! I feel your pain. Don't you hate it when a program pops up with an update alert. Wonder why they system restore didn't get you back to the right place?

I too, have tons and tons of Firefox bookmarks, all in their separate folders. I would be lost without them. I sync my bookmarks to the web by using Xmarks (an add-on for any browser, but I use Firefox). I like it because it syncs the bookmarks between my desktop computer the laptop via the server on the web. Also, they are backed up on the internet. I also use LastPass to sync my passwords. When you get your computer going again, you may want to check those out.

Hope there might be a miracle and you find your personal files somewhere on the hard drive.
 

3Gstore

Well-known member
You could try the system restore feature if you backup your drives on occasion, which should allow you to get back all your information. In all honesty it sounds like you've got a virus that's causing the issues on your computer. I've never heard or experienced VZAccess Manager doing anything that you've mentioned on a computer and things like a changed screensaver all scream virus.

The lost bookmarks is actually something I've experienced with FF and wasn't related to VZAccess Manager. There is a bug in specific versions that causes the bookmarks to disappear. Check out this article and hopefully you can get your bookmarks back - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Lost_bookmarks
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Last year my HD went down after an "upgrade",, I figured it crashed. Talked to several different ones about saving info on the hard drive,,, everyone wanted from $600 just to look up to $3000 to save depending on how many Gigs were there... Called a Best Buy store and was told to bring in HD,,,took them about 20 min to check it and they said all the info was there. They saved almost everything I had on it.. they saved my info on a portable 150G HD and charged me $166. including the portable drive... I installed new HD and loaded everything and it was working great again.

Jim M
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Last year my HD went down after an "upgrade",, I figured it crashed. Talked to several different ones about saving info on the hard drive,,, everyone wanted from $600 just to look up to $3000 to save depending on how many Gigs were there... Called a Best Buy store and was told to bring in HD,,,took them about 20 min to check it and they said all the info was there. They saved almost everything I had on it.. they saved my info on a portable 150G HD and charged me $166. including the portable drive... I installed new HD and loaded everything and it was working great again.

Jim M

Jim:
This laptop is the only computer I use. I bought it at Best Buy in Springfield, Oregon while on the road last year. I bought the Verizon USB modem at my Sacramento Best Buy. I am planning to stay the month of September in Westfir, near Springfield, so a trip to Best Buy then will be a priority. I'm moving around too much with reservations already made before then. I think I am going to look into some serious backup, too. I have been lulled into believing if it boots up, Windows Restore will fix everything perfectly. That is the midset I had in making a restore point BEFORE again installing the Verizon manager "upgrade" and getting my system messed up royal.
Before this I liked the USB modem as it was small, worked well, and was not locked to a contract. I pay $50 for a month's 1Gbyte use when I need it. That fits my RVing style.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I had a virus a while back and it exhibited some of the characteristics you have mentioned, missing all my files and information.
I managed to get rid of the virus but the files were still MIA.
I did my homework and found that the files were all there but were hidden by the virus.
Try this.
  • Going to Windows Explorer
  • Tools menu
  • Folder Option
  • View Tab
  • Choose “show Hidden Files and Folders”.
  • If the files will show up, simply change the properties of the files/folders. Uncheck the “hidden” checkbox and the files will show again just like before.
If that dont work try this.....

  • Go to the command prompt.
  • Go to the drive where your hidden files are located.
  • Type the following: attrib -s -h /s /d *.* (this will unhide all your files that have been hidden by the virus) i.e. I:\> attrib -s -h /s /d *.*
Peace
Dave
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Dave:
I tried your fix tonight. It took me 3 tries to type it in right, but I have never seen so much activity within the command prompt before. After about of 5 minutes of running through probably tens of thousands of entries, the process stopped, but everything was still gone.
BTW, today, 3 days after all this started, the computer started warning me that the hard drive isn't working right, I need to do a backup, and replace the hard drive. I did a chkdsk test, and the results came out good, but I still kept getting the message again. I went into town and found some DVD-RW disks and got the backup done. Then I just went on using the computer like before (including doing this e-mail).
I use Webroot Security which Best Buy sold and pre-installed on the computer for anti-virus. It updates and scans regularly, and hasn't found anything recently (I did a manual scan in trying to figure all of this stuff out).
Thanks for your help.
 

skyguy

Well-known member
I'll weigh in here, and agree with Matt and cookie. When an extensive upgrade is applied, or a restore is attempted and fails, then there is usually a problem with some malware, or worse yet there's problems in the directory information.
Before performing restores, we will run the disk checking utility (found by opening my computer, right click on the C:DRIVE, select properties from the menu that pops up, then click the tools tab, select disk check, and check both options) Disk check will run the next time you restart.

The smart drive warning should not be ignored! Most drive manufacturers have hard drive diagnostics available for free downloads from their respective websites. Get that and run it. Your hard drive may need to be replaced.

In the last few years, reliability of hard drives has tanked. We see one or two FAILED hard drives a week, and we are a small business.

(33 years of selling and repairing PC's)

Al S.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Read about fake Windows Recovery Programs HERE. You may have been infected. Also there is information toward the bottom of that page that mentions a download for Unhide.exe. That is a good program for getting back hidden files. I have used it.
Just a few more things to look at.

Peace
Dave
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Dave and Al:
Thanks for the help. I never use any Windows Recovery offers that appear online or popup. I only use the built-in one in the Accessories folder.
I haven't seen the hard drive warning this morning, and am wondering if it is true since checkdisk didn't find any errors. Anyways, I am into an 8 week trip on the road, right now traveling about 2 hours a day. Friday I will be 3 days in Anacortes, Wa. for the Washington Heartland Rally, and spend another 3 days in Bellvue, Wa. to visit with my stepdaughter. I have a couple of more 2 and 3 day stays scheduled going south until I get to Westfir, Oregon on September 1. Maybe I will have to buy yet another laptop if this one crashes for good. Any files I cared about keeping on this machine are gone, so there won't be any big data loss. Some things are availible through my online e-mail sent folder, as I sent copies of my calendar to others, and have sent out photos. Right now, travelling on coastal Hwy 101, there are no Best Buy or other electronics retailers in the towns save Radio Shack.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Latest Update:
I currently have 2 accounts on the computer ( I used to have 3) - "Owner", with admin privilages, and "Bill" which I use for my everyday stuff. I never use "Owner" and I remember that account as not being populated with all of the Firefox links that I am missing from "Bill".
Well, in doing some software stuff, I HAD to go to "Owner" to have Administrator privilages to get some things done. Well guess what??? Everything that I am missing from "Bill" is still there on "Owner" - including the links, documents, pictures and music files. I can't figure it out, but now I just use the "Owner" account.
Also the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Monitor is still reporting that my disk drive is "At Risk" intermittently. I go into the application, reset the disk status to "Normal", do a hardware test, and everything tests out good. Minutes or hours later, the "Disk Drive At Risk" window pops up again.
 
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