I know this is an old issue already. But I noticed some members saying that they don't even post replies anymore because of all of the HJT posts that are on computing.net. Yes, there have definately been quite a few in the last while. I was just wondering if Justin could put up a separate tab for people with hijack this problems, eg: ;like the security and virus, general hardware,etc
That way, the people that have solutions for problems can post their ideas without running into a huge HJT report.
I wonder would that be possible?

I noticed that even when I google for results, most other sites are all HJT posts and that's not really the answer I'm looking for. I look for solutions to problems, instead of going from A-Z, I would like to get right to the point, as it saves me alot of time. What do you guys think?

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With the HJT log posting policy in place, what's the problem?.Just go to a forum without a posting policy and it's a big difference.I for one learn from these logs and i can't remember the last one that was posted that didn't need some fixing up.

HiJack This Policy

Imposed by our Webmaster & Czar Justin and strictly enforced since February 2004.

i_XpUser

It might keep all the logs in one area, so that other posters can help out people with their logical solutions (things that have actually happened to their PC's), without sorting through posts to find one they can answer. It would make life alot more simpler and it would be easier to find cures for most problems without sorting through a LENGTHY HJT post. Kind've makes sense to me

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xpuser, I am not disputing that post, I'm just suggesting a seperate place FOR HJT logs, which I think will give our OTHER good posters a chance to add input without sorting through logs.

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Would you not agree that a HJT log in most cases makes it quicker and easier to get to the root of the problems.Some malware have similiar characterics but might need a different removal tool and a HJT log makes it easier to identify this.

This is Justin's playground ... Justin where are thou?

i_XpUser

Hello,

Aren't there already forums in place specifically for HJT logs? While I do agree that HJT logs allow some problems to be quickly identified, I just think they have so much extraneous information as to render them counterproductive. For the life of me, I don't know why anyone would want to spend hours looking over a forum full of those logs.

Justin

I agree with you Justin, that was pretty well my point. I think that HJT logs are quite boring to sort through, that's why I suggested a seperate forum. It would make it much easier for people to find the actual problems in the other forums without going through long logs.
It was only a suggestion. Thanks for replying. It's just that in some cases people just close an eye to suggestions and just want to post their HJT logs, no matter what else is suggested. Alot of time common solutions are overlooked or ignored.

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Hello,

I see your point. However, I think a HJT forum would quickly become a no-man's land. People who could help would quickly stop going there, as they wouldn't want to waste their time reading gigantic logs that can be processed by simple analyzers. Lets see who else responds to this, but I would bet no one wants a HJT log forum (or the people who do have no intention of reading the logs posted there). Am I correct in assuming you would not be interested in looking at those logs?

Justin

Hi, I myself find long HJT logs quite tedious, especially when it seems to be the only solution, when there is actually an easier cleanup that would take less time. Just general PC maintenance like cleaning cookies and junk files eliminates a lot of the problems as most or should I say some malware is usually in the temp area.

But actually you said it best when you said the logs can pretty well be handled by the on-line analyzers. I've suggested that to alot that wanted to post logs, but they just overlook it and wait for someone to request their post. All is fine with me, Justin, you have an awesome forum here and I love to contribute in any way I can

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This is my 2-cents..

When the HJT log tool first came out, it intrigued me to a point where I wanted to learn all I can. In fact, I actually have done some HJT analysis myself.

However, over a course of time I came to reckon that there is no common denomination whereby we can learn to avoid the mistake made by other users. I realized that what might work for one machine may not for another.

The reason why they are unique is that the virtual DNA of each machine is different from another. Hence, I believe HJT logs are best left alone for what it is and we ought to concentrate on our safe computing, maintenance, and etcetera.

i_XpUser

It's an excellent tool for providing a quick snapshot of what might be going on in a particular machine, and I routinely run it on systems I'm familiar with.

Analyzing the logs of others is tedious, and requires no small amount of research - it's not something I'd be willing to do here on a regular basis. The automated sites are a good starting point, but their recommendations need to be taken with a grain of salt, as many false positives or needless warnings can occur there.

In order for a separate HJT forum to work, there would have to be sufficient helpers who are willing and capable of slogging through those logs. If jabuck ever gives up the ghost, I don't know who would be willing & able to take over

There are numerous sites that specialize in log analysis, and while those are often overloaded, that has always been an alternative.

Ideally, users would learn how to check their own logs - - (heh) ok, probably not a realistic hope ; )

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The automated sites are a good starting point, but their recommendations need to be taken with a grain of salt, as many false positives or needless warnings can occur there

You're absolutely correct. The automated readout is supposed to be interpreted in conjunction with expert help.

i_XpUser

As well, that German site could use a bit of an update - it tags some files as 'suspicious' if it finds their location to be other than the standard. Unfortunately, that standard is (I gather) the German spelling of common folder names - for example:

Possibly nasty! According to our database this process runs normally in c:\programmi\kaspersky lab\kaspersky anti-virus personal\! Check if you know this process and arrange a viruscheck where required.

But at least that sort of analysis would be useful to someone with moderate computer skills, who is aware of what normally runs on their system

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Re your point about running into stacks of HJT logs when googling. After the search string put:

-hijackthis

This gets shot of most of them.

DerekW

If XpUser4Real gets his wish, then i better get my "Thread Bumping" request.lol!.

... although one is (just a bit) more likely than the other, my guess would be 'neither'

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murr, are you a wannabe of Jabuck?

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I don't know him personally so i can't answer that question for you.If he has a beautiful wife/girlfriend, huge house with his own golfcourse,Ferrari in the garage and is worth "Millions", then "Yes", i wannabe "Jabuck".Do i have an interest in malware/HJT logs - "yes".Do i have "Jabuck's" knowledge and expertise in this field - "No".Would i like to have his knowledge and expertise - "Sure i would".Hope that answers your stupid question.

hmmmm MURR.....sounds like you have your priorities straight about the finer things in life as far as worldly possesions. Now as far as HJT goes, the reason I asked that is because alot of your posts mimic Jabuck's posts and then you say you are preparing someone so Jabuck can have a head start? I didn't think it was a stupid question. Computing.net is lucky to have someone like Jabuck working on HJT posts as it is so time consuming I must agree 'although' there have been a few times (that I've noticed) and after lengthy posts that all the problem was was the windows messenger that had to be disabled. That's why I'm saying, there are other ways besides HJT to solve problems. But to err is human, believe me, as I've made tons of mistakes in my life...that's for sure, and I'm not afraid to admit it.

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"Jabuck's" wording is clear and to the point and frankly, i can't say it any better so why not use it.As far as i know, he does not mind and actually encourages learning and participation.If you want, i will delay my responses until your "windows messenger" suggestion isn't the root of the problems.lol!.And for some reason XpUser4Real, you have forgotten that one of the functions of this security forum is to help people with the problems they are experiencing and most of these problems are caused my "malware".Whether you like it or not, as "jboy" put it "It's an excellent tool for providing a quick snapshot of what might be going on in a particular machine, and I routinely run it on systems I'm familiar with".And it helps and is needed more often than not.I'm just trying to help out.As for "sounds like you have your priorities straight about the finer things in life as far as worldly possesions", golfing, relaxing and enjoying life to it's fullest beats joining the rat race and working ( i've worked 7 days a week for the past 3 years ) in my book any day.lol!.

thanks for the reply murr, I do understand we are all here to help. Do yourself a favour and go through the posts in security and virus and see how many times HJT is requested. That was the reason I requested another forum for HJT. It was just a suggestion.
That's nice of you to wait untill they try disabling the messenger service, but unfortunately, disabling was only mentioned 3/4's of the way through the posts, as HJT was not helping at that point.

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If you don't acknowledge the source of quoted material then it is seen as plagiarism - at the very least, an indication of a failure of the imagination

Personally, I like to say things in my own words, unless quoting reference material or technical documents - - ymmv

While HJT! isn't necessarily the answer to every problem posted, it can reveal malware that the user isn't even aware of - I'm more surprised when I encounter systems that aren't infected with something

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Straying off the point rather, I do think that once a system has been pronounced clean by a helper using HJT, the poster should be advised to put all entries on the HJT Ignore List. I have added this point once or twice.

This would put the OP in the postion where HJT would only show additions if it was run again. The poster might then be able to deduce whether to fix or ignore any single new entry, or seek advice about just that one.

Mostly it would say "no suspicious items".

DerekW

As to what 'jboy' just said, i check in on another forum a few times a day where there is no posting policy and lots of "Am I Clean".A ton of logs compared to here.The funny thing is recently someone posted their log saying they had too many programs on their computer and wanted to know which ones were unnecessary.You talk about an 'infected log' and he didn't even know it and that wasn't the reason he was posting it.As for your suggestion XpUser4Real, if it was possible to do without loosing it's effectiveness and still help in a way that we do now, i wouldn't have a problem with it.Don't know if it's possible though.I would definitely be against banning all logs.Forums that have done that spend most of their response telling them where to go to post a log.

IMHO, this thread is at best a ludicrous attempt to pacify "rule breakers". The argument for a separate HJT forum clearly has no leg to stand on.

As a matter of fact, HJT logs are no longer a computing problem on CN, I see majority of them; which quite ironically happens to be the unrequested eye fatiguing ones as plain nuiscance and nothing more.

Justin should not reward folks that chose not to follow the rules with a new forum, and as he hinted, hardly is anyone interested in looking at those logs and the few that do will most likely get swamped and easily overwhelmed.

The rule is simple, clear and to the point, DON'T post a HJT log unless a specific helper request you do it and if you see one that wasn't solicited don't respond to it.

Justin should take a trip to Staples for an 'Easy Button' to vaporize those things on sight.....;-)

Computer Components

Sabertooth, thanks for your opinion. Maybe click on the security and virus forum and compare the hijack logs to other regular solutions. Don't you find it a little overwhelming? My origional post says that some posters don't even respond to alot of posts because of the overabundance of HJT files. That was my point....not to glorify the people that insist on posting a HJT log without trying ovious preparedness before posting and ignoring the rules of the forum...I think the rules could still stand on postingHJT logs, and if they were in a seperate forum, straight forward solutions instead of lengthy logs would encourage more people to input their actual solutions that have worked for them instead of leafing through a forum looking for a solution.
I guess what I'm getting at, is that if the whole forum consisted of JUST the OS links, you would never find a solution in short time. That's the reason for the specialty forums, to make it easier to find solutions. Justin has done a great
job on computing.net and it is alot easier to navigate than any other forum I've seen on the web, and that is probably why there are so many members. Once again, mine was only a suggestion and nothing more.

Hopefully my advice will help you...Please post back with your results....thanks

There are forums specializing in log analysis, for those that are unhappy with the policy here - I think I even recall one that had a subsection for (theoretically) 'clean' logs

As far as posters wanting to determine good from bad, necessary from unecessary - we usually point them to pac's portal, sysinfo, etc., as those determinations are best made by the individual user - - plus, it's their machine, it's not too much to ask them to do their own 'grunt work' (and highly educational)

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