Unsolved
6 Posts
0
2006
Support Assist malware - virus
Hey, I saw another user report getting a black screen graphic when running support assist.
The same thing has happened to me. Today I got a blue screen error - the second in the last few days - so after rebooting (and reinstalling Support Assist - I had removed it recently because I got the same graphic followed by moving spaceships all over my screen last time I tried to use it) and reinstalled Dell Support assist. Tried running it again. Same deal - graphic like a rusty broken pipe on black screen with fading away green in the middle - see attached pic I took. Did someone ever explain and offer a solution? I’m scared to turn my computer on again. I have an XPS 13 9370, a little over 2 years old running W10, Thanks in advance.
lmacri
3 Apprentice
3 Apprentice
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1.2K Posts
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November 8th, 2020 06:00
Hi jlmitchum:
I've never seen that graphic when I run a hardware scan with Dell SupportAssist, but this looks like the image shown in the 22-Dec-2014 thread Online Dell Diagnostics. According to that old thread, that graphic is shown when SupportAssist is either running a 3D video screen quality test or a video streaming test (hence the "pipe" image), which can sometimes take several minutes to run to completion.
When you check the DSA version on your XPS 13 9370 [Settings (gear icon) | About SupportAssist] does it say "You are using running the latest version of SupportAssist"? I currently have the latest DSA v3.7.0.148 on my Inspiron 5584.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v1909 build 18363.1139 * Firefox 82.0.2 * Windows Defender v4.18.2010.7 * Malwarebytes Free v4.2.3.96
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U@1.60/1.80 GHz, 8 GB RAM, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620
jlmitcham
6 Posts
0
November 8th, 2020 19:00
Hi lmacri,
Wow, that image in the 2014 thread is exactly it. If this is a regular thing, like the community member Rick who answered in that solution, why is it such a rare thing that so many Dell users haven't heard of? Rick is right that if you let it keep going then it turns into flying spaceship images. That's when I thought for sure I had been hacked. Plus, I've read about security issues with DSA. I just wish it was somehow explained so that when you are running troubleshooting - which you are typically doing because you've had an issue, in my case a BSE - you don't panic when such weird stuff starts happening. I spent a long time trying to find any mention of this happening as a regular part of DSA troubleshooting function - nada. Kudos to you for finding that one other thread - thank you!!
I reinstalled and checked my DSA version and I'm running 3.7.0.148 which it says is the latest version. Makes sense since I uninstalled then reinstalled then uninstalled just yesterday. Thanks again. I'll be brave and try running DSA troubleshooting again. Would really be great if there was a manual somewhere that walks you through what to expect though. Thanks!
BrustyBlogger
2 Posts
0
January 22nd, 2021 19:00
Hello, My friend also had this happen. Let me start at the beginning. We wanted to play a video game but then their laptop kept shutting off unexpectedly. We tried a couple of different things with no luck. And then I decided they go DELL.COM, to fix the issue. They found a diagnostic tool which they ran to try to fix the problem. They ran the program and the scariest rusty plumbing things I've ever laid eyes on appeared. A green goo seeped from the plumbing things and ran up and down between them like it was loading but it wasn't. This went on for several minutes in which we gasped in horror. We both started to freak out and we thought it was over but then the spaceships came. It was straight out of a retro-style spaceship game with gray spaceships and flashing lights. My friend was convinced they got hacked so quickly turned off their laptop to escape the hacker. DELL needs to warn people of this sci-fi horror show. I hated everything about the experience and we never ended up playing the game.