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Windows Installer Pop-Up Insistant on Start-Up

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Post #1
Hi On start-up or reboot upon opening Firefox or IE, I get a Windows Installer popup. The first box says it is 'Preparing to Install", then 'Please Wait for Windows to Configure Scan". Then I get 'The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk that is not available. Insert the "Scan" disk and click O'. There is a little box titled 'Use Source' with the Number 1 in it. There are also 3 buttons OK, CANCEL and BROWSE. Browse does nothing. OK does nothing. So I have to Cancel. Then a box appears; 'Scan 1706: No Valid source could be found for product scan. The Windows Installer could not continue. So I click OK. Then the other box comes up and it starts to scan and I have to click CANCEL many times for it to disappear so I can search the browser. I have had this problem for months. A friend temporarily fixed it but it has been terrible for ages agin. Si I have the popup boxes problem and I cannot update Windows. I dont have a disk either. Thankyou Belinda
Post #2
Hi Belinda. Let's try to capture a boot time startup list.

Download and run HijackThis 2.0.2 from Trend Micro. Ver 2.0.2 is on the right side. Click on the Executable link to download it, that way there is no need to install anything.

Launch HijackThis by double clicking on HijackThis.exe.
Click on Open The Misc Tools Section (4th button down).
Click on Generate StartupList Log. Don't check any other boxes.

Post results in a reply here when they are displayed in Notepad.

Leave HJT installed until we're done here then you can uninstall it if you like.
Post #3
Thankyou very much…Belinda


StartupList report, 1/03/2010, 12:00:48 PM
StartupList version: 1.52.2
Started from : C:\Documents and Settings\Michael & Dragana\My Documents\Downloads\HijackThis.EXE
Detected: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
Detected: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
* Using default options
==================================================

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\sched.exe
C:\Program Files\AGI\core\4.2.0.10752\AGCoreService.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avguard.exe
C:\Program Files\IVT Corporation\BlueSoleil\BTNtService.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\iaantmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\McAfee\SiteAdvisor\McSACore.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
C:\Program Files\SRS Labs\WOWXT and TSXT Driver\SRS_PostInstaller.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\LG Software\On Screen Display\HotKey.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LVCOMSX.EXE
C:\Program Files\LG Software\IP Operator\IP Operator.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avgnt.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\ACD Systems\EN\DevDetect.exe
C:\Program Files\BillP Studios\WinPatrol\winpatrol.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Webshots\Webshots.scr
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Michael & Dragana\My Documents\Downloads\HijackThis.exe

————————————————–

Listing of startup folders:

Shell folders Startup:
[C:\Documents and Settings\Michael & Dragana\Start Menu\Programs\Startup]
Webshots.lnk = C:\Program Files\Webshots\3.1.5.7617\Launcher.exe

————————————————–

Checking Windows NT UserInit:

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
UserInit = C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,

————————————————–

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

igfxhkcmd = C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
High Definition Audio Property Page Shortcut = HDAShCut.exe
BluetoothAuthenticationAgent = rundll32.exe bthprops.cpl,,BluetoothAuthenticationAgent
ATICCC = "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe" runtime -Delay
KeybdUtility = "C:\Program Files\LG Software\On Screen Display\HotKey.exe"
LVCOMSX = C:\WINDOWS\system32\LVCOMSX.EXE
IPO3 = "C:\Program Files\LG Software\IP Operator\IP Operator.exe" -aUtOsTaRtFrOmReG
igfxtray = C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
igfxpers = C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
AGRSMMSG = AGRSMMSG.exe
SSBkgdUpdate = "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Scansoft Shared\SSBkgdUpdate\SSBkgdupdate.exe" -Embedding -boot
CanonSolutionMenu = C:\Program Files\Canon\SolutionMenu\CNSLMAIN.exe /logon
GrooveMonitor = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe"
avgnt = "C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avgnt.exe" /min
SunJavaUpdateSched = "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
Device Detector = DevDetect.exe -autorun
WinPatrol = C:\Program Files\BillP Studios\WinPatrol\winpatrol.exe -expressboot
QuickTime Task = "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
Adobe Reader Speed Launcher = "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
Adobe ARM = "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"

————————————————–

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

ctfmon.exe = C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

————————————————–

Autorun entries in Registry subkeys of:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

[OptionalComponents]
=

————————————————–

Shell & screensaver key from C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI:

Shell=*INI section not found*
SCRNSAVE.EXE=*INI section not found*
drivers=*INI section not found*

Shell & screensaver key from Registry:

Shell=Explorer.exe
SCRNSAVE.EXE=C:\PROGRA~1\Webshots\Webshots.scr
drivers=*Registry value not found*

Policies Shell key:

HKCU\..\Policies: Shell=*Registry value not found*
HKLM\..\Policies: Shell=*Registry value not found*

————————————————–


Enumerating Browser Helper Objects:

(no name) - mscoree.dll (file missing) - {0bc6e3fa-78ef-4886-842c-5a1258c4455a}
AcroIEHelperStub - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3}
WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - (no file) - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0}
(no name) - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveShellExtensions.dll - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E}
(no name) - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll - {B164E929-A1B6-4A06-B104-2CD0E90A88FF}
(no name) - C:\Program Files\GooglePreviewIE Toolbar\v3.3.0.2\GooglePreviewIE_Toolbar.dll - {D476B977-AF6C-481A-8472-2ABAB5E89F20}
(no name) - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9}
JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C}

————————————————–

Enumerating Task Scheduler jobs:

Ad-Aware Update (Daily 1).job
Ad-Aware Update (Daily 2).job
Ad-Aware Update (Daily 3).job
Ad-Aware Update (Daily 4).job
Ad-Aware Update (Weekly).job
MP Scheduled Scan.job
OGALogon.job
RegCure Program Check.job
RegCure Startup.job
RegCure.job
WGASetup.job

————————————————–

Enumerating Download Program Files:

[F-Secure Online Scanner 3.1]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\CONFLICT.1\fscax.dll
CODEBASE = http://support.f-secure.com/ols/fscax.cab

[Facebook Photo Uploader 5]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\ImageUploader5.ocx
CODEBASE = http://upload.facebook.com/controls/Facebo…toUploader5.cab

[PCPitstop Utility]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\PCPitstop.dll
CODEBASE = http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB

[ewidoOnlineScan Control]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\EWIDOO~1.DLL
CODEBASE = http://downloads.ewido.net/ewidoOnlineScan.cab

[Webshots Multiple Media Uploader - Container]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\WSAXCO~1.OCX
CODEBASE = http://community.webshots.com/html/atx/wsaxcontrol.cab

[Installation Support]
InProcServer32 = C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
CODEBASE = C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll

[OnlineScanner Control]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\ONLINE~1.OCX
CODEBASE = http://www.eset.eu/buxus/docs/OnlineScanner.cab

[MUWebControl Class]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\muweb.dll
CODEBASE = http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdat…b?1170378893609

[{8FFBE65D-2C9C-4669-84BD-5829DC0B603C}]
CODEBASE = http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flash…r/ultrashim.cab

[ActiveScan Installer Class]
CODEBASE = http://acs.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5free/asinst.cab

[F-Secure Online Scanner 3.0]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\fscax.dll
CODEBASE = http://support.f-secure.com/ols/fscax.cab

[Shockwave Flash Object]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash10c.ocx
CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwa…ash/swflash.cab

[PCPitstop Exam]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\pcpitstop2.dll
CODEBASE = http://utilities.pcpitstop.com/Optimize3/pcpitstop2.dll

————————————————–

Enumerating Winsock LSP files:

NameSpace #5: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wshbth.dll

————————————————–

Enumerating Windows NT logon/logoff scripts:
*No scripts set to run*

Windows NT checkdisk command:
BootExecute = autocheck autochk *

Windows NT 'Wininit.ini':
PendingFileRenameOperations: C:\Program Files\McAfee\SiteAdvisor\Download\so8


————————————————–

Enumerating ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad items:

PostBootReminder: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
CDBurn: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
WebCheck: C:\WINDOWS\system32\webcheck.dll
SysTray: C:\WINDOWS\system32\stobject.dll
WPDShServiceObj: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WPDShServiceObj.dll

————————————————–
End of report, 10,030 bytes
Report generated in 0.328 seconds

Command line options:
/verbose - to add additional info on each section
/complete - to include empty sections and unsuspicious data
/full - to include several rarely-important sections
/force9x - to include Win9x-only startups even if running on WinNT
/forcent - to include WinNT-only startups even if running on Win9x
/forceall - to include all Win9x and WinNT startups, regardless of platform
/history - to list version history only
Post #4
First thing I noticed is you have to many AV/Anti-spyware programs running concurrently:

C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWService.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\sched.exe
C:\Program Files\AGI\core\4.2.0.10752\AGCoreService.exe (Online Armour)

Might be good to stop some of them from auto starting at boot time. We'll address that in a minute.

There are quite a few programs auto starting that I don't recognize or are not necessary:

igfxhkcmd = C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe (Intel key intercept - not needed)
High Definition Audio Property Page Shortcut = HDAShCut.exe (not needed)
LVCOMSX = C:\WINDOWS\system32\LVCOMSX.EXE (Logitech Webcam - not needed)
IPO3 = "C:\Program Files\LG Software\IP Operator\IP Operator.exe" -aUtOsTaRtFrOmReG (not sure about this one)
igfxtray = C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe (Intel key intercept - not needed)
igfxpers = C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe (Intel key intercept - not needed)
AGRSMMSG = AGRSMMSG.exe (Softmodem assistant - not normally needed)
SSBkgdUpdate = "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Scansoft Shared\SSBkgdUpdate\SSBkgdupdate.exe" -Embedding -boot (not needed)
CanonSolutionMenu = C:\Program Files\Canon\SolutionMenu\CNSLMAIN.exe /logon (not needed)
GrooveMonitor = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe" (not needed)
Device Detector = DevDetect.exe -autorun (ACD See software - not sure)
QuickTime Task = "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime (not needed)
Adobe Reader Speed Launcher = "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe" (not needed)
Adobe ARM = "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe" (not needed)

What I would recommend is to use msconfig to disable auto start items and see which one is causing your problem as follows:

How does it behave if you boot to Safe Mode with Networking? If better then something is starting at boot that is causing the problem.

Use msconfig to determine what is causing the problem.

These are good tutorials on using msconfig in XP or Vista:
How to use msconfig in Windows XP
How to use msconfig in Windows Vista

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Startup tab, record what is currently starting then click the Disable All button.
Reboot and see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable several items at a time till you find the culprit.

If no, boot to Safe Mode again, start msconfig and click on the Services tab.
Check the Hide All Microsoft Services box, record what is currently starting then click the Disable All button.
Again, do a regular boot, see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable services till you find the culprit.

Once you've found the culprit, uninstall it or find out how to eliminate it from your system.
Simply disabling it in msconfig is a temporary fix at best.
Enable everything else you disabled.
Post #5
Hi there Of all those programs you listed as 'not needed', I am happy to uninstall them. The last thing I want is rubbish clogging up my computer or causing problems. If you feel they are useless, I will delete them. I suppose the question is, would you? Of the Anti Spyware Programs, should a couple be deleted or just disabled from auto starting? Thankyou Belinda
Post #6
I would just disable them from auto starting. Go through the procedure I gave you and see if you can identify the one causing the Windows Installer popup. Fix that first. Once that's done, then look at disabling the others from auto starting. That way, if you run into problems at a later date, it's easy to go back into msconfig and start the one you need again.
Post #7
Hi there I have eliminated most programs from starting up… what I have left running is hotkey, IP Operator, avgnt and Winpatrol. The popup was absent when I disabled Webshots. Why would that cause a problem on my computer? My daughter's comp has no problems with Webshots…is it conflicting with something? Thankyou Belinda
Post #8
Hard to say why. All I can suggest is that it got corrupted somehow. If you use it, uninstall it from Add/Remove Programs then reinstall it, see what happens.
Post #9
Ok thankyou, I will do that…can we please address these now: you mentioned a couple should go. C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWService.exe C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\sched.exe C:\Program Files\AGI\core\4.2.0.10752\AGCoreService.exe (Online Armour) Belinda :)
Post #10
Can be disabled.

C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWService.exe
C:\Program Files\AGI\core\4.2.0.10752\AGCoreService.exe


You can start them via Start / All Programs if needed.

Leave C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\sched.exe, that's your scheduled hard drive scan with Avira AV.

C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe - up to you. Most people end up disabling it.

Info here: windows defender - Google search
Post #14
Hi there It is all done now and loads a lot faster…the Windows Installer pop-up has not appeared for a day now so I can assumed we have fixed it. Thankyou so much. Cheers Belinda

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