computer freezes using firefox

hi, when i use firefox for browsing internet, after like a min, the computer seems to be repeating loading/processing sth. i ctrl_alt_del and load task manager and see the computer is running SVCHOST.EXE and WUAUCLT.EXE , both under SYSTEM i also see there is a total of 7 SVCHOST.EXE and 2 WUAUCLT.EXE(later reduced to only one under ADMINISTRATOR) Is it likely that my computer is infected somehow? when i use IE instead of firefox now, it seems the problem doesn't appear. is there anyway to check whether it is normal? thanks

Try uninstalling fireFox and download a new copy.

Try uninstalling fireFox and download a new copy.

reinstalled using new copy
problem NOT solved

DO NOT use any TOOLS such as Combofix or HijackThis fixes without supervision.

Doing so could make your pc inoperatible and could require a full reinstall of your OS, losing all your programs and data.

Vista and Windows 7 users:
1. These tools MUST be run from the executable. (.exe) every time you run them
2. With Admin Rights (Right click, choose "Run as Administrator")

Stay with this topic until I give you the all clean post.

You might want to print these instructions out.

I suggest you do this:

XP Users

Double-click My Computer.
Click the Tools menu, and then click Folder Options.
Click the View tab.
Uncheck "Hide file extensions for known file types."
Under the "Hidden files" folder, select "Show hidden files and folders."
Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files."
Click Apply, and then click OK.


Vista Users

To enable the viewing of hidden and protected system files in Windows Vista please follow these steps:

Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
Click on the Start button. This is the small round button with the Windows flag in the lower left corner.

Click on the Control Panel menu option.
When the control panel opens you can either be in Classic View or Control Panel Home view:

If you are in the Classic View do the following:
Double-click on the Folder Options icon.
Click on the View tab.


If you are in the Control Panel Home view do the following:

Click on the Appearance and Personalization link.
Click on Show Hidden Files or Folders.
Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.
Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.



Please do not delete anything unless instructed to.



Next:

Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune.
Download - ATF Cleaner»
Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.

If you use Firefox browser

Click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
If you use Opera browserClick Opera at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.


It's normal after running ATF cleaner that the PC will be slower to boot the first time or two.

Next:

Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop.

• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
• If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Perform quick scan, then click Scan.
  [external image: Posted Image]
• When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
• [external image: Posted Image]
• Then click Remove Selected .
• When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please save it to a convenient location and post the results.
• Note: If you receive a notice that some of the items couldn't be removed, that they have been added to the delete on reboot list, please reboot.

Also please describe how your computer behaves at the moment.


Please don't attach the scans / logs, use "copy/paste".

Thanks for the help! i downloaded the first ATF cleaner. cleaned main and firefox. then i download malware scanner, tried to install, error prompt appears in middle, but installation still completed. and required a reboot when i reboot, the computer is slow on start up, i used task manager to check, the svhost and wuauclt is running, but they are show in no capitalized letter, as all the applications in task manager are, but they were in CAPS before i found out i had installed it before(?). therefore i uninstalled it and reinstalled it again, ATF cleaner again then i installed the malware sacnner again and scanned TROUBLES: 1) during scan, error prompt " EBAM_ERROR_ADD_TO_RESULTS(0,6) appears , and at the same time the file infected count becomes 1. I click OK(?) and the scan continued. After a few sec, the file under scan is sth like HKEY_USERS\…….. 2) windows application error appears when scanning c:\\windows\system32\appm………. then the malware sacnner freezes and windows prompt me to close it. I closed it. Windows also promt drwtsn32.exe also errored and need to be closed. I also closed it. should i try to redownload and reinstall the malware cleaner for another scan?

Restart your computer in Safe Mode and run MBAM (malware scanner) Press F8 after the Power-On Self Test (POST) is done. If the Windows Advanced Options Menu does not appear, try restarting and then pressing F8 several times after the POST screen. Choose the Safe Mode option from the Windows Advanced Options Menu then press Enter. This can take several miniutes to load.

Restart your computer in Safe Mode and run MBAM (malware scanner)

Press F8 after the Power-On Self Test (POST) is done. If the Windows Advanced Options Menu does not appear, try restarting and then pressing F8 several times after the POST screen.
Choose the Safe Mode option from the Windows Advanced Options Menu then press Enter.
This can take several miniutes to load.

thanks for your quick reply

for some odd reason , i cannot go to the SAFE MODE since last time my system is infected , it said i have some .sys missing or sth and the screen blacks out saying my display Hz is wrong or sth and i need to switch off manually and switch on again

i pressed F8 and choose "adopt system setting that works well in the last time" for my sucessful loading into windows and i think the windows do this everytime since then when i reboot

is there anything else i can do?

You can use windows sfc (system file checker) You'd need your XP CD to make this work.
Click Start> Run> type sfc /scannow Note the space.
(Note that there is a space between sfc and /scannow)

You can use windows sfc (system file checker) You'd need your XP CD to make this work.
Click Start> Run> type sfc /scannow Note the space.
(Note that there is a space between sfc and /scannow)

sorry to say
i can't seem to be able to find the CD ( the computer is 6 years old)
any alternative please?

Run a Kaspersky Online Scan:
Please perform a Kaspersky Online Scan of your computer by clicking here.
You will be taken to a web page. It will look like this:
[external image: Posted Image]

• Click on the Accept button and install any components it needs.
• The program will install and then begin downloading the latest definition files.
• After the files have been downloaded on the left side of the page in the Scan section select My Computer.
• This will start the program and scan your system.
• The scan will take a while, so be patient and let it run (at times it may appear to stall).
• Once the update is complete, click on My Computer under the green Scan bar to the left to start the scan.
• Once the scan is complete, it will display if your system has been infected. It does not provide an option to clean/disinfect. We only require a report from it.
• Do NOT be alarmed by what you see in the report. Many of the finds have likely been quarantined.

• Once the scan is complete, click on View scan report. To obtain the report:
• Click on: Save Report As
• Next, in the Save as prompt, Save in area, select: Desktop
• In the File name area, use KScan, or something similar In Save as type, click the drop arrow and select:Text file [*.txt]
• Then, click: Save
• Please post the Kaspersky Online Scanner Report in your reply.
• If you need help performing the above steps, an animated tutorial can be found here.

In your next reply please include:

• The Kaspersky log.

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