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Mysterious Reappearing Pop-up Adware

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Hello All;

I recently inherited my daughter's Inspiron 8100 which was given up for dead after the HD failed (perhaps due in part to the fact that for reasons unknown :scratch: , she just relied on AOL's security stuff and never ran any of the spyware programs I installed), the battery hold a 10 minute charge and the DVD/CD Rom is expiring as is the floppy. Obviously, she was a biy careless with this machine. I've managed to hit some great bargains on eBay and am slowly repairing and upgrading as far as I can afford to go.

The system currently consists of PIII 1.0 GHz. 256 MB SDRAM, 60 GB HD, a malfunctioning Linksys WPC54G PCMCIA Wi-Fi adapter (still under warranty and a whole other frustration :rant2: ) and the other mentioned drives.

Obviously, I started with a nice clean install of Windows XP and all the updates. I've been adding most of the software I'll probably use, which is fairly minimal and sorting through what I don't want or have tried and don't like. I had been using a combination of Ad-Aware SE, Spyware Blaster, Spybot and Norton AV. Today, I uninstalled Spyware Blaster and Spybot and installed Spy Sweeper and Windows Defender (I'm only using the real time modes from Spy Sweeper and Norton AV).

Today, the computer seemed to graduallly get slower and slower. I also started get a small pop-up ad in both FireFox and IE. It was titled Advertisement-NSIS Media. Most time it failed to open completely and when it did, it was some schlock for Publisher's Clearing House. I've run all three spyware programs at least twice. Spy Sweeper keeps finding a set of files all related to variations of "whenu save now" despite having had it either quarantined or deleted several times. My suspicion is that the pop-up is related to these file. I've also cleaned out all the cookies that I don't need or didn't recognize but that;s just a SWAG.

With that background here is my HijackThis Log and my thanks for any assistance in sorting through this:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 4:44:08 AM, on 7/9/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

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\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\IWP\NPFMntor.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~1\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~1\SPEEDD~1\NOPDB.EXE
C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\WRSSSDK.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
C:\Program Files\Startup Mechanic\StartupMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\SpySweeper.exe
C:\Program Files\CursorXP\CursorXP.exe
C:\Program Files\YourWare Solutions\FreeRAM XP Pro\FreeRAM XP Pro.exe
C:\Program Files\Second Nature\Snsicon.exe
C:\Program Files\Ztec\Random\RES.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\HiJackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://my.myway.com/index.jsp?speedbarconfigchanged
O2 - BHO: EarthLink BHO Guard - {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002} - C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\EScamBlk.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: EarthLink ScamBlocker V3 - {15F4D456-5BAA-4076-8486-EECB38CD3E57} - C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\EScamBlk.dll
O2 - BHO: EarthLink PopUp Blocker V2 - {512ACF1B-64D9-4928-B382-A80556F28DB4} - C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\ElnkPuB.dll
O2 - BHO: Earthlink Protection BHO - {9579D574-D4D8-4335-9560-FE8641A013BD} - C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\ProtctIE.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: Uninstall Legacy Earthlink Toolbar - {E713904C-DF05-4C79-BBAD-02DB923253BE} - C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\uninsttb.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: EarthLink Toolbar - {C7768536-96F8-4001-B1A2-90EE21279187} - C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\Toolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Startup Manager Scanner] C:\Program Files\Startup Mechanic\StartupMonitor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BootSkin Startup Jobs] "C:\PROGRA~1\Stardock\WINCUS~1\BootSkin\BootSkin.exe" /StartupJobs
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe /Consumer
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpySweeper] "C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\SpySweeper.exe" /startintray
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CursorXP] C:\Program Files\CursorXP\CursorXP.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [FreeRAM XP] "C:\Program Files\YourWare Solutions\FreeRAM XP Pro\FreeRAM XP Pro.exe" -win
O4 - Startup: Random Event Sounds.lnk = C:\Program Files\Ztec\Random\RES.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Snsicon.lnk = C:\Program Files\Second Nature\Snsicon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Translate English Word - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmwordtrans.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: EarthLink Google Search - res://C:\Program Files\EarthLink\Toolbar\SearchUI.dll/search.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/…b?1151715571265
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdat…b?1151715803168
O16 - DPF: {A93D84FD-641F-43AE-B963-E6FA84BE7FE7} (LinkSys Content Update) - http://www.linksysfix.com/netcheck/53/install/gtdownls.cab
O16 - DPF: {DBA230D1-8467-4e69-987E-5FAE815A3B45} -
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WRNotifier - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WRLogonNTF.dll
O23 - Service: Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Firewall Monitor Service (NPFMntor) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\IWP\NPFMntor.exe
O23 - Service: Norton Unerase Protection (NProtectService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~1\NPROTECT.EXE
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Driver Helper Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: O&O Defrag 2000 (OOD2000) - O&O Software GmbH - C:\WINDOWS\system32\OOD2000.exe
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec SPBBCSvc (SPBBCSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Speed Disk service - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~1\SPEEDD~1\NOPDB.EXE
O23 - Service: Webroot Spy Sweeper Engine (svcWRSSSDK) - Webroot Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\WRSSSDK.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
You may find this thread helpful:

Click Me

Towards the bottom of the thread, there is an "uninstall" program you might have present that you can run.

If present, the uninstall program would be here:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\NSIS\uninst.exe <– uninstall program

Look for it. If found run it.

:)
Wow, I wish all such problems were as easy to resolve :D . BTW, did you notice anything in my Hijack This log that needs attention? I am experiementing with a couple of little programs such as one for managing sound events but if they pose a problem then it's TTFN. Also, is there anyway for you to tell if anything stands out as a real resource hog that absolutely doesn't have to be running? Whether the NSIS was the cause, things are running a mite sluggish at times. I'm planning on a memory upgrade to the max 512MB limit for this machine, but I've spent enough on computers for this month, so it will have to wait.

I do use what I think is a nifty little Freeware program called Startup Manager. For those who have not heard of this program, it has an easy to use interface that tells you which startup programs are necessary, which are useless and which are harmfull. It tells a bit about each program to help you decide if you want to disable it. It's also real easy to re-enable anything you've shut down. Startup Manager

Again, I very much appreciate your help in resolving the NSIS issue and if you spot any other prolems, I very much appreciate the assistance

Gerry
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe

"Turn off" this way:

(1) Open PictureIt!.
(2) Open a picture.
(3) Choose the Tools \ Options menu option.
(4) Clear the "Check for updates online" option.
(5) Close PictureIt!.
(6) Reboot your PC.

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CursorXP] C:\Program Files\CursorXP\CursorXP.exe

Click me

Not sure how to "turn off"? If all else fails, "fix" with HijackThis!, then reboot, or use your "Startup manager" to disable.

Thank you for choosing TomCoyote for your malware removal solutions.

M68 :)

Securing Your PC After An Attack
Thanks for the advice. I kinda liked Cursor XP but always suspected it was a resource hog. I'm sure I can find something that will allow me a little whimsy with my mouse cursors.
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