5 replies to this topic

[1excop36]

Hello;

With increasing frequency over the last couple of months, the time it takes for Windows XP SP2 to load has steadily been increasing. I have done everything to par down what I feel safe in eliminating from the Startup menu (using Autoruns and researching each item before removing it from the startup. However, over the past few days, I was unable to get Windows to completely load. In checking, using a program call Process Explorer, I noted that before my internet/network connection finally showed itself, CPU usage was 100%. I also frequently have programs stop responding when starting them up as well and again I find CPU usage at 100%. I even went so far as to unload AVG Free 8.0 and ThreatFire but still when windows tried to load CPU usage would jump to 100% just before the internet connect was made which took a very long time as compared to the past. There also seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what causes the CPU load to suddenly clear. Obviously one situation involves one of the WinLogon elements but as to the random jumps in CPU usage, I haven't a clue.

So far, all AVG scans have been negative as was an online Kaspersky scan.

One other piece of information, several weeks ago, after the problem had already started, I apparently downloaded a Beta release of SP3 which brought about the BSoD. By going to Microsoft's Support Forum, I found it was a common problem due to 1 corrupt file. Once I was up and running, I reset the system to the restore point I set just prior to installing the buggy SP3. Doing so, eliminated all traces of it but still left with the CPU problem. I have yet attempted another install of SP3 until I get this situation worked out.

Hopefully this background will be helpful. Here is my HJT log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 8:25:11 PM, on 5/17/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16640)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\MOUSES~1.2\wh_exec.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\devldr32.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\tcpsvcs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgrsx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe
C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFTray.exe
C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFService.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.comcast.n...lbar2.0/search/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://my.myway.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://my.myway.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft....k/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft....k/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://my.myway.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Windows Internet Explorer provided by Comcast
O2 - BHO: (no name) - AutorunsDisabled - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {465E08E7-F005-4389-980F-1D8764B3486C} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: WOT Helper - {C920E44A-7F78-4E64-BDD7-A57026E7FEB7} - C:\Program Files\WOT\WOT.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AccuWeather.com Toolbar - {b0fdbb8e-5c2c-41ed-a18c-228f9b2f598c} - mscoree.dll (file missing)
O3 - Toolbar: WOT - {71576546-354D-41c9-AAE8-31F2EC22BF0D} - C:\Program Files\WOT\WOT.dll
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DiskeeperSystray] "C:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper\DkIcon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WheelMouse] C:\MOUSES~1.2\wh_exec.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] "RUNDLL32.EXE" C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ThreatFire] C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFTray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: AutorunsDisabled
O4 - Global Startup: Snsicon.lnk = C:\Program Files\Second Nature\Snsicon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Windows &Live Favorites - http://favorites.liv...m/quickadd.aspx
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: MasterCook: Select Image - C:\Program Files\MasterCook 9\Web\MCIEContext.hta
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Services - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: MasterCook Web Import Bar - {E6EF5071-7647-4E85-9785-87B6CF5CB561} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\shdocvw.dll
O16 - DPF: {0A5FD7C5-A45C-49FC-ADB5-9952547D5715} (Creative Software AutoUpdate) - http://www.creative....030/CTSUEng.cab
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) - http://www.pcpitstop...p/PCPitStop.CAB
O16 - DPF: {0EB0E74A-2A76-4AB3-A7FB-9BD8C29F7F75} (CKAVWebScan Object) - http://www.kaspersky...can_unicode.cab
O16 - DPF: {25365FF3-2746-4230-9DA7-163CCA318309} (Automatic Driver Installation Control) - http://inst.c-wss.co...ll/gtdownlr.cab
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.m...ash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {F6ACF75C-C32C-447B-9BEF-46B766368D29} (Creative Software AutoUpdate Support Package) - http://www.creative....15030/CTPID.cab
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O18 - Protocol: wot - {C2A44D6B-CB9F-4663-88A6-DF2F26E4D952} - C:\Program Files\WOT\WOT.dll
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: avgrsstx.dll
O23 - Service: AVG8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Diskeeper - Diskeeper Corporation - C:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: ThreatFire - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFService.exe

--
End of file - 6823 bytes

I very much appreciate any help, especially if nothing significant shows up in the HJT log.

[little eagle]

Run - ATF Cleaner instructions here.

----------------


Then download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop.

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* 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 FULL SCAN, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please save it to a convenient location. The log can also be opened by going to Start > All Programs > Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware > Logs > log-date.txt

[1excop36]

I apologize for not responding back to you sooner. In the intervening time from when I posted my problem until today, I suddenly lost all my icons and task bar. I researched the situation on Microsoft's tech forum. They sent me a Hot fix that was supposed to have solved the situation. Well, now I've have icons and a task bar that flashes off and on, even in the safe mode. The icons and start bar do not stay visible long enough to run any programs or utilities including system restore. Given all the snafus since I attempted an install of what turned out to be the last Beta release of SP3, I've backed up all my important data file and am going to do a reformat of the HD and start fresh. That is unless you have a a solution to this new Icon situation. However, while I know this is a new problem, I'll address it in my response and you can decide if a I need to start a new topic. My Inspiron 8100 has developed the same CPU usage situation as my Dimension had. I'm going to follow your suggestions regarding ATF and Anti-Maleware to see if that helps. If not, rather than waste your time or start a whole new thread, I'll probably do a reformat on it after I've finished finished on the Dimension. Thank you very much for your response and any future assistance. Gerry

[little eagle]

Well we can keep this thread open. If you need to post a log from another PC that is fine with me. Glad to help post back if you would like some help.

[1excop36]

I won't take up anymore of your time. My laptop is running with a 1GHz PIII and 512 SDRAM, so it's probably peddling as fast as it can. AVG, SpySweeper, Anti-Malware, Windows Defender and ThreatFire have all turned up nothing other than some spy-cookies, which I suppose is good. I also use CCleaner. So it will do untill I get the time to reinstall Windows on my Dimension. Again thanks for your assistance. Gerry

[little eagle]

Since this issue appears to be resolved ... this Topic has been closed. Glad we could be of assistance. If you're the topic starter, and need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member with the address of the thread. Everyone else please begin a New Topic.