Strange system problems on several systems.

[elkinm]

Lately I have been having strange slowdowns and other symptoms.

Today I am looking for system components and opened maybe 10-15 IE windows for different products. Usually that is not a problem but lately new or old windows become unresponsive and maybe my toolbars become rearranged. Sometimes a blanc window comes up that I cannot kill as it say it stopped responding and if I want to kill it but it never dies. Or even better when I try to kill it from task manager it gives me an access denied error.

Sometimes I cannot even launch task manager or some other programs. Other times I get access denied errors shutting down different programs, even avp.exe from Kaspersky, or explorer.exe. So I cannot do anything and have to press the power button which starts a shutdown, which surprisingly works fine and shuts down the system.

Often the first thing to go is the right click capability. Usually only in one program like IE or only one window, and may spread to the entire system were the right click is completely disabled. I have a wired USB mouse incase anybody is thinking wireless problems.

It seems like my systems are slowly deteriorating. And this is several systems at home and at work.

At home I upgraded to Kaspersky 6.0 which is my #1 suspect but the problems were not immediate. At work I have Symantec 9.0. Recently I did the latest windows updates at home and at work which may have only made things worse.

All virus and adware scans come up clean and I can't think of what could effect multiple systems with different configurations and software.

Do you think Microsoft may have placed a specific bug to start causing system problems after some time to make us upgrade to the next version?

I don't know what is going on, but in the past couple of weeks, I have had more problems and more forced reboots then I have had in years.

 

[elkinm]

Just happened again trying to look up shipping at the ewiz website. the window came up but completely blank. When I try to close it says This window is busy closing it may cause a problem do you want to close it anyway? Saying yes does nothing.

Right click does not work in IE or any window or the task bar, but I can right click on icons or windows on the task bar, (Ah not anymore, could 30 seconds ago). Crl-Alt-Del only gives me the warning bing or whatever sound. I cannot load anything from control panel but the start menu works otherwise.

Norton process viewer works from the taskbar icon. But when I click the kill button it does nothing and all of it's menus don't work so I currently have no way or killing any program right now.

Usually after some time the system gets better, so I will post an update. I will not reboot until I have to incase anybody has any ideas.

Thanks

 

[elkinm]

As soon as I posted the last reply process viewer started responding again so I killed that blanc frozen window which also killed the other IE windows. So it seems to fine again.

Recently the Google toolbar updated itself on all my systems. I doesn't fit perfectly with the timing of my problems, but could that be the cause.
Anybody else having Google toolbar problem or any problems I have mentioned.

The bing was the Critical Stop sound.

 

[elkinm]

The Hijackthis log of one system;

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 4:55:55 PM, on 10/2/2006
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\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0\avp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\IconLock\ICONLOCK.EXE
C:\KMaestro\KMaestro.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe
C:\Program Files\GigaByte\VGA Utility Manager\G-VGA.exe
C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0\avp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Process Viewer\PrcView.exe
C:\My Shared Folder\utorrent.exe
C:\Program Files\Ad Muncher\AdMunch.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\My Shared Folder\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: IconHlprObj Class - {03183603-F684-11d2-A17F-00A0C90AE44B} - C:\PROGRA~1\IconLock\LockHlpr.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar3.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar3.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IconLock] C:\Program Files\IconLock\ICONLOCK.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KeyMaestro] C:\KMaestro\KMaestro.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CoolSwitch] C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VGAUtil] C:\Program Files\GigaByte\VGA Utility Manager\G-VGA.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [kav] "C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0\avp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NVMixerTray] "C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NvMixer\NVMixerTray.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ad Muncher] C:\Program Files\Ad Muncher\AdMunch.exe /bt
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [FreeRAM XP] "C:\Program Files\YourWare Solutions\FreeRAM XP Pro\FreeRAM XP Pro.exe" -win
O4 - Startup: PrcView.lnk = C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Process Viewer\PrcView.exe
O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions present
O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present
O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbars\Restrictions present
O9 - Extra button: Web Anti-Virus - {1F460357-8A94-4D71-9CA3-AA4ACF32ED8E} - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0\scieplugin.dll
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)
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
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - "C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\msgrapp.dll" (file missing)
O20 - Winlogon Notify: klogon - C:\WINDOWS\system32\klogon.dll
O23 - Service: Acronis Scheduler2 Service (AcrSch2Svc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedul2.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 (AVP) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0\avp.exe" -r (file missing)
O23 - Service: GhostStartService - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~2\GHOSTS~2.EXE
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Norton Unerase Protection (NProtectService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Utilities\NPROTECT.EXE
O23 - Service: Sandra Data Service (SandraDataSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005.SR3\RpcDataSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Sandra Service (SandraTheSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005.SR3\RpcSandraSrv.exe
O23 - Service: ScsiAccess - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ScsiAccess.EXE
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Speed Disk service - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\SPEEDD~1\nopdb.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe

I don't like the O18 entries but it is not present on the other systems with these symptoms. FreeRam XP is also not on all systems and killing does not fix the problem.

 

[xtknight]

Are you running out of memory? Sometimes IE will come up with the address bar missing (that's because there was not enough memory to load it). Sometimes there's not enough memory to load the context menu (right click). Windows doesn't tell you that it's out of memory.

 

[Lemon law]

Are you running Kaspersky and Norton as an AV program at the same time?---but I long ago chucked ALL Symatec products---which are all bloatware.--and now protect my self against
malware with leaner and meaner multi-layered defenses.

But you can only have one active AV product running at a time---if you have two or more they will fight--and your system will be the battleground.

But xtknight is also right---inadequate memory can cause huge problems---and 10-15 open ie tabs are way excesssive.--how much memory do you have?---and check free memory in system information. And try firefox and or seamonkey.---I only use ie for windows updates.

And you have alot of running service---I see ad muncher and key maestro---which I am not familar with---but some anti-malware products are rouges--or contain spyware.
Post you hijack log and see what the experts say.---just because the scans do not catch them all---there hi-jack this logs are invaluable.

Its also possible that malware or bit-rot have lost certain critical files--and there a clean install may be the only remedy.---and also try a wired mouse to see if problems go away.

But that may be the only way to isolate your problems---try uninstalling a given program.
If it does not increase system stability--reinstall it---and keep at it until you find the problem---but do it systematically---one by one--so you know the cause.

 

[elkinm]

That is my guess, but IE shows up little usage in task manager or Process viewer of about 30 MB. I can usually load maybe 50 windows without problems, and then only one window cannot load, I don't have system wide problems like not even launching task manager.

I am going to try removing and then maybe reinstalling the google toolbar as they all updated lately and maybe they have a memory leak somewhere or some other problem.

 

[elkinm]

I uninstalled Antivirus and only have utilities which is still quite good. I can always try removing it, but it is not present on all the systems affected by this problem.

Ad muncher is to block popups and ads on websites and is a great little program. I have been using it for yeast, tried many different thing and always come back. They have not had a new full version out in some time though.
Keymastro is my wireless keyboard control, have had it over 2 years with no issues.

I have a wired mouse and a wireless keyboard. One hijack this log is up. I will post other logs as soon as I can.

Thanks

 

[Lemon law]

You still have not said how much system memory you have---but I will assume you are running XP---but if you only have 30 MB free at start up---thats not very much.

Any memory leak could eat that up in a heart beat.

 

[elkinm]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
You still have not said how much system memory you have---but I will assume you are running XP---but if you only have 30 MB free at start up---thats not very much.

Any memory leak could eat that up in a heart beat.

Sorry, I have 1GB of ram and 700+MB free at startup. When free ram XP is running, it still shows over 600 MB free when this problem occurs.

I have posted before, that sometimes I have a different problem with a memory leak which is a general XP problem, were it takes ram, my guess is for cache and does not release it and the system shows under 300 MB free space with nothing running and nothing like FreeRam or anything will release it. This is not the problem here though.

 

[Lemon law]

I agree--if you have a gig of ram---and that much free---memory is not the problem.---but I would recommend you delete free ram xp and see if its the problem--you can always reload it
if its not.----but I would also recommend you download and try a memory tester---could be some of your ram is squirrely.---something like memtest will keep writing to ram and report on errors.----but Kaspersky is a solid AV used by many---and I have yet to see one adverse report on it regarding system stability.