[lostinfiji]

Hi there...
Can anyone help please?

My computer has become slow. The 'arrow' cursor flashes, and things run slow, until I press a key (such as the shift or control key), then things speed up again for a while. Then it happens again. I've looked at what processes are running, and the idle process varies from 50-98%, with taskmgr.exe generally being the next one, but only at around 5%.
I had this problem before, and it seemed to get fixed after I deleted some drivers, and Windows re-installed them. But I can't seem to fix it this time. I've used CCleaner to clean the computer and registry, plus EasyCleaner to clean the registry. I've cleaned out all files in the Prefetch folder. I've checked for viruses, rootkits and spyware, but nothing is coming up. I've had the hard drive reformatted few times, as I did originally have some bad virus that made the computer really slow. As expected, that fixed the problem, but now the computer is getting slow again.

Any ideas would be welcome.
I've got an HP pavilion laptop ze4315. Celeron processor, 2.2GHz, 448M RAM. Running XP Pro 2002 SP2.

I've attached the HijackThis log::

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 5:19:20 p.m., on 8/05/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
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\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\COMODO\Firewall\cmdagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsAuxs.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsTray.exe
C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFService.exe
C:\Program Files\Canon\CAL\CALMAIN.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\avgas.exe
C:\Program Files\COMODO\Firewall\cfp.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~1\FIREFOX.EXE
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\WINWORD.EXE
C:\Documents and Settings\Christine\Desktop\hijackthis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = http://www.nanoscan.com/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: RealPlayer Download and Record Plugin for Internet Explorer - {3049C3E9-B461-4BC5-8870-4C09146192CA} - C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\rpbrowserrecordplugin.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\2.1.1119.1736\swg.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [!AVG Anti-Spyware] "C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\avgas.exe" /minimized
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ThreatFire] C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [COMODO Firewall Pro] "C:\Program Files\COMODO\Firewall\cfp.exe" -h
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISTray] "C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsTray.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'Default user')
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
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: {2D8ED06D-3C30-438B-96AE-4D110FDC1FB8} (ActiveScan 2.0 Installer Class) - http://acs.pandasoftware.com/actives.../as2stubie.cab
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (YInstStarter Class) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yinsthelper.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\WINDOWS\system32\guard32.dll
O23 - Service: AVG Anti-Spyware Guard - GRISOFT s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Canon Camera Access Library 8 (CCALib8) - Canon Inc. - C:\Program Files\Canon\CAL\CALMAIN.exe
O23 - Service: COMODO Firewall Pro Helper Service (cmdAgent) - COMODO - C:\Program Files\COMODO\Firewall\cmdagent.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: PC Tools Auxiliary Service (sdAuxService) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsAuxs.exe
O23 - Service: PC Tools Security Service (sdCoreService) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsSvc.exe
O23 - Service: ThreatFire - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\ThreatFire\TFService.exe

--
End of file - 5748 bytes

[cybertech]

You have two anti-virus programs running, which will cause trouble. Uninstall one of them.

[lostinfiji]

I got rid of ThreatFire, and now the problem is worse than before! It slows down much more frequently, and before I could nold down a key briefly to pick up speed. Now, I have to hold down 2 keys (shift and ctrl seems to work) for a long time, and the speed only seems to keep up while I'm holding the keys down, and then maybe for a few seconds after.
Got any other ideas please?

[cybertech]

I'm not sure about your description of problems, like

The 'arrow' cursor flashes

What is the Arrow cursor? Is that just the cursor?

Also I don't think you have done yourself any favors by using registry cleaners. I stay far away from those.

One thing you may want to try is running sfc /scannow as that may replace files you have removed with the registry cleaners.

More information can be found here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb491008.aspx

Other questions I would have are how old is your computer and has your hard drive ever been replaced? If so how old is it?

How much RAM do you have?

How long has it been since you installed this copy of the OS?

Have you added anything new lately? Could be hardware or software.

[lostinfiji]

Hiya...

yes, the 'arrow' cursor is just the cursor....mine is shaped like an arrow.

I tried the sfc program, but it needs the OS disks, which I don't have with me.

On task manager, CPU usage is going up to 100%.

I don't know how old the computer is...it was given to me by a friend 2 years ago. I haven't had the hard drive replaced, but it's been reformatted a few times in the past 6 months.
RAM is 448M.
This copy of the OS was installed a few months ago. It worked fine until the last couple of weeks. And I'm not aware of anything new I've installed in that time.

Sometimes the computer seems to be quite happy....like right now when I'm typing this. But it's getting really slow at startup...again, if I hold down the shift key it speeds up and gets on loading things. But now I've got to this part of typing, it's got problems with the flashing cursor again (that's when CPU usage gets up real high).

[cybertech]

Never heard of such actions. I'm not clear where to send you. My thought is a hardware problem since the keyboard is involved.


Download OTScanIt.exe to your Desktop and double-click on it to extract the files. It will create a folder named OTScanIt on your desktop.

1. Close any open browsers.
2. If your Real protection or Antivirus intervenes with OTScanIt, allow it to run.
3. Open the OTScanit folder and double-click on OTScanit.exe to start the program.
4. Now click the Run Scan button on the toolbar.
5. The program will be scanning huge amounts of data so depending on your system it could take a long time to complete. Let it run unhindered until it finishes.
6. When the scan is complete Notepad will open with the report file loaded in it.
7. Save that notepad file

If the log is too large to post, use the Reply button, scroll down to the attachments section and attach the notepad file here.

[lostinfiji]

Here's the log...it ran real quick...probably less than a couple of minutes...

(see attachment)

[cybertech]

Are you using an external mouse and keyboard?

If not I would suggest trying that.

I don't see anything malware related in that scan log so I'm thinking this is hardware related. Maybe that's why the person gave it away. (?)