Computer freezes/crashes frequently

Adela · January 4, 2006

(I have Win98se, OE 6.0, IE 6.0, Dell Dimension XPS T450MHz Pentium III)

Hello, If anyone has gone through this problem please be kind enough to tell me how to cure it?

Since a few weeks ago my computer started freezing then crashing by itself - if not, I have to shut it off as it doesn't go anywhere. I did a search here thinking that this being a rather popular problem I could find it... but I didn't.

The freezing can happen anywhere in my OE emails or out on the web. Sometimes when I click on any of the icons at the bottom (task bar?) like "Launch Outlook Express" or "Internet Explorer", etc. the icon remains sunk and won't open, then freezes. Other than this, I can't think of anything else that could give a clue.

Thanking you in advance. Adela

P.S. I didn't know whether this, or Windows, is the proper place for this problem.

Scarecrow Man · January 4, 2006

If it just started acting up, chances are it is software related.

First step would be to post a HijackThis log.

Instructions can be found here.

If this cannot solve the problem, post back in this thread because your issue could be hardware related.

Adela · January 4, 2006

If it just started acting up, chances are it is software related.
First step would be to post a HijackThis log.
Instructions can be found here.
If this cannot solve the problem, post back in this thread because your issue could be hardware related.

Thanks so much for the very clear directions, Scarecrow Man, but being computer unsavvy I'm a little confused and hope to get a little further help?

I downloaded WinZip and HijackThis! on my desktop (easier to find),WinZip gave me THREE icons one of them a yellow folder! When I tried to install HijackThis! the WinZip opened instead.

I clicked on "Extract Files from the Archive" and it opened into "My Documents" list, and below it there were a few options where I wondered: should I click "Extract" and put a dot in "All Files/Folders in Current Folder"? I don't know what's the "current folder", is it the one I should open for the HijackThis!?

I opened a new folder in the desktop and changed the name to HijackThis! so, should I extract it to this folder? (but I have to learn yet how to do it.). Then I can do a HijackThis! scan from this folder? Or is it better first to open HijackThis! where you recommended below (how to do it?):

<<My Documents or on the Root of the drive (ex. My Documents\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe or C:\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe\).>>

Thank you again for your help! Adela

P.S. You won't believe it, I experienced 2 crashes in the process of downloading the 2 programs... LOL!

nellie2 · January 5, 2006

Is this tutorial any help? Click here

Adela · January 5, 2006

Is this tutorial any help? Click here

Thank you, Nellie. I'll try it, but should I first delete all those downloads and the other things I did? Adela

Adela · January 5, 2006

Hi Nellie I'm sorry that I tried and tried and didn't work out for me. Could it be that according to the title above the screenshots the directions are for WinXp, while I have Win98se?

Some of the procedures worked but didn't land me on the proper windows per the directions. .. Any hope for me??? :blush: Adela

ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb · January 6, 2006

You should skip the Windows XP part in Nellie2's link, and go to the WinZip part of the instructions.

Adela · January 8, 2006

You should skip the Windows XP part in Nellie2's link, and go to the WinZip part of the instructions.

Thanks Pat, and I'm sorry I was forcibly interrupted - for the last 3 days my computer stopped working altogether. I called Dell and couldn't help, so I had to hire a techi though he charged quite a lot! Meantime this is what I did and I'm so embarrassed that I still didn't get it...

(1) <<In the next window leave it at the default for Express Setup – click Next and Next again at the Associations

On the next window, check the box to delete the installation file then click Finish>>

On downloading WinZip, I didn't get "Next" twice, and so I didn't get the box for me to delete the installation file. Is this important?

(2) <<You will be taken back to the extract window, click Extract, then close WinZip and delete the Hijackthis zip file from your desktop.>>

I downloaded HijackThis and created the folder, but it didn't take me back to the "Extract Window". It did create a folder on the desktop, is it a valid one?

(3) <<Open My Documents and double click on the folder you created called Hijackthis to open it. Inside you will see the Hijackthis icon – double click it.>>

I did the above, but when I double clicked on the HijackThis icon inside the little window, it took me to another small window, blank, that said by the Address: "C:\My Documents" and when I clicked on it, it changed to "HijackThisHijackThis"...So I didn't get to scanning...

My face is so red... I was going to ask the techi to do it for me but...when I asked if he ever used HijackThis he said "it's just a tool I don't care for it", so I didn't ask ... LOL! Adela

P.S. Anyone with LOTS of patience for me? I can't understand why I find it SO difficult???

nellie2 · January 9, 2006

A folder on your desktop is fine!

Why not delete all the folders you made and lets start again.

You can either download the unzipped executable file from here

Or you can download a self extracting file from here, just save it to your desktop and double click it. It will extract itself into a folder called hijackthis in C:\Program Files

Adela · January 10, 2006

A folder on your desktop is fine!
Why not delete all the folders you made and lets start again.
You can either download the unzipped executable file from here
Or you can download a self extracting file from here, just save it to your desktop and double click it. It will extract itself into a folder called hijackthis in C:\Program Files

Thanks so much, Nellie for coming to my rescue! Success! I believe...I deleted all the folders I made before, then updated and ran Ad-Aware and Spybot. This time it was very easy with the link you so kindly gave me. The log came on Word instead of a Notepad, isit ok? I clicked on "Scan and Save Log" and here it is (it also had a left column, grey, showing about 5 or 6 more links that opened with the little hand, but don't know what they are...I hope I did it correctly?: Thank you so much! Adela

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1

Scan saved at 12:02:18 PM, on 1/10/06

Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)

MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk

C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE

C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG FREE\AVGCC.EXE

C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG FREE\AVGEMC.EXE

C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT HARDWARE\MOUSE\POINT32.EXE

C:\PROGRAM FILES\OUTLOOK EXPRESS\MSIMN.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PSTORES.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =

O1 - Hosts: 216.93.174.28 view.atdmt.com

O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Companion BHO - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\COMPANION\INSTALLS\CPN\YCOMP5_5_7_0.DLL (file missing)

O2 - BHO: pop 32 way - {CDB3BD58-AF3B-024A-EDE6-00155BE84E66} - (no file)

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\DESKTOP\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL

O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll

O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX

O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Companion - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\COMPANION\INSTALLS\CPN\YCOMP5_5_7_0.DLL (file missing)

O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGCC.EXE /STARTUP

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_EMC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGEMC.EXE

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [POINTER] point32.exe

O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions present

O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present

O8 - Extra context menu item: &AOL Toolbar search - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\AOL TOOLBAR\TOOLBAR.DLL/SEARCH.HTML

O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmsearch.html

O8 - Extra context menu item: &Translate English Word - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmwordtrans.html

O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmcache.html

O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmsimilar.html

O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmbacklinks.html

O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmtrans.html

O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)

O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSJAVA.DLL

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSJAVA.DLL

O9 - Extra button: Dell Home - {10BAA460-96C4-11D3-9642-80A44FC10000} - http://www.dell.com/ (file missing) (HKCU)

O16 - DPF: {C2FCEF52-ACE9-11D3-BEBD-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec RuFSI Registry Information Class) - http://security2.norton.com/us/sa/common/c...n/bin/cabsa.cab

O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2004061...all/xscan53.cab

O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedC...bin/AvSniff.cab

O16 - DPF: {0C568603-D79D-11D2-87A7-00C04FF158BB} (BrowseFolderPopup Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/Shared/MGBrwFld.cab

O16 - DPF: {5445BE81-B796-11D2-B931-002018654E2E} (MeadCo Security Manager) - https://stapleschat.egain.net/wcsapp/weblib...g/ie/SecMgr.cab

O16 - DPF: {E77C0D62-882A-456F-AD8F-7C6C9569B8C7} (ActiveDataObj Class) - https://www-secure.symantec.com/techsupp/ac.../ActiveData.cab

O16 - DPF: {90A29DA5-D020-4B18-8660-6689520C7CD7} (DmiReader Class) - http://support.dell.com/us/en/systemprofiler/SysProfLCD.CAB

O16 - DPF: {0246ECA8-996F-11D1-BE2F-00A0C9037DFE} (TDServer Control) - http://tdserver.bitstream.com/tdserver.cab

O16 - DPF: {1239CC52-59EF-4DFA-8C61-90FFA846DF7E} (Musicnotes Viewer) - http://www.musicnotes.com/download/mnviewer.cab

O16 - DPF: {CE28D5D2-60CF-4C7D-9FE8-0F47A3308078} (ActiveDataInfo Class) - https://www-secure.symantec.com/techsupp/asa/SymAData.cab

O16 - DPF: {A3009861-330C-4E10-822B-39D16EC8829D} (CRAVOnline Object) - http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/ravonline.cab

O16 - DPF: {D42ED9FF-DF46-4AD9-A3FE-46BAF896466E} (CountSpies.SpyCounter) - http://www.sunbelt-software.com/dell/CounterSpy.CAB

O16 - DPF: {1F2F4C9E-6F09-47BC-970D-3C54734667FE} (LSSupCtl Class) - https://www-secure.symantec.com/techsupp/asa/LSSupCtl.cab

O16 - DPF: {EF791A6B-FC12-4C68-99EF-FB9E207A39E6} (McFreeScan Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/iss-loc/...417/mcfscan.cab

O16 - DPF: {04E214E5-63AF-4236-83C6-A7ADCBF9BD02} (HouseCall Control) - http://housecall60.trendmicro.com/housecall/xscan60.cab

I'm sorry, just in case it's important, the links at the left grey column didn't open with the little hand, just clicking on them. Adela

nellie2 · January 10, 2006

Did you run this hijack scan while you were in safe mode? If yes can you make sure you are in normal mode when you run the next one

Run hijackthis and click the scan button, when it has finished scanning then put a tick against the following, close all other browsers and windows and click 'fix checked'

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

O1 - Hosts: 216.93.174.28 view.atdmt.com

O2 - BHO: pop 32 way - {CDB3BD58-AF3B-024A-EDE6-00155BE84E66} - (no file)

Reboot and run Panda Active Scan, scan My Computer, and save the log it produces and post it here with a fresh hijack log

Adela · January 12, 2006

Did you run this hijack scan while you were in safe mode? If yes can you make sure you are in normal mode when you run the next one
Run hijackthis and click the scan button, when it has finished scanning then put a tick against the following, close all other browsers and windows and click 'fix checked'
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
O1 - Hosts: 216.93.174.28 view.atdmt.com
O2 - BHO: pop 32 way - {CDB3BD58-AF3B-024A-EDE6-00155BE84E66} - (no file)
Reboot and run Panda Active Scan, scan My Computer, and save the log it produces and post it here with a fresh hijack log

Thanks again Nellie! I think I ran it in non-mode, but when I run it again to follow your new instructions, I'll make sure it's on non-mode. Do I click on something to make it non-mode? I'll go to do the new steps now. Adela

P.S. It's strange that I didn't receive notice of your reply...again, though I indicated to do so and it shows that's working, below..."You are currently receiving email notification of replies" Any idea why?

Adela · January 13, 2006

Here's the Panda Active Scan log:

(Below is the 2nd HijackThis log)

Incident Status Location

Adware:adware/virtualbouncer Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLOADED PROGRAM FILES\VBouncerOuter1201.exe

Adware:adware/savenow Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLOADED PROGRAM FILES\WUInst.dll

Spyware:spyware/onwebmedia Not disinfected C:\newone.exe

Adware:adware/downloadware Not disinfected C:\PROGRAM FILES\MedCh

Adware:adware/wintools Not disinfected Windows Registry

Spyware:Cookie/Com.com Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@com[1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/WebPower Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@webpower[1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/myaffiliateprogram Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/did-it Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@did-it[2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/fe.lea.lycos Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Target Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@target[2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/go Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@go[1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/BurstBeacon Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Com.com Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/BurstNet Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@burstnet[2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/did-it Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@did-it[3].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Target Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@target[1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/360i Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/BurstNet Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@burstnet[3].txt

Spyware:Cookie/RealMedia Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@realmedia[1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/BurstBeacon Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/YieldManager Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Com.com Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\adela@com[2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Cd Freaks Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\anyuser@cdfreaks[2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Com.com Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\anyuser@com[2].txt

Spyware:Cookie/Cd Freaks Not disinfected C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\[email protected][1].txt

Virus:Trj/Keyhost.A Disinfected C:\WINDOWS\INF\HOST.INF