Slow start up, no sound, OE slow to open...

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

I am having a few problems...
when I start up my computer it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to completely be ready for me to work on! Then it takes about 1-2 minutes to open my Outlook express. Also, just a few days ago I updated my AVG and it found a trojan horse downloader. agent. trz plus a few other things. My sound quit working just a day or so before that.

Can anyone help me? What do I do?

micker377 · Joined: May 27, 2005 Posts: 1059

First, the usual: go online to Trend-Micro and run "Housecall". It may take a while, so have fresh coffee ready! Let us know what OS you are using (XP or Vista), as the clean-up directions are somewhat different.

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

I think I am using xp. I don't know how to tell for sure. Going to housecalls now.

micker377 · Joined: May 27, 2005 Posts: 1059

OK, let us know how you come out with Housecall. When your computer comes on, the splash screen will say Windows XP, or Windows Vista (or even Windows M.E.!).

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 2240 Location: Central FL, USA

And if, for some weird and wonderful reason, you can't find out from the Windows Logo Screen, you can go into your "Control Panel" and click the "System" icon and on the first page you see, the "General" tab, it will show you exactly what version of Windows you're running, the user name, the brand of CPU chip installed and the amount of ram installed.

I'd think that the first guess of any tech would have to be a badly infected system. I've seen systems like that and I've fixed them by running every malware scanner in my arsenal.

There is one more reason for slow program loading, and it's seldom even spoken of. It's a little known or discussed Hard Drive failure mode, where every HD access seems to take forever. To solve that particular problem, the HD must be replaced. The data is all there, but it just takes forever to access it.
I once cloned such a drive to a new drive and it took three days to complete the clone. (copying all the data from the old drive to a new one).

You also need to look in your Startup folder, under Programs, for things that you don't want or need to be starting up when you turn on your PC.

Next you'd run MSCONFIG and look at the Startup tab.....there you'll find a list of things that windows installs and runs on every boot (Start Up).
For testing purposes, you can safely disable all the entries. Save the changes and reboot the system.

Next you need to scan for Viruses, Trojans and Spyware.
An on-line scan is a good place to start, but eventually you'll need the best (FREE) scanning software installed on your own PC, not only to clean it up, but to keep it clean as well.

Good Luck,
The Doctor Cool

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

I had a drive go just as DOC described. Ran everything slower than the 7 year itch. So if a virus isn't found, you may want to check on that. I found mine listed in the system event viewer & from running diagnostics - anything that will read the SMART status of the drives will work.

If any or all of this is "greek" please, don't hesitate to ask for clarification.

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

is all "greek" to me. I don't know if you all saw my accidental post. I've been trying to do this scan for days now and it still wont complete. I don't know what else to do.

the more I think about it the more I think you might be right...it must be my driver. So now what?

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

Ok, here is the deal-le-o
I am starting school on Monday. I NEED my computer and I NEED the sound to work. At this point it being slow (until I can get a new computer) will just have to be.

I woke up this morning at 3:50, went to the bathroom and noticed my computer was on...I left it on to finish the housecall scan, but normally if I am not at my puter for a while it will "sleep". Anyway, I thought "cool" it must be done with the scan. So, I went over to it and guess what?! It had rebooted! It had done so at about 3:15. ggggrrrrrr. I have no idea why or HOW it did that, but it did. How do I know? Well, my "myspace" IM was up and it ONLY does that when I start my computer. Also, my AVG is scheduled to run at 2am and it takes HOURS to run. It said that it had been interupted at 3:15.

So, right now I am running the Trojan Hunter thing I saw someone on here post about. Afterwards I will run the Spybot. I have given up on the housecall thing. It is NOT working on my computer. I did look in my virus vault for my AVG...this is what it had:

1 of:
Trojan horse downloader. Agent. TRZ

2 of:
Trojan horse Generic9. EES

2 of:
Adware Generic. NTR

It said that it was infected with the first 2 items listed and that the last one was a PUP? Anyway they are in the vault. So, is that why my sound isn't working? How can I fix that. I really NEED it.

I will also attempt to lower the amount of start up things if I can figure that out.

When I'm all done can I do that Hijack this log thing?

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

Oh and by the way, I cut and pasted this from my accidental post two days ago Smile

This is painful....
Ever since my post that I was going to run Housecall...I've been doing just that.
The first attempt took so long that I had to go to bed. When I got up it had found a lot of stuff that aparently my AVG did not. I hit the button to fix it and the scan started ALL OVER again?????!!!!!!

So, ALL yesturday from 8am until again, I had to go to bed it was scanning (11pm). I just shut off my computer cuz it was honestly just making me mad. I felt like I did nothing all day but sit at the computer waiting. What a waste. So this morning I turned on my computer, took a shower, my computer was finally ready...I got to housecall, started the scan and now it says it's estimated time is 4 1/4 days?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What????

What is going on? I forgot to mention that yesturday I also had to install the Java which took 45 minutes to do.

I have:
xp home version 2002
service pak 2
Dell Dimension DE051
Intel(r)
Celeron(r) Cpu 2.53GHz
2.53GHz, 256mb of ram

With Satalite internet connection. I don't understand why it is taking sooooooo, long for all this. I have NEVER had this problem before. Sad I just want to cry! EVERY thing is SO SLOW

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

I just unchecked a bunch of stuff in my start up...I left these items cuz I SO DON't know what they are:

smax4pnp (analog device/core)?
tfswctrl
lgfxtray
hkcmd
lgfxpers
v0330mon
RegShave
Cfmon

and these to items I left but I do know what they are:
AVGtray
Tea Timer (my spybot)

Could one of you tell me what Bonjour is? Not only did I find it in my start up but also in my list of programs in my add/remove file. I don't remember downloading it. I do play a lot of games, but I don't remember this.

Ok, so after I did that I rebooted my computer and these to messages showed up:

"you have used the system configuration utility to make changes to the way windows starts. The system configuration utility is currently in diagnostic or selective mode, causing this message to be displayed and utility to run every time windows starts. Choose the normall start up mode on the general tab to start windows normally and undo changes you made using the system configuration utility."

Also, this message popped up from my tray:
"windows recently downloaded and installed an important security update to help protect your computer. This update required an automatic restart of your computer" ( I KNEW my computer had restarted on it's own!!)

So, now my next question is how do I know what programs I can safely have on my start up menu. It did start up WAY faster than normal this time Smile

Yeah!!! Is there a way that I can show you what all is there. There is A LOT of stuff. I'd get writers cramp if I had to write it all down. Smile

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Sounds like you confirmed you DO have a "virus" (I use the term all inclusively) so the drive thing may be mute, at least for now.

What you probably need to do is run an antivirus program off of something you can boot other than your main operating system - bartPE is one such - if you can get a copy with an A/V already in it as they can get confusing to build. - & they are in ISO form. Hyrem (sp?) is another - it too is ISO.
OR... & this may be easier for you, pull the HD & hook it up as SLAVE in another computer & run the A/V.

Can someone help me out here as my memory isn't giving me any more, other than LINUX & I'm sure kiliki37 doesn't know how to use that.

BTW: My BIGGEST suggestion is, if you need to get it fixed ASAP. I'd take it to a shop or someone local that can fix it for you. - NOT that I don't want to help (or that you won't get any help here from others), just may be quicker & easier to get the tools.

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

Ok, so I have run my AVG (see previous post)
Ran Spybot and only one thing came up...it was regular type spyware no biggie.
Ran the Trojan Hunter and a bunch of stuff came up....
File name/Quarantine Name
D:/ Documents and Settings/ Windows/ system/ Pelhooks. DLL and JIYzMY2. dat

D:/ Documents and settings/ cricket/ desktop/ cricket1/ windows/ system/ PELHOOKS. DLL and LX8n.dat

D:/ Documents and Settings/ Windows/ system/ dwsbc36. ocx and nd7g3. dat

C:/ windows/ system32/ DWSPY 36. dll and qccjkzZ.dat

D:/ Documents and settings/ Cricket/ Desktop/ cricket1 Windows/ system/ dwsbc36. ocx and syS5.dat

D:/ windows/ system32/ DWSPY36.dll and UHbR.dat

D:/ Windows/ system32/ DWSBC36. OCX and V94HZ6.dat

C:/ Windows/ system32/ DWSBC36.OCX and ysj0.dat

So, now my computer seems a little bit faster which is good, but my sound is still not working. Do you think that it would help to restore my computer to the beginning of the month before I had the sound problem?

As for the other stuff you were talking about Baby...I got TOTALLY lost. I have no idea what you are talking about. Should I run the Hijack and post it?

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

OK - I'll try to pull this down a few levels (please don't take that as an insult) - Basically, what I was saying is that since your system is being bogged down trying to scan with a seeming corrupted operating system (OS), that you need you run the scan from ANOTHER OS. It would be like booting from a DOS disk. That way you would be freeing up your system & the scan wouldn't be depending on it.

As for the drive removal & mounting as slave in another computer, if you don't know what I'm talking about, then best if someone that knows can actually SHOW you.

The following probably isn't a good idea as an OS with a virus would probably have a field day with this BUT...
If all you understand is how to load & run programs under your present OS, then get as many good FREE A/V's (you tried AVG, AVAST is another & CLAM may work) as you can get & having only one installed at a time, throw every one at it until it reports clean. - you NEED to run EACH ONE more than once to get everything they can.

As for HIJACK, unless someone request it, I wouldn't bother as the info is mostly "greek" to anyone but those "working" for it. (so as I've been told) - some can glean some info from it but there are other ways to get the info for the most part.

Rolling back to the beginning of the month probably would undo all the cleaning you already did BUT if you know that the problem actually started AFTER this point, may be worth a try, you can always undo the rollback.

Hope this helps

BTW: HD = hard drive, A/V = anti virus --- if I left anything out please let me know.

kiliki37 · Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 10

Thank you for all your help and time. I still can't get this thing to get working. I'm going to take it in Sad

techdunce · Joined: Mar 29, 2007 Posts: 188

Hello, Ive used this on occassion for a second opinion, read the instructions on the page (little towards the end) and when your finished with it, just uninstall it.

http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/

If your still not having any luck,and if all else fails, you could try this online cleaning procedure with Comodo, they will take control of your machine remotely and do all the technical stuff.

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/avsmart/malware-removal.html

I cant say Ive used it myself, but I do use their Firewall, comodo Boclean aswell, and they are totally reputable folks.Good luck,Techdunce Smile

pasquanel · Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 517 Location: Maine

I'll get right back to you as soon as I can but do not delete the
"pelhooks.dll" this is the driver for you IBM mouse and if you delete it your scroll wheel will no longer work!

Trust me I have learned this the hard way!! (hard way+more than 4 times) Embarassed