laptop suddenly stopped working properly - any help much appreciated!

s-j-cooper_2

I have an Acer Aspire 1640z running XP sp 2. It has been working perfectly well until I booted it up this morning, ehn the following started happening:

VERY slow start up and shut down (nothing seems to be happening).

Touchpad and keyboard working intermittently (although a usb mouse works fine).

Explorer.exe and then Connections Tray won't end properly when I shut down the laptop, so I have to do it manually.

The rest of the laptop seems to work fine.

I have sorted out startup by going to msconfig and only having essential things running.

I have tried system restores, adware, window own spyware scanner, spybot CWShredder and Avast virus scans, but all to no avail.

I can't find much info on these problems over the internet.

I don't recall doing anything differently over th last couple of days!

MercilessKiller

When going into safe mode how does it perform?

Try running Hijack This to see if there are any hidden processes taking up your CPU. Tourchpad and keyboard lag usually occurs due to high processing utilisation. Go to task manager and see if it's usage is abnormally high. Also take a look at the RAM statistics to see how much is free.

Also I'd recommend doing a chkdisk (done before windows startup) to ensure no corrupt hard drive.

s-j-cooper_2

Ok, it is working fine in safe mode. I'll try the other suggestions now.

s-j-cooper_2

Check Disk hasn't thrown anything up either. I think I'll try disabling all startup software and see if that helps.

s-j-cooper_2

I've un Hijack This and I can't see anything untoward. I am really stuck with this at the moment!

s-j-cooper_2

Here is my hijack this log. Any opinions would be great:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 20:39:49, on 02/01/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16574)
Boot mode: Normal
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\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\EvtEng.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\S24EvMon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Acer\Empowering Technology\admServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
C:\Program Files\Nero\Nero 7\InCD\InCDsrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\RegSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Alcohol Soft\Alcohol 120\StarWind\StarWindService.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\acer\Empowering Technology\ePower\epm-dm.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WLLoginProxy.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.supanet.com/search/iepanel/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.supanet.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.supanet.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Supanet Internet Explorer
O2 - BHO: RealPlayer Download and Record Plugin for Internet Explorer - !!3049C3E9-B461-4BC5-8870-4C09146192CA} - C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\rpbrowserrecordplugin.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - !!53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SMART Notebook Download Plugin - !!67BCF957-85FC-4036-8DC4-D4D80E00A77B} - C:\Program Files\SMART Board Software\NotebookPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - !!761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - !!7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - !!9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Acer eDataSecurity Management - !!5CBE3B7C-1E47-477e-A7DD-396DB0476E29} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\eDStoolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [epm-dm] c:\acer\Empowering Technology\ePower\epm-dm.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - !!08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - !!08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Shdocvw.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
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
O23 - Service: AdminWorks Agent X6 (AWService) - Avocent Inc. - C:\Acer\Empowering Technology\admServ.exe
O23 - Service: Bluetooth Service (btwdins) - Broadcom Corporation. - C:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe
O23 - Service: EPSON Printer Status Agent2 (EPSONStatusAgent2) - SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION - C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Event Log (EvtEng) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\EvtEng.exe
O23 - Service: InCD Helper (InCDsrv) - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Nero\Nero 7\InCD\InCDsrv.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Registry Service (RegSrvc) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\RegSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\CyberLink\Shared Files\RichVideo.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Remote Packet Capture Protocol v.0 (experimental) (rpcapd) - CACE Technologies - C:\Program Files\WinPcap\rpcapd.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Service (S24EventMonitor) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\S24EvMon.exe
O23 - Service: StarWind iSCSI Service (StarWindService) - Rocket Division Software - C:\Program Files\Alcohol Soft\Alcohol 120\StarWind\StarWindService.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe
--
End of file - 6216 bytes

pchelpman

The log is free of malware.

However, the slowness may be due to the number of running processes you have loading at startup. If you don't actually need them all to load immediately you turn on your computer then stop those processes. Be careful which processes you choose to stop. Obviously don't stop something that your computer needs to start up.

Also try disconnecting the Touchpad from the machine before you boot up. It may need reinstalling.

I say your HJT log is free of malware but, unfortunately, that doesn't mean much these days. Much malware can hide from, or bypass, detection by HJT. You need to use some deeper cleaning tools.

To give your machine a thorough cleaning out follow the steps int he first 4 posts to this thread ....

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=133269

Here is some advice from a leading anti malware expert on slowness issues ....

http://users.telenet.be/bluepatchy/miekiemoes/slowcomputer.html


Post back and let us know how you get on and, as I said in your other thread, please stick to this thread only.


PCH

s-j-cooper_2

It's all sorted now, but I don't have the faintest idea why. I did another system restore to a much earlier time and the whole laptop hung and wouldn't turn off, not even when I held the power button down, so I had to take out the power and let the battery run down. When I started it up again everything was working perfectly well.

A complete mystery, but at least I have a clean machine after all scanners etc i've run.

I really appreciate the advice you have all given me.

Steve

MercilessKiller

If it worked in safe mode fine, but not in normal mode it has to be some sort of process that runs at start up... For your own records, I'd do another hijack this scan and compare it to the log you posted above Then you can see what differences there are and what is likely to have caused it.

Glad its sorted now though.

s-j-cooper_2

It's started doing it again! I've tried all of the same things, but I can't get system restore to go to any months before January for some reason, so i can't restore it to the same place that might have worked a couple of days ago.

I have also noticed that when I run Spybot the mouse and keyboard work absolutely fine, but when it is stopped they dont?!

bookduck

you could download Process Explorer and see what is running?