OS: XP
Location: English Room

The computer will be just sitting there, on the network (We share a LAN for I-Net) and the computer will just randomly popup with something. I have looked at the running processes and I found MWSUM.EXE (aka STLOADER.EXE) and SLMSS.EXE. I know that these programs are in relation to spyware and this might be the cause of the problem. I have also looked in the registry to see if the file was there that it makes for itself, and it is not.
How do I get rid of this little problem?

Download HijackThis from http://209.133.47.200/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe & unzip it into it's own, permanent folder, not a temporary one. Start HJT & press the scan button. When the scan is finished the scan button will change to save. Save the log to a text file & paste it into the body of your post. DO NOT FIX ANYTHING YET.

what exactly is Hijack This?

Here is the Log

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 3:53:52 PM, on 4/13/04
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\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYMANTEC_CLIENT_SECURITY\SYMANTEC ANTIVIRUS\RTVSCN95.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYMANTEC_CLIENT_SECURITY\SYMANTEC ANTIVIRUS\DEFWATCH.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\HIDSERV.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KHOOKER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SISAUDUT.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYMANTEC_CLIENT_SECURITY\SYMANTEC ANTIVIRUS\VPTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\UPDATER\WUPDATER.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\AWS\WEATHERBUG\WEATHER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
\\ATHENA SERVER\ALSDATA03\STAR UPDATE 2.3\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {8952A998-1E7E-4716-B23D-3DBE03910972} - (no file)
O1 - Hosts: 207.36.196.189 auto.search.msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 207.36.196.189 search.netscape.com
O1 - Hosts: 207.36.196.189 ieautosearch
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] c:\windows\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] c:\windows\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiS KHooker] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\khooker.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiS7012Utility] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SiSAudUt.exe -wdm
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mdac_runonce] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\runonce.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [slmss] C:\Program Files\Common Files\slmss\slmss.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CriticalUpdate] c:\windows\SYSTEM\wucrtupd.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AutoUpdater] "c:\Program Files\AutoUpdate\AutoUpdate.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\SYMANT~1\vptray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [updater] C:\Program Files\Common files\updater\wupdater.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Hidserv] Hidserv.exe run
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [rtvscn95] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\SYMANT~1\rtvscn95.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [defwatch] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\SYMANT~1\defwatch.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Weather] C:\PROGRAM FILES\AWS\WEATHERBUG\WEATHER.EXE 1
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://c:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~1\OFFICE10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cac&hed Snapshot of Page - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Si&milar 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 into English - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmtrans.html
O10 - Broken Internet access because of LSP provider 'c:\windows\system\inetadpt.dll' missing
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...902.3134259259
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/s...sh/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2...ll/xscan53.cab

You have multiple problems. After you fix these, you may have a problem connecting because one of your bits of malware has replaced part of your Winsock chain with its own stuff. Here is the link to LSPFix, which should help.

musemaker then responded with: It worked! And here's the process order:

* Run LSPfix.
* Delete all Dial-up adapters and network protcols.
* Delete all Winsock and Winsock2 registry keys.
* Under Add/Remove programs uncheck all of the listings under Communications.
* Reboot and then add back ALL the Communications items (although netmeeting and chat weren't necessary). It didn't work for me the first time as I have no need for a dial-up adapter, but it is the only way to get Windows to add back winsock2.
* Reinstall network protocol settings.

Also, there are some free prevention measures you can take as well, including SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard. Considering the number of machines you deal with, they might lighten your load.

Now on to what your HjT log shows, and what should be removed:

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {8952A998-1E7E-4716-B23D-3DBE03910972} - (no file)
O1 - Hosts: 207.36.196.189 auto.search.msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 207.36.196.189 search.netscape.com
O1 - Hosts: 207.36.196.189 ieautosearch

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [slmss] C:\Program Files\Common Files\slmss\slmss.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [updater] C:\Program Files\Common files\updater\wupdater.exe

O10 - Broken Internet access because of LSP provider 'c:\windows\system\inetadpt.dll' missing
This indicates a possible problem. It's why I mentioned LSPFix earlier.

Reboot into safe mode and remove the following directories:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\slmss
C:\Program Files\Common files\updater

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's a couple that are resource wasters:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] c:\windows\taskmon.exe

O4 - Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE

This one should only show up if you have just installed something new and not rebooted yet. What's it doing here?

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mdac_runonce] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\runonce.exe

I can't get to it. The site is blocked where I am

Which site are you referring to?

the`site for the LSPFix

Oh. I'll attach it...

Thanx for all the help!
Wait a second. I gave you the wrong computer. Here is the correct HiJakc This file: