Good afternoon,

I have a strange and frustrating problem with the start menu on a Windows XP Home Edition SP2 Compaq Presario laptop.

If you click 'Start' as normal and double click on any applications as normal then they do not open. I have to right click the application and select 'Open' in order for the application to open.

But to confuse the issue further the Control Panel opens as normal with a double click. So it appears to be shortcuts to .exe files that do not open after they have been double-clicked.

Has anyone any ideas what could be causing this irritation??

Many thanks for your help in advance. Below is the HijackThis logfile.

Paul.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:16:01, on 06/09/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
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:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoctrl.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoguard.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPConfig.exe
C:\Program Files\Network Associates\Common Framework\FrameworkService.exe
C:\Program Files\Network Associates\VirusScan\VsTskMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\carpserv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\HPQ\ONE-TO~1\OneTouch.EXE
C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPControl.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPMemCheck.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\CookiePatrol.exe
C:\Program Files\Network Associates\VirusScan\SHSTAT.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Network Associates\TalkBack\TBMon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cleanmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Network Associates\VirusScan\Mcshield.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\AlaineC\Desktop\HijackThis.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.tiscali.co.uk/broadband
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.freeserve.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://search.presario.net/scripts/r...search&ap=b204
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://desktop.presario.net/scripts/...c02&lc=0809&ac
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by Freeserve
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=http://www-cache.freeserve.com:8080;ftp=http://www-cache.freeserve.com:8080
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CARPService] carpserv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [srmclean] C:\Cpqs\Scom\srmclean.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QT4HPOT] C:\PROGRA~1\HPQ\ONE-TO~1\OneTouch.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Cpqset] C:\Program Files\HPQ\Default Settings\cpqset.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [adiras] adiras.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MessengerPlus3] "C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PestPatrol Control Center] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPControl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PPMemCheck] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPMemCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CookiePatrol] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\CookiePatrol.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Display Settings] C:\Program Files\HPQ\Notebook Utilities\hptasks.exe /s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ShStatEXE] "C:\Program Files\Network Associates\VirusScan\SHSTAT.EXE" /STANDALONE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [McAfeeUpdaterUI] "C:\Program Files\Network Associates\Common Framework\UpdaterUI.exe" /StartedFromRunKey
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Network Associates Error Reporting Service] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Network Associates\TalkBack\TBMon.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MessengerPlus3] "C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe" /WinStart
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: DSLMON.lnk = C:\Program Files\SAGEM\SAGEM F@st 800-840\dslmon.exe
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: Backward Links - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.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
O12 - Plugin for .midi: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin2.dll
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.freeserve.com/
O16 - DPF: RaptisoftGameLoader - http://www.miniclip.com/hamsterball/...gameloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {14C1B87C-3342-445F-9B5E-365FF330A3AC} (Hewlett-Packard Online Support Services) - http://h20278.www2.hp.com/HPISWeb/Cu...ataManager.CAB
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsu...?1123091917402
O16 - DPF: {EF791A6B-FC12-4C68-99EF-FB9E207A39E6} (McFreeScan Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/is...20/mcfscan.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: EPSON Printer Status Agent2 (EPSONStatusAgent2) - SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION - C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
O23 - Service: ewido security suite control - ewido networks - C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoctrl.exe
O23 - Service: ewido security suite guard - ewido networks - C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoguard.exe
O23 - Service: HP Configuration Interface Service (HPConfig) - Hewlett-Packard - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPConfig.exe
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - LAN-Express - (no file)
O23 - Service: McAfee Framework Service (McAfeeFramework) - Network Associates, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Network Associates\Common Framework\FrameworkService.exe
O23 - Service: Network Associates McShield (McShield) - Network Associates, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Network Associates\VirusScan\Mcshield.exe
O23 - Service: Network Associates Task Manager (McTaskManager) - Network Associates, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Network Associates\VirusScan\VsTskMgr.exe