IE running silent on startup, leads to freezes shutdowns and ghost sounds.

[JMacabre]

Hello, the problematic computer is a e-system with following spec

2x 1.66 pent 4 CPUs
1GB ram
Win Xp pro (don't know what service pack, looking into it)
ATI radeon express intergrated g-card (64mb)
And connects wirelessly to a virgin media router via a netgear usb wireless adapter

Defense programs running/used are AVG, Windows Firewall, Ad-Aware, ccleaner (and by this forums reccomendation Comodo, atf-cleaner, windows malicious software removal tool etc.)

Symptoms are:
On regular (ie. no safe mode) startup, computer logs in fine if a bit slower then usual. Then 10 minutes later will freeze up completely, sometimes before freeze if i have a window open it will minimize it and then play a music loop or a song or some other ghost sound
(whilst typing this I got a karaoke of "hit me baby one more time"...). I can stop the freezing and the sounds happening by ending the iexplorer.exe process in the task manager
(which isn't in my startup programs and which shows 5-50% CPU usage all the time), only for iexplorer to return later on and I have to re-end process. If I disconnect the wireless adapter the problems seem to stop too, but as soon as I reconnect a cpl mins later all happens again.

Also just this morning i've twice got that Nt administrator/System 60 second shut-down warning (once in normal startup once in safe mode). Which I haven't seen since the w32.worm.blaster virus, so i ran the symantech worm fix program but it didn't find anything.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:02:44, on 23/05/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16827)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet Security\cmdagent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRecvr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehSched.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgrsx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgnsx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\UAService7.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\mcrdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgcsrvx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllhost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet Security\cfp.exe
C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Pro\DTProAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\NETGEAR\WG111v3\WG111v3.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
C:\Program Files\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Iexplore.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.virginmedia.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=localhost:7070
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\pavuppad.exe,
O1 - Hosts: 194.165.4.145 eggbank.com
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: AVG Security Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\AVGTOO~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\5.1.1309.3572\swg.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AVG Security Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\AVGTOO~1.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [COMODO Internet Security] "C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet Security\cfp.exe" -h
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [StartCCC] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Pro Agent] "C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Pro\DTProAgent.exe"
O4 - Global Startup: NETGEAR WG111v3 Smart Wizard.lnk = C:\Program Files\NETGEAR\WG111v3\WG111v3.exe
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
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\mswsock32.dll
O16 - DPF: {02ECD07A-22D0-4AF0-BA0A-3F6B06086D08} (GamesCampus Control) - http://xiah.gamescampus.com/luncher/GamesCampus.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: avgrsstarter - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\avgrsstx.dll
O21 - SSODL: WPDShServiceObj - {AAA288BA-9A4C-45B0-95D7-94D524869DB5} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\WPDShServiceObj.dll
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: COMODO Internet Security Helper Service (cmdAgent) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet Security\cmdagent.exe
O23 - Service: Google Software Updater (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe" -service -config "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\jqs.conf (file missing)
O23 - Service: SecuROM User Access Service (V7) (UserAccess7) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\UAService7.exe

[gerbil]

I am surprised that AVG8 has not caught this...
While you have it, use that old version of hijackthis to fix this entry:

O1 - Hosts: 194.165.4.145 eggbank.com

Now please discard that old version of hijackthis, and download : http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5554.html
-copy it to a new FOLDER placed either alongside your program files or on your desktop.
==Download LSPfix from here http://cexx.org/LSPFix.exe -start it by dclicking the .exe....
On the opening screen, click the "I know what I'm doing" checkbox.
Check all instances of "mswsock32.dll" (and nothing else), and move them to the "Remove" pane. Then click Finish.
Note that mswsock.dll is a valid dll.
Then search for this file: mswsock32.dll, and delete it. It is possibly in C:\windows\system32\
==Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
from: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html
or: http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe
=Dclick that file, mbam-setup.exe, to install the application,
-ensure that it is set to update and start, else start it via the icon.
Select "Perform QUICK Scan", then click Scan; the application will guide you through the remaining steps.
ENSURE that EVERYTHING found has a CHECKMARK against it, then click Remove Selected.
If malware has been found [and removed] MBAM will automatically produce a log for you... do not click the Save Logfile button.
When it completes examine the log: if some files are listed as Delete on Reboot then restart your machine before continuing.
Post the Notepad log [it is also saved under Logs tab in MBAM].
==Use the new hijackthis to make a log; post it also.

[JMacabre]

EDIT- Just spotted another symptom in addition to other problems, my firefox is also forcing strange webpages to open in a new tab if I click a link from any google search instead of opening the page I want. Some of these pages are to buy antivirus software, which is a little suspicious.

Thank you for your attention and your assistance, my problem is still here though. I've followed your instructions as best I can. I killed the egg thing with old hjt and, downloaded the programs instructed (including new hjt), I installed and ran lspfix no problem (including deleting mswsock32.dll from system folder, which dosn't seem to be respawning on restart). But when trying to install malwarebites it gets right to the end (progress bar is fully green, and txt says finishing install) but it never finishes, the program hangs but the rest of windows is fine. I've tried uninstall/reinstall a cpl of times, each with a fresh download from the mirrors u linked (which required some restarts), I am using hjt to kill the egg thing each time and task manager to shut iexplorer. dunno how to get that to install :S

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 18:34:18, on 23/05/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16827)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet

Security\cmdagent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware

2007\aawservice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet

Security\cfp.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI

Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\MOM.EXE
C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Pro\DTProAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\NETGEAR\WG111v3\WG111v3.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRecvr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehSched.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI

Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\ccc.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgrsx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgnsx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\UAService7.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\mcrdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgcsrvx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllhost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE
C:\Program Files\HJT\HiJackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.virginmedia.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=localhost:7070
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\pavuppad.exe,
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: AVG Security Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\AVGTOO~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\5.1.1309.3572\swg.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AVG Security Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\AVGTOO~1.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [COMODO Internet Security] "C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet Security\cfp.exe" -h
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [StartCCC] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Pro Agent] "C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Pro\DTProAgent.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Policies\Explorer\Run: [lSU3Jomu11] C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\uxqfgrcr\wzapevip.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')
O4 - Global Startup: NETGEAR WG111v3 Smart Wizard.lnk = C:\Program Files\NETGEAR\WG111v3\WG111v3.exe
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
O16 - DPF: {02ECD07A-22D0-4AF0-BA0A-3F6B06086D08} (GamesCampus Control) - http://xiah.gamescampus.com/luncher/GamesCampus.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: avgrsstarter - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\avgrsstx.dll
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: COMODO Internet Security Helper Service (cmdAgent) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\COMODO\COMODO Internet Security\cmdagent.exe
O23 - Service: Google Software Updater (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: SecuROM User Access Service (V7) (UserAccess7) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\UAService7.exe

--
End of file - 6125 bytes

[jholland1964]

You are running TWO anti-virus programs and TWO firewalls...
AVG, Windows Firewall AND COMODO Internet Security which contains Firewall Protection & AntiVirus Software. That is an ABSOLUTE NO-NO and certainly could account for the freezing on the computer. If you have PAID for Comodo then keep it on there and Uninstall AVG and disable the Windows firewall, if you are running the FREE version then YOU choose what goes...AVG and Windows Firewall or Comodo. But before you do anything else you MUST do that. Then proceed with steps given by gerbil and download, install, update run and DO FIXES with MBA-M. REBOOT the computer. Upon reboot run a new HJT scan and save the log. Post back with both the MBA-M log and the new HJT log.

[gerbil]

When you prepare to install the new Comodo Security Service I believe it gives the option to install the firewall only. cmdagent.exe [plus the service] and cfp.exe are the firewall component of the Comodo Security Service. [I believe. Because vsn 3.0.25 works wonderfully I have stayed with it... it is the firewall alone, and I have those executables and the service].
If MABAM installation still freezes, try renaming the setup file to anything else. MAMBOstup.exe, frinstance.
This has showed up:
O4 - HKLM\..\Policies\Explorer\Run: [lSU3Jomu11] C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\uxqfgrcr\wzapevip.exe
It will start with windows... and deleting or fixing it will simply involve us with chasing our tails. It won't get a chance to start in Safe Mode; try running MBAM from there [safe mode with networking].