Member Avatar for Tony_Gee

Hi there,

I have been experiencing for some time now, this sort of "freezing" system, which is more like the HD is running and then, all of a sudden, if I try to click anywhere it just wouldn'r do it.... It's like I am clicking and it gets irresponsive. In fact, I've been able to sort this annoying situation by opening the Windows Task Manager (via the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys) - it shows that all processes are running and everything gets back to normal. However it keeps happening and it's such a pain....

Thanks for any help or assistance.

Hugs. Tony:-/

P.S. My laptop is a Toshiba L30

  • 4 Contributors
  • 6 Replies
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  • 1 Week Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Tony_Gee

Dani AI

Generated

This kind of intermittent "fake" freeze — clicks ignored until Task Manager is opened — usually means a UI thread or shell extension is getting blocked or a background task is temporarily monopolising CPU/IO. The fix is to find which component is blocking the UI, not just rely on Task Manager as a band‑aid. The suggestions from , and point in the right directions: check for a hung shell/add‑on, heavy web content, and run diagnostic tools.

Recommended diagnostic checklist (run these in order and record when the freeze happens):

  1. Try a clean boot (msconfig) or Safe Mode with Networking to see if the problem disappears. If it does, re-enable services/startup items in small groups to isolate the culprit.
  2. Use Process Explorer (Sysinternals) while reproducing the freeze: when it happens, switch to the tool and sort by CPU and/or inspect the selected process’ Threads and call stacks to find the blocked module.
  3. Check Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) for System/Application errors logged at the freeze times.
  4. Test disk and memory: schedule chkdsk /r and run a bootable memory test (memtest86+). Also check S.M.A.R.T. status with a disk utility.
  5. If freezes occur when browsing, test with a fresh browser profile or a different browser, disable toolbars/add‑ons, and use script/ad blockers to see if rich adverts/plugins are responsible.
  6. Use Autoruns (Sysinternals) to temporarily disable non‑Microsoft shell extensions and toolbars to see whether Explorer responsiveness improves.

If diagnostics point to a specific driver or third‑party shell extension, uninstall or update that component. Back up important data before running low‑level fixes. Because Windows XP is no longer supported, consider migrating to a supported OS after resolving the immediate fault.

Recommended Answers

All 6 Replies

Member Avatar for HoustonIT

Sounds like explorer is hanging. Do you have an antivirus solution installed? Have you run a virus scan and a spyware scan?

Member Avatar for Tony_Gee

Sounds like explorer is hanging. Do you have an antivirus solution installed? Have you run a virus scan and a spyware scan?

I do have AVG Free Edition at the moment (Antivirus) and another software called SUPERAntispyware (also a free edition). However, I do run them often and this very situation was already happening before installing this software. :icon_confused: I used to have a paid edition of Panda Antivirus 2008 (Platinum).

It just seems weird really. It's like something gets hold of the system, hijacks/seizes it - like I explained initially, once I open the Windows Task Manager and then close it again, it all gets back to normal.:icon_eek:

I just wonder what it could possibly be...:confused:

Regards. T

Member Avatar for MidiMagic

The problem is greedy web advertising with moving pictures that takes the entire CPU time. By the time you get the task manager open, the ad has quit.

Member Avatar for Tony_Gee

The problem is greedy web advertising with moving pictures that takes the entire CPU time. By the time you get the task manager open, the ad has quit.

:S Is it? Oh my Gosh... Would there be any way of overcoming those obstacles, though? Because the thing is that, if I do not open the task manager nothing will change at all...:confused:

But what you just said makes lots of sense to me. Thanks for your input.

Hugs. Tony:cool:

Member Avatar for Merlin33069

do you have hijackthis? it might help to determine what the error is

Member Avatar for Tony_Gee

do you have hijackthis? it might help to determine what the error is

Yes, mate, I do have hijackthis... Should I post its results here? I tell you what I'll do. I'm posting it here now and then would you please check it out for me? Otherewise, would you please let me know where I should post it so that someone could take a glimpse at it and tell me what to do to sort this fuss out?

Thanks a lot for that. Hugs. Tony ;)

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 10:04:32, on 11/05/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16640)
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\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\acs.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\ConfigFree\CFSvcs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\DVDRAMSV.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
C:\Program Files\SPAMfighter\sfus.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\TODDSrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\SearchIndexer.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Atheros\ACU.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\SPAMfighter\SFAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
C:\Program Files\Desktop sem fio Labtec\MagicKey.exe
C:\Program Files\Desktop sem fio Labtec\MulMouse.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Desktop Search\WindowsSearch.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YahooMessenger.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\usnsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.savewealth.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://g.
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL =
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 =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://g.
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = http://www.savewealth.com/support/ie6/welcome.html
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Skype add-on (mastermind) - {22BF413B-C6D2-4d91-82A9-A0F997BA588C} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! IE Services Button - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\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
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\2.0.301.7164\swg.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Toolbar Helper - {BDBD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live Toolbar\msntb.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Windows Live Toolbar - {BDAD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live Toolbar\msntb.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\yt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O3 - Toolbar: MEDIADICO Familial - {CEDDA62B-5FBE-4AB2-AE2E-5E069F444444} - C:\Program Files\LAventure\MDToolbar\MdToolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ACU] "C:\Program Files\Atheros\ACU.exe" -nogui
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SPAMfighter Agent] "C:\Program Files\SPAMfighter\SFAgent.exe" update delay 60
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SUPERAntiSpyware] C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [RssReader] C:\Program Files\RssReader\RssReader.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
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: Activar o desktop sem fio Labtec.lnk = C:\Program Files\Desktop sem fio Labtec\MagicKey.exe
O4 - Global Startup: RAMASST.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Windows Desktop Search.lnk = C:\Program Files\Windows Desktop Search\WindowsSearch.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &MSN Search - res://C:\Program Files\MSN Toolbar Suite\msntb.dll/search.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Search - ?p=ZNfox000
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Windows Live Search - res://C:\Program Files\Windows Live Toolbar\msntb.dll/search.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Yahoo! Search - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycsrch.htm
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: Encarta &Definition -
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &Dictionary - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycdict.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &Maps - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycmap.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &SMS - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycsms.htm
O9 - Extra button: Blog This - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Blog This in Windows Live Writer - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {474F00F5-3853-492C-AC3A-476512BBC336} (UploadListView Class) -
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O23 - Service: Atheros Configuration Service (ACS) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\acs.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: ConfigFree Service (CFSvcs) - TOSHIBA CORPORATION - C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\ConfigFree\CFSvcs.exe
O23 - Service: DVD-RAM_Service - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\DVDRAMSV.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: PT Wifi Service (PtWifiService) - - c:\program files\pt\sapo adsl fora de casa\ptwifiservice.exe
O23 - Service: SPAMfighter Update Service - SPAMfighter ApS - C:\Program Files\SPAMfighter\sfus.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
O23 - Service: TOSHIBA Optical Disc Drive Service (TODDSrv) - TOSHIBA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\TODDSrv.exe

--
End of file - 9743 bytes

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