Windows Explorer keeps closing

[redking193]

So my idiot friend sends me a game to install. He assures me that there aren't any viruses, yet as soon as I install the game windows explorer keeps like flickering. My screen will completely blank for like 3 seconds and then back to normal. This happens roughly every 30 seconds. Eventually windows explorer will just close and won't restart. Here's my hijackthis log:

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\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\Shared files\RichVideo.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Common\ViewpointService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\BCMSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD8\PDVD8Serv.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\ToolBoxFX\bin\HPTLBXFX.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG7\avgwb.dat
C:\PROGRA~1\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\HiJackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\imapi.exe

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,ProxyOverride = *.local
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IMJPMIG8.1] "C:\WINDOWS\IME\imjp8_1\IMJPMIG.EXE" /Spoil /RemAdvDef /Migration32
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PHIME2002ASync] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\TINTLGNT\TINTSETP.EXE /SYNC
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PHIME2002A] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\TINTLGNT\TINTSETP.EXE /IMEName
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BCMSMMSG] BCMSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GrooveMonitor] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl8] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD8\PDVD8Serv.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PDVD8LanguageShortcut] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD8\Language\Language.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] "C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ToolBoxFX] "C:\Program Files\HP\ToolBoxFX\bin\HPTLBXFX.exe" /enum:on /alerts:on /notifications:on /systrayIcon:on /fl:on /fr:on /appData:on
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Aim6] "C:\Program Files\AIM6\aim6.exe" /d locale=en-US ee://aol/imApp
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Vidalia] "C:\Program Files\Vidalia Bundle\Vidalia\vidalia.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: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'Default user')
O4 - Startup: OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Privoxy.lnk = C:\Program Files\Vidalia Bundle\Privoxy\privoxy.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.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
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1206247512750
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - https://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\GR99D3~1.DLL
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.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: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\CyberLink\Shared files\RichVideo.exe
O23 - Service: Viewpoint Manager Service - Viewpoint Corporation - C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Common\ViewpointService.exe

--
End of file - 6551 bytes

Anyone have an idea what's wrong. Please please please help.

[steven woodman]

have you uninstalled the game?

[redking193]

Yes. The problem remains

[steven woodman]

ok, try running you pc in safe mode and running a virus scan with whatever software you use for security. To run in safe mode press f8 while booting (in the black screen before windows boots)

[redking193]

I tried running safe mode but it seems to happen there too and all I got was a black screen telling me that it was running in safe mode

I've run AVG and it doesn't come up with anything.

[steven woodman]

how new is you pc, maybe try updating drivers.

And try downloading a trial of bitdefender, and running scan with it. remember to disable avg before doing this or conflict could occur. I find bitdefender and kaspersky to be the best antivirus/internet security programs.

[redking193]

I'm running kaspersky now, but interesting thing that happened...when explorer.exe finally crapped out for good I decided to restart it manually and now it's completely stable. Anyone know why that would happen?

[steven woodman]

Have you restarted you pc since restarting explorer?

[redking193]

No. I'm backing up my files at the moment and running every virus check I can think of.

[steven woodman]

good call, a lot of people forget to backup. btw is your version of windows updated to sp2?

[redking193]

Yes

[steven woodman]

There are many things which has caused windows explorer to crash. because you said the screen flickered i assume it is a problem with video drivers or maybe direct x. update your video drivers and install the latest version of direct x compatible with your video hardware. possibly 9.0, 9.0c, or 10.