Computer/Internet Help Please!

[Jesse and Hema 2]

Wow! That's a WHOLE lotta ####### you have on there. That poor HP is prolly wheezing.

Ok, here's where ya gotta start....

Delete Yahoo search/toolbar. That thing is a piece of #######, and is spyware.

You have both Norton (Symantec) and McAfee on your computer. What's up with that? Norton is evil. Did it come preinstalled on your PC? If so, it's gonna be a bear to remove. ie: if you reformat and reinstall using your recovery CD, it's gonna be right on there again.

So, here are the ones to check for "Fix":

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe

C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {1E8A6170-7264-4D0F-BEAE-D42A53123C75} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\coShared\Browser\1.7\NppBho.dll

O3 - Toolbar: Show Norton Toolbar - {90222687-F593-4738-B738-FBEE9C7B26DF} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\coShared\Browser\1.7\UIBHO.dll

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe"

(The one above checks to make sure that Yahoo is your default homepage. If it isn't, it gets rather pissed. Make it go away!)

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"

O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedC...n/bin/cabsa.cab

O16 - DPF: {6A344D34-5231-452A-8A57-D064AC9B7862} (Symantec Download Manager) - https://webdl.symantec.com/activex/symdlmgr.cab

O23 - Service: Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec Lic NetConnect service (CLTNetCnService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe

O23 - Service: COM Host (comHost) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\VAScanner\comHost.exe

O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE

O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe

There's a whole bunch of stuff that will be in the Registry, but that's a pretty advanced procedure, and the risk of screwing up Windows is high, so I recommend people fix the registry only if a) they know what they're doing, and 2) they're desperate.

Basically, avoid any and all search bars. They aren't doing it to help you out....they're offering them to you so they can track what you search for and where you go. ie: spyware.

And I just gotta say....I always thought Dell laptops were bad, but HP blows Dell away as far as the sheer amount of SH!T that is installed on there! That poor laptop has so much stuff on it, I'm surprised it boots up in less than 5 minutes!

Looks like PlatyPius beat me to it. (Thanks, PlatyPius). Nothing horribly bad in the log, as I was expecting.

Do you use the Comcast Toolbar? Might want to "fix" that one too:

O2 - BHO: Comcast Toolbar - {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-93BE-BE2DF4D9AE29} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMCAS~1\COMCAS~1.DLL

[reeses16 8]

I know right, it is a lot of stuff! Thank you so much for your advice. I'm about to take my hubby to class; I will make the corrections when I get back. And let you know how it goes.

I feel like a real idiot for having Norton...I bought it on Tue when I was trying to fix my problem. Only to find that Comcast offers one free. I had a prepetual McAfee program from a school I attended. I got the Norton one because I didn't think McAfee was doing anything, the version I have doesn't have an on demand scan...or at least its not easy to locate.

-DA

[reeses16 8]

okay. I'm still struggling. I've run Hijack this 3 times. I made the suggestions you and Jesse G made, including removing the comcast tool bar. I ran Hijack this 3 times because all of the stuff that includes Symantec won't delete. But, symantec is the program/company that does Norton and you said that would be difficult to remove.

I also ran CWShredder- it didn't find anything.

I was looking through my programs list to see what I could delete to make my PC run faster and what looks like it may not belong. And found a few things:

1. Wild Tangent Web Driver - 1.05MB

2. Customer Experience Enhancemnt- size not listed

3. Divx- .32MB

4. HP Customer Participation Program- 301.00MB

5. Gem Master Mystic - 5.24

6. ISI Research Soft- Export Helper- size not listed

7. J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 update- 152.00MB

8. Java 6 Upgrade 3- 133.00MB

9.Otto- size not listed

10. Netwaiting- 4.88MB

1,3,5,9- I'm thinking I should uninstall these but I'm not really sure about the others. Just wanted to double check before I proceed.

[PlatyPius 5]

okay. I'm still struggling. I've run Hijack this 3 times. I made the suggestions you and Jesse G made, including removing the comcast tool bar. I ran Hijack this 3 times because all of the stuff that includes Symantec won't delete. But, symantec is the program/company that does Norton and you said that would be difficult to remove.

I also ran CWShredder- it didn't find anything.

I was looking through my programs list to see what I could delete to make my PC run faster and what looks like it may not belong. And found a few things:

1. Wild Tangent Web Driver - 1.05MB

2. Customer Experience Enhancemnt- size not listed

3. Divx- .32MB

4. HP Customer Participation Program- 301.00MB

5. Gem Master Mystic - 5.24

6. ISI Research Soft- Export Helper- size not listed

7. J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 update- 152.00MB

8. Java ™ 6 Upgrade 3- 133.00MB

9.Otto- size not listed

10. Netwaiting- 4.88MB

1,3,5,9- I'm thinking I should uninstall these but I'm not really sure about the others. Just wanted to double check before I proceed.

I would leave #3 (DivX video player) and delete #2 & #4.

HP Customer Participation Program software causing memory leak

April 16th, 2007 by Jabez Gan [MVP] A Microsoft MVP reported that a file hppusg.exe is causing a memory leak, which can use as much memory as 800MB or 900MB.

A research on the file hppusg.exe reveals that this file is used by HP for HP Customer Participation Program. It is saved under the directory of C:\Program Files\HP\HP UT\bin

Based on HP website,

"Cause: The hppusg.exe is the HP Customer Participation Program software that the user has opted to install. It does not affect printing or HP Toolbox FX functionality."

Any other users having this memory leak (from this program)? If yes, post back!

I'll be restoring back to my default factory state for my HP Tx1000 and enable HP Customer Participation Program, in the next few weeks to see if I'm having the same memory leak.

Thanks to Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP for this report.

Update: It seems that a combination of this HP Customer Participation Program and HP Toolbox are causing the problem. A minimum installation of drivers should solve this issue.

As for our friend "Wild Tangent".....

What is Wild Tangent?

Wild Tangent is a video game software company specializing in online games. It has even made a partnership with AOL to include itself as part of the AOL Instant Messenger for their AIM games section. The WildTangent Web Driver is their technology that allows you to play 3D games over the Internet. Although its not technically considered spyware it does have built in components to update itself and gather information about the computer system including

* Operating System Version

* CPU Type and Speed

* Memory Amount

* Video Card type and Driver Version

* Sound Card type and Driver Version

* DirectX Version

* Location that the Web Driver was installed from

How do I Remove WildTangent?

Since WildTangent loads into the Windows Control Panel its a little more difficult to remove then some items. Follow the directions below to remove it or click on the link further down the page to download an automatic removal tool from the makers of WildTangent.

Manual Removal of Wild Tangent

1) Click on Start, Settings, Control Panel

2) Double-click on Add/Remove Programs

3) Click on the WildTangent selection and Change/Remove, Uninstall, or Add/Remove depending on the operating system. Then follow the onscreen prompts to remove the WT Driver.

4) Now run Hijackthis and fix or Remove the following line (if it exists)

04 - HKLM\..\Run: [WildTangent CDA] RUNDLL32.exe "C:\Program Files\WildTangent\Apps\CDA\cdaEngine0400.dll",cdaEngineMain

You may also have to use Hijackthis and remove the above line if you receive the following error message after using a spyware removal product to try to remove WildTangent

Error Loading C:\Program Files\WildTangent\apps\CDA\cdaEngine0400dll

This specified module could not be found

Follow the rest of these steps if the Control Panel icon or WildTangent folders still remain.

5) Remove the Wild Tangent Driver from the Control Panel if it still exists

* Click on Start, Run and type REGEDIT and press Enter

* Click on the Plus signs (+) next to the following sections

o HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

o SOFTWARE

o Microsoft

o Windows

o CurrentVersion

o Control Panel

o Cpls

* In the right hand column find the line for wtControlPanel, right click on it and Delete it

* Close the Windows Registry

6) Delete the WildTangent folder in Program Files and Windows

* Open My Computer

* Double-click on Drive C

* Double-click on Program Files

* Right-click on WildTangent and choose Delete (if the folder exists)

* Go back to Drive C and double-click on Windows

* Right-click on the WT folder and choose Delete (if the folder exists)

[reeses16 8]

Okay, great. I will delete 1, 5, 9, 2, & 4 and see if that helps. Thanks for the info on the two programs.

I was reading over the list of suggestions that VJers made. Do you think adding the firefox browser and deleting IE7 would be a step in the right direction if removing those programs doesn't work?

If worst comes to worts could I do a system restore point of last week Monday instead of restoring to its orginal configuration?

[PlatyPius 5]

I would definitely install Firefox and use it, but you can't delete IE7. IE is part of Windows Explorer (ie: My Computer, My Documents, etc). Hence the monopoly charges against Microsoft a few years ago.

Just don't click on IE; use Firefox instead. If you use Windows Update (manually), you HAVE to use IE or it won't let you use it. Otherwise, I have all of my IE buttons/links/icons removed. That's how much I hate it.

[mychelle 1]

go to Lavasoft Forum:

http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showforum=36

(the site is down today but it should be back up soon.)

and follow instructions on HiJackThis Logs instructions and wait for a response.

The admins will tell you the specific steps for your PC. I had the same problem. My computer is back to normal and more secure (i asked for suggestions on how to keep it secure).

[reeses16 8]

PlatyPius,

I installed firefox. But I have the same problem I did in IE7. I think its time I accept defeat and just do a complete system restore. Its probably for the best since my Windows Updates will no longer download and install.

I backed my files on my external hard drive, is it safe to move them back to my PC after system restore? Just scan it first?

My plan is to:

1. Do a system restore

2. Set my firewalls and wireless internet settings

3. Go to my add programs and remove the ones we already discussed

4. Download firefox

5. Download and install Windows Updates (Windows XP Media Center)

6. Reinstall Norton Antivirus ( I don't have access to MacAfee Again)

7. Reinstall Spybot

8. Reinstall Hijack this

9. Add other software (Adobe, MS Office, STATA, Endnotes, etc)

Mychelle,

Thanks for the link. I posted my log there. I'm waiting for a response. But given all the problems, I think starting over is probably the way to go.

[Marilyn. 340]

I think so too

I would also recommend getting a firewall...

I really like Comodo... it is free and Zone Labs offers a pretty good free firewall too...

i really don't like Norton (it takes over the computer ) but AVG is pretty good and it is free

Edited January 5, 2008 by MarilynP

[reeses16 8]

Yeah! Everything is running pretty well now. Almost have all of my software added. So far I really like Firefox. One thing though, I can't read Amharic Words. My hubby likes to visit this site http://www.addisadmass.com/ in IE7 the characters show up, but they don't in Firefox. Any suggestions?

Thanks again! I really appreciate everyone's help!

-DA

[mychelle 1]

you should check to see if they've responded. i highly recommend that you follow their steps. it's very helpful although you might have to wait a while for a response. Lavasoft works this way...you post your problem with a HiJackThis log...they give you the first solution..then you post your latest HiJackThis log...then the next solution and you again post the LOGS they requested...and so on and so forth...depending on your problem. i think your problem is very simple and can be easily resolved. i had more problems than you and mine only took 2 steps (downloading Combofix and other cleanup softwares). i tried starting over too and trying to delete everything but the bug is embedded in your registry and that needs to be tweaked. good luck on that though.