Help computa actin funky after a few hours!

[searching4sanity]

hi I'm new blah blah blah

My OS is Windows XP
I use Firefox.
I do not need to defrag I have enough free space not too.
I do share a network ( wireless internet) with two other computers but they do not share data of any sort.
I just installed AVAST a couple of weeks ago. I used to have the Free Avg antivirus program. (which is no longer free as to why I installed avast.) I am new at Avast. So I don't know much about the program.
I also have "Spybot search and destroy" and Ad-aware SE Personal

Also installed Spyware terminator, CCleaner (Registry cleaner), AntiVir Guard recently.

OK my problem for several days is after a few hours or even if I leave the computer on for a long period of time.   It starts not just to freeze but acting funky. As in The screen saver isn't on and taskbar goes to the top and will not go down. I try to click on start and the menu goes down then back and most of the time the menu is in the classic theme for windows. I try to start it by using the shut down on the menu and it wont let me. I cant click on the menu options most of the time meaning one time I actually got it to restart the computer safely. I also cant click on anything else it just starts acting funky. I usually have to reboot manually meaning by turning of of the computer with turn off button on the PC. I've ran avast several times plus all the programs above that benefit protecting my computer. They do not pick up anything that is a threat to my computer. I already tried going to trend micro to do the housecall free scan on-line. It starts to scan and after maybe about 10 mins. after it scans for spyware/grayware it stops (pausing or the browser for housecall disappears). Also It stops and the housecall page disappears when it is scanning files and folders too. Disappearing meaning acting like I closed the browser window. Also it closes other browser windows if they are up when this happens. I've tried doing the T M HouseCall online antivirus scanner 5 times now and it keeps stopping and the  browser window closes.
I am not really sure why its doing this. However I'm having an issue also with my email I keep getting spam which has been going on for 2 months now. I keep blocking it and more of it keeps coming, so I'm thinking perhaps I'm getting phishing. I am wondering if that has anything to do with my computer actting up. I think accidentally I might have opened a few of the spam emails. My email account is yahoo. I also have yahoo messenger and I have a myspace account. I'm thinking any of these most likely contributed to my computer acting up.
I'm also wondering if I accidentally deleted somethings from my OS that is need to run windows functionally from the CCleaner. Which could also be the issue.
Anyway all in all again like I've said nothing I've done has shown or removed the problems I've been having. I would also like to mention I downloaded but quickly uninstalled "hackthis" which I really don't know what its for. Call it an act of desperation I guess. I think I got it from download.com but I'm not sure. Thats about all I can think of for any questions for future reference....

Could someone please help me or tell me where to go cause I don't know what the hell I'm doing anymore. I'm completely frustrated!

One more thing before all of this started happening I first started getting blank screens either white or light blue. 

[FreewheelinFrank]

Hi searching4sanity,

First of all AVG is still free: you just need to get version 7.5- 7.1 is now discontinued.

Second, if you have AntiVir and avast! on your system, they will conflict and cause problems. Decide which AV you prefer, stick with that one and uninstall any others. See if the problems persist.

Yahoo! has a spam/virus filter: make sure this is turned on.

[searching4sanity]

Hi searching4sanity,

First of all AVG is still free: you just need to get version 7.5- 7.1 is now discontinued.

Second, if you have AntiVir and avast! on your system, they will conflict and cause problems. Decide which AV you prefer, stick with that one and uninstall any others. See if the problems persist.

Yahoo! has a spam/virus filter: make sure this is turned on.

Thanks for the info on avg.
I know  the antivirus programs can conflict but this problem still was happening before I installed Antivir and spyware terminator or anyother av prog. Meaning avast was not picking up any threats. Also yes my spam/virus  filter is always on. and yes I will stick to one av prog and uninstall the rest.  But still i would like some more help on this issue. Because i know that sticking with one av prog  will not solve my issue with my computa.

[Lisandro]

I know  the antivirus programs can conflict

It's not can but will[/i] conflict.

Meaning avast was not picking up any threats.

avast is not perfect (neither of other antivirus is), but adding a new resident antivirus will only mess your computer.

Because i know that sticking with one av prog  will not solve my issue with my computa.

But we can't know exactly what is happening if you don't have just one antivirus working without conflicts.

[Spiritsongs]

  Hi :

    You MAY have an adware/spyware/trojan problem !? To adequately check this, AFTER
    COMPLETELY REMOVING ALL antiVIRUS PROGRAMS BUT 1, and since Ad-Aware & Spybot
    are not the best antispyware/antitrojan programs at this point in time, I recommend using
    AVG Antispyware ( formerly known as "Ewido" ) from www.ewido.net  AND/OR the FREE
    version of "SUPERantispyware" from www.superantispyware.com .

[searching4sanity]

ok I've uninstalled but one (antivir) then I uninstalled that after i installed the new free verison of avg. I've also installed avg anti-spyware. If after I've used both these programs and the problem is still not fixed i'll come back here.

[Lisandro]

ok I've uninstalled but one (antivir) then I uninstalled that after i installed the new free verison of avg. I've also installed avg anti-spyware. If after I've used both these programs and the problem is still not fixed i'll come back here.

Well, after all this is avast forum and you're not an avast user  :'( :'(

[DavidR]

I would say the better combination is avast and avg anti-spyware.

[searching4sanity]

OK, I've scanned my my computer with both Avg antivirus and AVG anti-spyware. I still see no threat detected in the anti-virus scan BUT when I ran the anti-spyware, it detected malware in the C:\WINDOWS\system32 location called Downloader.IstBar (considered high risk) which is in quarantine now. Now whether or not this is an infection everythings to be finally OK. I'll run the anti-spyware test again just to make sure.
I notice that AVG anti-spyware is only free as a trial so far. I think someone mentioned some other anti-spyware prog. So I'll look into it. But I'm still open ears to anyother free anti-spyware progs that are recommended
Also, I still think Avast! is much more beneficial than the AVG anti-virus program. The problem is is that I'm a novice at it. I think the problem is (which I cant remember the exact names) email scanner, WebSheild, the IM protection, etc. where you customize everything in the AVAST! program. If this is way off topic in this topic, I'll just try to find it on topics that already exist on the support forum but that is if there is any.

 I was pretty frustrated even desperate (hence why I installed more than one program before I came here). Thank you all for helping me out on this issue.

[DavidR]

The trial version of avg-as last 30 days, then you lose the resident functions and auto updates and it reverts to the free program version so you don't nee to go hunting.

[searching4sanity]

The trial version of avg-as last 30 days, then you lose the resident functions and auto updates and it reverts to the free program version so you don't nee to go hunting.

Funny you should mention that. I must be compeletely oblivious for the past few days because I just went to grisoft and read that when I saw AVG anti-spyware free. And also I saw where I clicked on download free verison. 

[searching4sanity]

Still picking up spam on my email account and yes my spam blocker is on. Now can anyone tell me if there is a solution to this. I know avast has some sort of email protection. If avast solves this kind of problem I have no idea how to set it up for yahoo email or anyother one. Like I said I dont know that much about avast!. I'm switching back to it but I really would like to know how (if possible) I could use avast! to stop this spam. I reseve spam everyday. It's subject titles are the type of emails that try to get me to open it. Meaning false advertising and advertising that I did not sign up for. I'm wondering if I have phishing. If so I hope avast! can get rid of it. I always put spam in the bulk folder yet more keeps coming sometimes 8 times a day. This has never happen before. So when I install avast again and I still dont know how to set up things to protect my internet and computer could I please get some assistance or can I be pointed in the right direction for a fast way to get an answer to solve my problem please?

[FreewheelinFrank]

The avast! scanner is automatically set up to check incoming e-mails for viruses, however it won't help with spam.

Recently a lot of spam is being sent using text images to avoid detection. Sometimes up to four a day get through my BTYahoo! junk filter, out of about 100 spam messages a day. I view e-mails on my BT homepage and delete these junk emails on the server before they are downloaded to my computer.

If you find the spam that gets through contains text images, then probably any spam filter will have problems detecting it.

If the spam is too much of a problem, you could change your e-mail address and be careful not to let the new address fall into the hands of the spammers. Mind you, this is hard to avoid if one of your contacts is infected with a virus, because your e-mail address is on their computer so gets stolen.

[searching4sanity]

So far so good. Everything seems back to normal. except programs still or the interenet browser seems to load a lil bit slower sometimes.... My internet speed is fine. I've defraged but I'm going to run my register cleaner just in case but still i would like some ideas what may cause this slower loading or opening programs aswell as the internet. Frequently a dial up connection window pops up when trying to click on another link or go to anopther website. I had some one install a better wireless router and (with net gear that is plugged in the usb outlet (looks like a thumb drive.) I was thinking though as he was setting it up he might of set it up wrong and didnt take the settings for dial up off. Again I have wireless internet and the window pops up (asking for a passowrd to connect for dial up) even thoug my wireless internet speed is great and no disconnevcting problems.I usually click cancel and it goes away when the dial up window comes up.

Now about the spam. I happen to change my password to see if any of the spam would stop being sewnt to my email. And when I did this, i noticed fewer spam now. Still a few but not alot. I was told to change my password before on anopther internet account (not email)  because I was receiving phishing. Even though I have most of the spam is gone. I am comfused with the kind of spam i still have. ITs really trying to get me to open it. I thought firefox, or registry cleaner would help provent that but i would like to know exactly how a person get to be a target for spam or phishing. So i can try to avoid it as much has possible.

Also though I have avast! and avg antispyware (and no other anti virus or anti spyware prog). Should i still consider keeping ad-aware se personal? ...or would it be pointless?

[FreewheelinFrank]

If you're getting too much spam, you'll need to change your email address.

Spam arrives at your email address for several reasons:

1) You use a real name as an address. Spammers try ever combination of first and second name, so if your email address is joebloggs@hotmail.com, it will get spammed.

2) Spammers collect email addresses from web pages. If you post your email address on you homepage, a forum on the internet like this one, or any other page, you will get spammed.

3) spammers collect eamil addresses from infected computers. If your friends computer is infected and you send or have sent them an email, you will get spammed.

Go to your ISP's homepage and view your account settings- make sure the junk mail filter is turned on.

I've noticed the dial-up pop-up on a broadband connection after installing IE7- even on this computer which has never had a dial-up connection. It may also be that your connection is not set up correctly.

Try running TuneUp Utilities 2007- it has a free trial. There is a registry cleaner which may help, also an internet connection optimiser- make sure your connection is optimised for your connection speed.

Ad-Aware doesn't take up any resources so you can keep it and run a scan every couple of months as a double check.