Do I STOP Avast!4.8 when running other Malware programs?

[RodneyG]

Thanks to Frank for pointing me to other malware detection softwares! So far nothing found with the first 2 programs and my wife's computer still has brutally slow to no internet, but I appreciate working towards the solution very much!

Should I disengage Avast before running these other prgrams?
Will Avast in any way prevent these from finding anything?

Also any other suggestions for a possible reason that we have slow to no internet or email, but we have a great strong internet connection?

Thank you ALL!!

With respect and gratitude,

Rodney

[Lisandro]

Should I disengage Avast before running these other prgrams?

If avast is your main protection, i.e., if it is your antivirus resident, I wont disable it for nothing.

Will Avast in any way prevent these from finding anything?

No, it won't.

[RodneyG]

Thank you Tech...

Please any suggestions?

I have run Avast4.8, SuperAntiSpyware, A-Squared and Malwarebytes, each on FULL scan and although a few small things were found, nothing has changed my Internet speed/function or my Outlook availability.

I would be grateful for any insight or techniques.

THANK YOU!!

[Lisandro]

It's more than enough... your computer seems clean.
The slowness could due to few RAM available, few disk space with a high fragmented disk, something wrong configurated.
What do you think?

[RodneyG]

Blessings and thank you Texh for your time!

It's more than enough... your computer seems clean.

That is good to know. But something is keeping it from running properly.

The slowness could due to few RAM available, few disk space with a high fragmented disk, something wrong configurated.
What do you think?

Well... perhaps, but I know my wife's computer pretty well and this isn't just 'slow', it is sss....llll....OOOOOWWWWW until it times out. The disk does not need defrag acording to the analysis, there are very little files in relation to the disk size, the RAM is plenty for our work or always has been. (1G)
I have NOTHING running in the background other than the very basics. Literally nothing.

BTW.. All other programs, non-'online', are running fast and fine.
So I am open to any insight and experience and again I am grateful for your presence.

With Respect,

RodneyG

[Lisandro]

Vista or XP?

[YoKenny]

Post your wife's system HijackThis log:
http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10227353.html

It could be the number of things auto-starting.

By the way, 1GB is small for Vista.

[RodneyG]

Windows XP and thank you both~
Start-up? There is nothing but the BARE basics... so if it is the start-up, it is hidden.
This wasn't a slow or gradual shift in performance, but rather a sudden drop?
I have always kept my start-up clean and I check regularly if any new software is installed.

Blessings!!

CURRENT Hijack log run just one minute ago:


Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 5:15:26 PM, on 9/5/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16876)
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:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\a-squared Free\a2service.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ALCXMNTR.EXE
C:\HP\KBD\KBD.EXE
C:\windows\system\hpsysdrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=EN_US&c=Q105&bd=presario&pf=desktop
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iesearch&locale=EN_US&c=Q105&bd=presario&pf=desktop
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iesearch&locale=EN_US&c=Q105&bd=presario&pf=desktop
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iesearch&locale=EN_US&c=Q105&bd=presario&pf=desktop
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 Bar = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iesearch&locale=EN_US&c=Q105&bd=presario&pf=desktop
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\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=74005
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.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
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Recguard] C:\WINDOWS\SMINST\RECGUARD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PS2] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ps2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AlcxMonitor] ALCXMNTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KBD] C:\HP\KBD\KBD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [hpsysdrv] c:\windows\system\hpsysdrv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MI1933~1\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MI1933~1\OFFICE11\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: {0CCA191D-13A6-4E29-B746-314DEE697D83} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/2008.10.10_v5.5.8/FacebookPhotoUploader5.cab
O16 - DPF: {8100D56A-5661-482C-BEE8-AFECE305D968} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/2009.07.28_v5.5.8.1/FacebookPhotoUploader55.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O23 - Service: a-squared Free Service (a2free) - Emsi Software GmbH - C:\Program Files\a-squared Free\a2service.exe
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service (iPodService) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Unknown owner - c:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Intuit QuickBooks FCS (QBFCService) - Intuit Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\FCS\Intuit.QuickBooks.FCS.exe

--
End of file - 5795 bytes

[YoKenny]

Go to Add/Remove Programs and un-install vulnerable Adobe Acrobat 6.0.

Latest Adobe Acrobat is 9.1

WinXP SP3 has been available for over a year so you should go to Tools then Windows Update in Internet Explorer and install all updates as it provides performance enhancements and several Critical updates.

Go to Control panel then Automatic updates then enable at least Notify me but do not download updates.

Install User Profile Hive Cleanup Service:
Brief Description
A service to help with slow log off and unreconciled profile problems.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en

Install IE8 as it is faster and safer than IE7:
Stay Safer Online
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/features/safer.aspx
Accelerators
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/features/faster.aspx

Run Secunia Online Software Inspector to see what applications are vulnerable:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online

[RodneyG]

Thanks for the great information!!

In this case, I am certain that those applications will assist me greatly in efficiency AFTER I get my computer back to normal. I still need to figure out what is wrong with it.

We use it daily for shipping, online CC processing and many other functions so I know the difference in performance and I doubt this is something upgrade related as it was functioning beautifully yesterday. Perhaps? What do you think?

As stated in my other post, Service Pack 3 caused the bluse screen of death last year when I initally installed it and I have been reluctant to install it again.

I use adobe 9.1 for reading, but 6.0 for writing pdfs.

Many blessings and respect,

RodneyG

[mkis]

YoKenny offers good advice. My post is directed to your internet connection and concerns a fix that has proved successful for me. An infected computer was cleansed and the OS was re-installed with all programs / apps and user content returned to previous working order. But the computer wouldn't come right.

Symptoms - high cpu count in svchost.exe (NETWORK SERVICE) in Task Manager (right-click Taskbar at bottom of screen and select Task manager  > choose Processes). If trouble process was ended then computer comes right but problem would recur if turned off and restarted.


There is an automatic updates issue seems that Microsoft has only partially fixed. In particular where HP printer / scanner has been connected.
I noticed that you have hookup to HP systems.

Temporary solution -

http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_fix_this_high_cpu_usage_svchost_virus_or_whatever_it_is.html

I used the fix outlined under Another Temporary Solution -- toward the bottom of the page.
The fix is 'in the wild' - not certified - so be careful, make sure all looks proper, but should be okay.
You may need to access internet from another computer, but check temp fix of Processes in Task Manager first because this will let you hook up to web as you are accustomed to do.

I have run this fix on the computer for a week now and am about to reinstall the firewall as the last step in the repair, after which I will use the computer for today and return to owner tomorrow if all good (which I'm sure it will be).

[spg SCOTT]

Errm, just a side note, why the second thread

I would stick to one, make it easier for everyone...

[RodneyG]

Thank you Mkis, I appreciate your input and links! I will look into it right now.
I have added IE8 (still without SP3) and I added Hive Cleanup!
Still the same performance.

Errm, just a side note, why the second thread

I would stick to one, make it easier for everyone...

Thanks for the side note and I do understand you want the board to stay clean, I agree and appreciate that. The last thread can be closed if it helps. The dual thread wasn't intentional, it was a different topic that led back into this one with a question.

With respect and appreciation,

RodneyG

[mathboyx215]

Thank you Tech...

Please any suggestions?

I have run Avast4.8, SuperAntiSpyware, A-Squared and Malwarebytes, each on FULL scan and although a few small things were found, nothing has changed my Internet speed/function or my Outlook availability.

I would be grateful for any insight or techniques.

THANK YOU!!

I would recommend uninstalling a sqaured as it has alot of false positive and both malwarebytes and superantispyware have better detection rate.

[FreewheelinFrank]

Have you tried an alternative browser like Opera of Firefox?

Internet Exploder could be borked.