PC slow as heck and "quick format" will not complete

[sharuq]

Already tried cleaning with easy cleaner, ATF, scanned with avast (then removed avast), scanned with spybot, adaware, panda.... Not really sure what is going on. Hijack log posted.

[jholland1964]

Please go here and complete all steps as requested. Post back here with the requested logs.

May I inquire as to WHY you removed Avast? You have to have an onboard anti-virus program running at all times for protection. You also are not running a firewall, another must have today.

We need more information on the computer itself...hard drive size, how much RAM is installed.

Why did you do a quick format? Only use this option if your hard disk has been previously formatted and you are sure that your hard disk is not damaged.

[sharuq]

Installed AVG and did the stuff to it that it says to do on the read me dealie, hidden files are able to be viewed, restore is off, defender was already installed. Scanned with panda, bitdefender and kaspersky online and found nada. Safe mode scanned with spybot, adaware and avg, found nada. Also scanned with malicious remover deal and came up clean, as well as stinger and the ewido micro. Cleaned with ATF. Attached scan reports. Did not find anything in any of the scans. Kaspersky found some "vulnerabilities" in my word program but that is because it refuses to install the update on that particular thing.

Had Miro installed at one point and wonder if pieces of it are still there?

In response, I had zone alarm and avast installed, but noticed my pc was much slower while they were there and it looked like they were the cause, so that is why they were removed. It is definitely faster without them, however it is still slow and I am unsure why. Also, I did the quick format because I could not figure out what was wrong and that has helped several times in the past, so I was at a loss as to why it would not complete this time. It goes through the motions, then when it reboots it has the screen asking for recovery options and if you click nothing it stays on that screen, if you click r it reboots, then does this all over again.

Question: How do I get rid of my previous "selves" under documents and settings from quick formats and non-destructive recoveries? I have several files from past ones but it will not let me remove them. It won't let me remove "my old disk structures" either" and I see no reason for them to be there taking up space.

If anyone can help me that would be great. I don't know if it is some kind of spyware or...???? Thank you!!!

Edit: forgot to do defender in safe mode but will do that right now

[sharuq]

Just finished defender in safe mode, also came up clean

[jholland1964]

We need more information on the computer itself...hard drive size, how much RAM is installed.

Where is this requested info?

You have items disabled via msconfig, what are those items?
You are also running SpyBot TeaTimer, turn it off.
You have several programs auto starting when the computer starts up that are unnecessary and can be disabled. Some of these could be slowing things though I cannot be sure I really need to know the hard drive size, HOW MUCH FREE SPACE is remaining on the drive, how much RAM is installed on the computer.

OemReset
BigDogPath
QuickTime Task
SpybotSD TeaTimer
DAEMON Tools

[sharuq]

Where is this requested info?

You have items disabled via msconfig, what are those items?
You are also running SpyBot TeaTimer, turn it off.
You have several programs auto starting when the computer starts up that are unnecessary and can be disabled. Some of these could be slowing things though I cannot be sure I really need to know the hard drive size, HOW MUCH FREE SPACE is remaining on the drive, how much RAM is installed on the computer.

OemReset
BigDogPath
QuickTime Task
SpybotSD TeaTimer
DAEMON Tools

Sorry must have missed that part, I did not see it posted in the link.... I am trying to answer as best I can, but I really do not know what I am doing so please be patient. I really appreciate that, thx

Computer is a Cicero
Intel (R)
Pentium (R) 4 CPU 2.50 GHz
512 MB of RAM
Running XP Service Pack 2 Home Edition Version 2002
74.53 GB total main HD (48.7 GB free)
372.61GB total slave HD (371 Gb free)




"You have items disabled via msconfig, what are those items?" I was not aware I could disable things in msconfig.. I do not know what they are, other than safemode I have not fiddled with msconfig.. Everything looks like it is checked to me.... What kinds of things could this be? where would I find things that are disabled?? No idea

I don't know what OEM reset is, don't know what bigdog path is so that is why I left them in startup, tea timer was installed so as to prevent spyware/bad things installing themselves (ironic I guess..), daemon will go off the startup list.

Edit: took the oem reset and dog thing off startup. What are those anyway?


Why turn off tea timer? I thought it was a good thing Are you saying it is bad or that it can be slowing things? I am not disagreeing I am just one of those people that likes to know "why".

[jholland1964]

Resets OEM installation settings at bootup.
BigDogPath is a valid program that is bundled with many digital cameras that use a USB connection. The program is used to capture still shots from the camera, but it is not required to run at Start Up.

Why turn off tea timer? I thought it was a good thing

This program will constantly run on your computer in the background and notify you of any changes to system settings on your computer before they are allowed to happen. Now while this essentially is good, this means it will constantly or should at least give you notifications of changes made and ask if you wish to allow them.
Personally my recommendation is to use a program which doesn't wait until the change happens before notification but actually stops the change BEFORE it happens. TeaTimer tells you it happened and gives you the option for it to change it back. TeaTimer also can stop necessary fixes done by various anti-malware programs so if your computer is or does become infected by something you must turn this off before fixes can be done. This is why I recommend that you do NOT enable this part of the program. I recommend a program like SpywareBlaster which actually stops items from getting on the computer AND it DOES NOT run in the background and use necessary resources like TeaTimer does.

I have not fiddled with msconfig.

The entry in your log below shows that msconfig has been used to change start up of some items.
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto

[sharuq]

The entry in your log below shows that msconfig has been used to change start up of some items.
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto

What does this mean? How do I figure out what is changed/where to find whatever it is?

[jholland1964]

This is an entry that appears when you uncheck an item in the Startup group, and will disappear if on the next reboot you select the option to not be reminded that you are running in Selective Startup mode

Go into msconfig and choose Normal Start up. Reboot and run HJT again.

[sharuq]

I scanned with kaspersky again and it came up with a bunch of things it says are "locked". I may have missed this before as it said on top it was clean. It does not look "clean"....

I do not know how to fix these "locked" things or why they are locked.