Expert: Brian Benosky - 4/27/2009

Question
QUESTION: hello, i have a p4 dell machine and running windows XP. but it seems to be running very slow. even after formatting and reinstalling the Operating  System. i want to know if it is a virus. and can you help me with a good antivirus. i use mcafee before, free download though but i hear it rather makes the machine slower. please can it also be my memory? i have a 256RAm. thank you in advance.

ANSWER: Hi Hope

Yes, 256 MB is a bare minimum for XP.  You can definitely speed things up by increasing the RAM, but let's first check for malware.  Please download HijackThis to your desktop from here:
http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/_download/HJTInstall.exe
Make sure you close EVERY open window and ALL browser windows. The only thing that should be open is the HijackThis program.
Double-click on the file you just downloaded.
Click on the "Install" button.
Upon install, HijackThis should open for you.
Should it not open, go to C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis and double click on HijackThis.exe
Choose 'Do a system scan and save a log file'.
Copy the text file which opens in Notepad and paste it in your follow-up.
   * Do not fix any entries in HijackThis, as they may be harmless

Brian

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 1:23:21 PM, on 4/25/2009
Platform: Windows XP  (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)
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:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\McAfee\Common Framework\UdaterUI.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\LaunchApplication.exe
C:\WINDOWS\vsnpstd3.exe
C:\Program Files\Vuze\Azureus.exe
C:\Program Files\McAfee\Common Framework\McTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\McAfee\Common Framework\FrameworkService.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
C:\Program Files\PC Connectivity Solution\ServiceLayer.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\ymsgr_tray.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.toggle.com/index.php?rvs=hompag
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.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
O2 - BHO: SingleInstance Class - {FDAD4DA1-61A2-4FD8-9C17-86F7AC245081} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\YTSingleInstance.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [McAfeeUpdaterUI] "C:\Program Files\McAfee\Common Framework\UdaterUI.exe" /StartedFromRunKey
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCSuiteTrayApplication] C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\LaunchApplication.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [snpstd3] C:\WINDOWS\vsnpstd3.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [Nokia.PCSync] C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\PcSync2.exe /NoDialog (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [Nokia.PCSync] C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\PcSync2.exe /NoDialog (User 'Default user')
O4 - Startup: Vuze.lnk = C:\Program Files\Vuze\Azureus.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Related - {c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a} - C:\WINDOWS\web\related.htm
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links - {c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a} - C:\WINDOWS\web\related.htm
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: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Framework Service (McAfeeFramework) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\Common Framework\FrameworkService.exe
O23 - Service: ServiceLayer - Nokia. - C:\Program Files\PC Connectivity Solution\ServiceLayer.exe

--
End of file - 4438 bytes


ANSWER: Hi Hope

There are no big issues with your log file, aside from needing to run Windows Updates to download the latest service packs and security fixes.  So before you do that, I suggest installing more RAM.  Let me know the Dell model you have so I can check which type of RAM you need and how much you can install.  After installing the RAM, it will be a lot easier and faster to run the updates.  I do recommend using Avast, which you are doing.  But you should run the McAfee removal tool, because there are still traces of the program running unnecessarily.  The tool can be downloaded from here:
http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe


Brian

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: HEllo Sir, after installing the trace removal, it say, there is still Mcafee product running. and that i should contact technical support. Please what do i do? My computer is a Dell Optiplex GX 240. (about the type of memory i should use)

Thank you.


Answer
Hi Hope

I suggest upgrading the RAM first, then we can worry about getting rid of McAfee.  As for the RAM, you can increase memory up to 1 gigabyte by using SDRAM.  There are 2 DIMM sockets, so you should purchase 2 512 KB modules such as these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220138
So for about $56.00 (free shipping) you will greatly increase the  memory and speed of your Dell.  Let me know if you need instructions for installing the memory.

Brian