multiple instances of internet super annoying need help plz

I'm not sure if this is a spyware problem. Some questions:
1) What OS?
2) What game are you playing when it happens?
3) Does it ever happen when not playing that game?
4) If Firefox is your default browser, have you tried changing IE to be the default browser just to see if the problem goes with the browser? If it does, it could be a problem with the game application.

 

Is it only FireFox windows that open or did the same happen with IE?

Please follow all the steps in this Sticky thread < READ ME FIRST: Basic Spyware, Trojan And Virus Removal >

If you already have any of the programs linked in the tutorial please double check your version to make sure you have the latest one and that you have any/all updates for the programs.

NOTE: In order to resolve the issues you are having it is very important that you at least try to perform all the steps as outlined. If you have any difficulty please post back letting us know what steps you have completed, what you found while doing the scans if anything and details about any problems you have encountered in completing the steps. The more details you can provide the better.

 

Okay make sure you have HJT version 1.98.2 and post a log as a .txt file attachment. Make sure no games are running when you do this.

 

I did not notice anything bad in your log. Post another HJT log when the problem has occurred and is still happening.

I don't see anything strange in the processes list could we try it again after changing some options?

Also in the meantime:
Download ProcessExplorer from: http://www.sysinternals.com/files/procexpnt.zip

From now on if I say to kill a process, use ProcessExplorer instead of Task Manager. Sometimes ProcessExplorer can kill things (and show things) that Task Manager cannot.

Unzip it and now run ProcessExplorer. Then click View and select "Show Lower Pane". And where it says "Lower Pane View" make sure DLL's is checked. Now click on explorer.exe. Now also under the View menu choose "Select columns" and put a check mark on "Image Path".

Click on File and then Save As. And save the process list. Post it back here as an attachment.
After this leave ProcessExplorer running and run one of your games and when the problem occurs save a process list again and post it. (NOTE: you will need to change the file name each time of the process list or you will not be able to upload it. Duplicate file name uploads are not accepted.)

 

Okay I'll change the order of the steps and reword it.


- Unzip it and now run ProcessExplorer.
- Then click View and select "Show Lower Pane".
- Under View where it says "Lower Pane View" make sure DLL's is checked.
- Now also under the View menu choose "Select columns" and put a check mark on "Image Path".
- Now in the Process list column you need to find explorer.exe (this is running on every Windows PC. It is your system shell.) When you find it click on it.
- Now click on File and then Save As. And save the process list. Post it back here as an attachment.

After this leave ProcessExplorer running and run one of your games and when the problem occurs save a process list again and post it. (NOTE: you will need to change the file name each time of the process list or you will not be able to upload it. Duplicate file name uploads are not accepted.)

 

I cannot see anything strange here from the logs we have.

Question: Is this Taskswitch item something you installed and use?
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CoolSwitch] C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe

Do you use Messenger or MSN Messenger?

Try shutting down Messenger or uninstalling it if not used.

 

Before you start your games, trying ending the taskswitch process and the messenger processes and see if that solves the problems. If so, determine which one is the problem by ending only one at a time.

 

Why don't you try using this http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4301.html to uninstall messenger and see if that helps. You can always reinstall it later from: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4258.html

 

I'm starting to wonder if you have a defective mouse problem. But even that does not make sense. Why would only the default browser be opening up randomly?

 

Try running these other scanners:
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/ <--- Select Auto Clean and then Scan My PC.
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php
http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/

Also did you run CCleaner given in the Read Me First thread?

 

What was the problem you had with running Rav and did you run CCleaner?

 

Rav works just fine! Try it again!

First pay attention to the words:

To continue without subscribing click here

and click on the "click here". Then Select Auto Clean and then Scan My PC.

Did you install this C:\Program Files\RealVNC\WinVNC\WinVNC.exe yourself?
It is not normally a problem, but if you did not install it in order to remotely control your PC, then someone else may have and could be getting access to it. If you did not knowingly install this, uninstall it from Add/Remove programs.

 

Thanks for coming in Kodo! I was thinking about mouse problems a little while ago too but never mentioned it. I once had a case of (I call it) crazy mouse. Which would periodically go crazy and it would be moving all over the place and would be sending key clicks too which opened and closed windows.

 

You have that FlashGet program installed. I don't know too much about it. Are you sure it is not causing you any problems? I have seen a few recommendations on removing it. (I guess you could always reinstall it too.)

Kodo, do you know anything about FlashGet?

 

Did it ever occur before having the games you are playing installed?

 

Well you know were I'm headed. So if it is not too big a deal you may want to try uninstalling the games (maybe one at a time) to see if the problem clears. If you find a particular game to be the root cause, you may want to contact the company.

If it does not clear up after uninstalling all the games, I'm at a loss for what is going on other than maybe it still is something that they games changed on your system when they first installed.

 

You're welcome Baio! Uninstalling the games (reboot after uninstall) is a start in the right direction towards determining the problem. You can always re-install them.