Windows explorer closing upon looking

Running win98, 511 memory, 2000 mhz, ati vid card

Windows explorer, on my computer, close with warning while *opening folders. Seems like the number of folder that are "restricted" is increased every time windows explorer is opened. RAMfreer showing ram being used by computer steadily increases even though no extra programs are running. Spybot S & D does not finish, with non-normal error messages occuring when it is almost finished.

After running in safe mode, spybot found nothing, AVG found nothing. CCleaner cleaned some stuff, also defragged computer to check if that was the problem.

After restarting in normal mode am running panda, redownloading spybot and downloading Asquared AV virus scanner to check if it's another trojan. I can't afford to buy registry checker full version, although there were some problems on my computer in the registry. Is there a free registry checker available? Ram is still steadily decreasing, anyone would think it was hard disk space. I haven't tested to see if the windows explorer problem occurs again, i'm going to wait till panda finishes first. Then i'll switch off computer to completely remove old spybot, reinstall new one, install new Asquared Antiviral program, and run them both to see if it is spyware that is the problem. Ram down to 70/500 megabytes with only soundcard, vid card, ramfreer, AVG, bigpond (internet connection) Panda and this box running, visibly, anyway.

 

here we go, posting txt file of processes running.

 

Panda ActiveScan seems to take longer and longer each time i wait for it. I now i have to wait for it to finish before i reboot, to reinstall spybot, and to install Asquared properly. My ram does not seem to be decreasing steadily any more, perhaps it was simply a component of virus scanners in general. I try to follow the order that you prepose in your "Steps to prevent spyware" I have avg constantly running, and i checked (a good idea too, had some nasty critters) I was trying to do everything in order.

The main reason I'm being slightly more fanatical about this than usual is because i truly believe i removed everything that was nasty from the computer, but only AFTER that, i started getting problems, which i have already listed. version 1.23 of ramfreer.

 

Closed msn and scheduler. Im not sure why msn was open, i already closed the program that allows me to talk to people. Is this even the same thing? I'm not sure what scheduler is, i've always left it in registry.. have been searching through registry looking for items in the "Run" folders, by using norton utilities and searching for run-, and checking all the run folders under the three instances there are "Run" in the registry.

 

This may seem like repetition.. I am running panda active scan at the moment. Do you suggest i scan four different programs at once? In the last hour and a half it has been running, i have downloaded and installed fourty different other programs (this is an exaggeration) it has checked 32,000 files or so. I am scared to run spybot in case my system hangs again. After closing those particular programs you mentioned, my ram seems to be around the same place, or even gaining slightly. I was using Ramfreer to "restart" my ram anyway, when it got low i clicked the "free all ram button" was like a dream, back up to 390 or so

 

I'm dreadfully sorry for double post. maybe there are no more problems.
i bet they are just hiding from me now, and when im doing something else they'll pop up!

 

My Windows is Up to date.

i have windows 98, so either i dont have system back up, or ... it doesn't show in 52407 or .. that number file~ what i should do to disable it.

services.msc does nothing in my run toolbar.

I am always able to see hidden and system files.

Pandasoftware - repetition.. it's doing it for christ's sake!

done ccleaner in safe mode... million times. :S

spybot worked in safe mode but not in normal mode. - this was one of my problems i guess.

the thing is, i DID all this stuff when i had the problem earlier.. unless CCleaner found it on one of the many times i clicked that program, NOTHING else saw it!!!!!

else it's something that stopped of it's own accord.... it was a bug in windows that happened more than once!!

i say stopped of it's own accord because i can now search in w/explorer seemingly everywhere.. God damn i hate it when you have a problem more than twice, but then it stops happening and theres no logical explanation why that you can see.

 

BANG hangup - i try and delete that txt file i just uploaded from my norton protected recycle bin - ERROR.. file in use or some such.. that seems okay, even though it ain't in use.. but now i have an imprint of it on my screen that won't go away. i open task manager ctrl alt delete.. nothing new there.. but i cancel it and it doesn't go away either. i open start menu, and i have another image imprinted on my computer screen. stuff this, i restart and im back here again, having NOT FINISHED the stupid panda scan.

 

reinstalled spybot.. i got to restart computer fine, so im going to check spybot and see if my computer dies again. Maybe it won't. Usually when it does from opening spybot, i can't turn it off using start, shutdown. this may be a good fix now. am going to remove those programs you suggested from startup - there is list in spybot, will find em there.

 

killed processses, removed from startup. running registry editor to remove them completely rather than just unchecking them.

 

and bang. spybot finishes, just as i remove those two programs from registry altogether. checking all the run- folders is useful. i still have 250 or so ram. i guess this is the end of my constantly checking majorgeeks.com for answers, because they have em all, and i no longer need em. i just want to say again.. the value of a good nights sleep is brilliant. its 3:30 am. good night.

 

oh, messenger plus. by msn i meant msn messager, i use it quite a lot. (short name, i know msn means "just" microsoft to most people.
but aol means mainly a messenger to a lot of americans, even though it's like an entire company etc etc.


messenger plus is just an addon.

 

the reason i actually reinstalled spybot is because i thought the update service might broken. i try and update it asap. i know you guys are like all into the adaware stuff. i dunno. you say and/or~

 

okay. I'll do it all tomorrow before work, if i get time. Thankyou for yours, btw. I guess you've helped a million newbies in your time, and that's cool, i guess. My passion and Life i have not yet found yet, i see you've found yours

 

messenger plus is an addon that gives extra stuff in msn, lets u log chat, lets u password ur program if u leave it running so your siblings cant come hassle your friends etc


well there u go, learn something new every day eh

personal preference - YOU - prefer aim, MSN, or a mobile phone and a lot of money ?

 

i had spybot before i had that program. and it is quite plain, uncheck this box if u dont want no spyware.


i say take what you can.. the rest u can live without

 

Hey Chas.. wasn't there a thread here discussing that Messenger Plus had spyware as part of the install (EULA). Or was that trillian? I forget....

 

I'm from australia.. thus its 3:40 am. i read there ur from new Jersey eh.. are you just a major runner of this website here, or do you work/study/ other stuff as well?

 

Messenger Plus has some spyware listed in the Eula as being like affiliate program, but... on install you can designate no spyware, they ask you not to, but if you insist it's not like they do it without your permission

 

Am sleepy. Night Night Chaslang. Thankyou again for your help and Time. P.S. don't play everquest, it ruins your life.