Problem: AVAST? HTML Help? Blue screen errors!

Oh man, it's deja vu all over again (if you know me and my past DELL problems, just laugh maniacally with me)
I have WINDOWS XP home on a Dell.

Yep - this is LONG - was going to attach as a file but then - what if you didn't read it? Oh, now where would that leave me?

I haven't been able to download anything to Outlook Express or get here to MG since last night. I could get into Internet Explorer and go to a "simple" page like google.com, but if I asked it to search for something, it would start to load then just sit there. It would start to load the MG forum page then just sit there (I waited about 45 minutes). I could go to a few other pages too.

Now - I can finally get here -- Why? What's changed? Not sure...I went to 3 other restore points but it didn't matter. Then I rebooted and turned off system restore, rebooted into safe mode, emptied temp files, ran SpyBot and Ad-Aware SE -- found nothing (had just run them last night and there wasn't anything then either).


I was online yesterday, with Outlook Express open and I came here to Major Geeks (and YES - I blame THIS FORUM exclusively) and suddenly everthing just went crazy == nothing shut down/crashed normally (if there is a "normal" but nothing worked anymore.

I finally just turned off my computer. Went back in and checked error logs and found:
At 7:46 PM -- 4 of these messages in Event error log on computer:

Faulting application msimn.exe, version 6.0.2800.1123, faulting module mshtml.dll, version 6.0.2800.1458, fault address 0x001cffae; Fault bucket 131802496.

Faulting application iexplore.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module mshtml.dll, version 6.0.2800.1458, fault address 0x001cff85; Fault bucket 131802764.

The application, C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\MSIMN.EXE, generated an application error The error occurred on 08/27/2004 @ 19:46:43.140 The exception generated was c000001d at address 6374FFAE (mshtml!CreateHTMLPropertyPage)

Something’s wrong with AVAST (anti-virus) --

Then 2 blue screen errors almost back to back:
First one was aswMon2.SYS -- which I know is my AVAST File system Filter Driver for Windows XP…but what do I do about it?

2nd error was IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Stop: 0x00000000A , blah, blah, blah.
I’ll have to do (or have wonderful Adrynalyne) do a mini-dump analysis)

I checked things out in SYGATE (firewall)--
7:03 on 8/27 SYGATE allowed outgoing to:

255.255.255.255 -- invalid IP for backtracing – but it was “allowed” 8 times throughout the evening

7:53 pm and later….
OUTGOING:
Application Hijacking has been detected
The application: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DUMPREP.EXE try to launch another application: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dwwin.exe to go to remote host watson.microsoft.com

Application Hijacking has been detected
The application: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe try to launch another application: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\avast.setup to go to remote host download3.avast.com

Application Hijacking has been detected
The application: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MMC.EXE try to launch another application: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\helpctr.exe to go to remote host go.microsoft.com

INCOMING:
Application Hijacking has been detected
The application: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MMC.EXE try to launch another application: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\helpctr.exe to go to remote host www.microsoft.com

Application Hijacking has been detected
The application: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MMC.EXE try to launch another application: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\helpctr.exe to go to remote host go.microsoft.com

Application Hijacking has been detected
The application: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MMC.EXE try to launch another application: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\helpctr.exe to go to remote host go.microsoft.com

In Avast – tried to get “help” to change some of the “allowed” to “block” and can’t open HTML help. Can’t open it where it’s found either @ C:\WINDOWS\HH.EXE

So what's YOUR opinion?
What do I do next?
I was thinking of just uninstalling and reinstalling AVAST -- sounds pretty basic but, if you know me, I always want to know WHY there's a problem, what to do about it NOW so I can prevent it from happening again.

 

pegg,

I found this, doesn't say anything about Faulting application but it does describe some of your issues.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=816506

Hope it helps. Steve

 

Hmmm, interesting day I had yesterday. It took me until this morning (almost 18 hours) to actually connect back to this site. (yeah, I missed all of you too)

I ran everything I had -- AVAST, SpyBot, Ad-Aware SE, etc. (but I couldn't check for any updates on the web) and everything was clean). I went into the registry and checked a few of the ....Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main keys and looked at the START PAGE values and made them all the same -- but I still couldn't connect to here (one was set for dell4me/myway.com). One was set to about:blank but it hadn't been when I checked before. But I still couldn't connect.

I could still connect to a few other sites, but mostly just the top banner of a site would load.

I downloaded that M$ patch, but it won't install. It says:
"This update requires Internet Explorer 6.0 service pack 1 to be installed on your computer"

I double checked and I have IE 6.0.2800 SP 1 -- so why won't it install?

BIG problem. I tried over and over to go back in a set SYSTEM RESTORE and my whole computer freezes...then all the windows say - "not responding" and eventually I have to turn off my tower. Help - I want to turn my system restore back ON. I had it off when I went into safe mode to check for viruses, etc.

 

OK - I was able to go in and turn System Restore back on.

BUT I'm still wondering what went wrong here. Any ideas?

I did disable Sygate and installed Zone Alarm again. But even after I did that yesterday I still couldn't get online correctly, etc. So that wasn't the real fix.

I'm not complaining 'cause here I am and everything seems okay,
but somewhere I feel something is lurking
in the deep recesses of my computer
waiting for the next opportunity to strike

 

OK - well, I found my own answer...M$ says this about the possible problem with the install:

So I couldn't see what to do about that though. If you're up to date on patches, but then you have this problem, you can't go and install (re-install, whatever) this patch because you've already gone ahead and installed other patches since then????

I really don't want this to happen again and everything else on this site about this happened....HTML help, problems, etc. so I would think this is what I need.

Can I uninstall the Q816506.exe then install this one (Q813489.exe) then go back and re-install Q816506.exe ? If so, how do I find the first one....???

 

pegg,

Is this the first one, http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...D5-0A58-40E8-A963-7496C71D1F40&displaylang=en

If it is, it's also in the first link I gave you. Good luck.

Steve

 

Help me out here -- I found Q816506.exe on my computer (in four places) -- BUT I can't find Q813489.exe which is what I'm supposed to have FIRST before dl Q816... or I'll get that error, which I did because at the site you gave me I read it, hit download and it did, it downloaded Q816...

So - do I get rid of Q816... then dl Q813... then dl Q816...?

Does that sound safe? Okay to do? I've never messed around with these patches before...I don't think either one is a "cumulative patch" just a specific one for this problem so it should be ok?

(my head is spinning just like in my avatar)

 

Should be ok, go ahead and download #Q813489.exe here, http://support.microsoft.com/?id=813489

See if that works or you get some kind of other message. If you do, you know to uninstall #Q816506.exe and where to find and download it after you get this one.

Steve

 

Hey, Stevie-wonder - I didn't wait for anyone's advice (sorry, guess that happens this time of night) and I actually couldn't find how to UNINSTALL Q816...but I deleted it from 2 places (not 4 -- the other 2 were just IE history) (1) C:\Windows\prefetch and from (2) C:

Then I went and dl Q813...but when I tried to install it there was the same error message of:
You must have IE 6 installed on your computer.

So I went and dl Q816...but I couldn't re-install that either -- it gave me the same error message of:
You must have IE 6 installed on your computer.

So I went into the recycle bin and put those two instances of Q816...back where they belong....

Hmmm, what to do, what to do...

Actually, Q813... is a Cumulative patch so isn't it "covered" in other cumulative patches? Maybe Q816....wasn't really uninstalled so Q813 was "reading" it and not letting me install it. BUT why couldn't I reinstall Q816...I know I need that if I had it before.

Ugh, yes I know, use Mozilla Firefox, blah, blah, I probably will, but I still need to have an operable IE.

 

Does anyone think I need to do anything further about these 2 faulting applications?

 

Maybe irrelevant to your problem, but do you use IE to download your MS updates.

I had trouble with MS updates until I specifically booted up and used IE. Bazza

===

 

Yeah, pegg, I think you might because it might happen again.

Well, pegg, I didn't get the "faulting application" errors again, BUT I couldn't download e-mail or connect to any websites again today -- until now.

Hm, pegg, interesting.

Frustrating, really, I ran EVERYTHING and the only thing to show up was "SearchForIt" in SpyBot -- so that's a spyware issue and we're stuck here in the software forum.

Yeah, but didn't you notice something else?

Do you think part of the problem could be that when I went into Explore, then under different users (there's 3 of us), for me *Pam and Jeff*, under "Local Settings", then "Temporary Internet Files" I DO NOT HAVE any folders, while the other users have:

"Content IE5" which contains 4 folders and an index.dat folder????

The one other user has no index.dat folder under cookies or in her "Content IE5" folder (but she has the other 4 folders there).

It can't be right to be missing those under "Temporary Internet Files" -- like maybe I can't get online because....Well, I don't know, someone else can jump into the conversation.

I just got online and went and checked out what is filling up "Temporary Internet files" -- it fills up fast....but like I said, it doesn't have the correct (?) folders/files.

 

Thanks - Bazz - you posted while I was posting...I only have IE. I mentioned Mozilla because I probably need to get something else but all I have is IE.

 

I know what your going through, I had somewhat of the same problum and after alot of checking, reading and messing with trying to get my system running right, I found a sure and quick way of resolving my situtiation. I used rar and zipped up all the programs I needed and copied my files to cd's. than because I only had a 80 gig hard drive I installed a new 200 gig WD drive which cost $125.00 and done a new install. now everything works just like new, should have done it long ago and saved weeks of checking

 

Good advice...except this computer is only a month old.

I'm still wondering about the CONTENT IE5 files/folders, etc. that are missing/gone/in never-never land.

Copy them from the other user and paste into my Temp Internet Folder?

Don't worry about it?

Not the least bit related to my problem? (even though my problem is using IE)

 

So, pegg, did you try to do anything about the Content IE5 folder?

Yeah, I figured, if the other two users have it, I could try to copy it and paste it into my Temp Internet Folder. That didn't work (wouldn't allow me to do that) so I went up to "file, open, copy/move to" etc. and that didn't work either. Then I tried to just copy the 4 other folders one by one, but that didn't work either.

Hmmmm -- I would think you should have all of those in your Temp Internet Folder. Doesn't EVERYBODY who has Windows XP Home -- if one user does, wouldn't all the users have it set up the same.

Yeah, that's the question I've been asking, too.

 

Pegg, not sure why you would want to paste into your Temp Internet Folder.

Temp files are just "temp files" and should not be required for any period of time.

I wipe all my temp files every day using

Cleanup! http://www.stevengould.org/ Freeware 3.1
EmpTemp http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1575
and CrapCleaner v1.12.063 http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4191.html

as I have mentioned in my replies to many posts. W98SE, though.

These wipe out all the crap including temp files, Index.dat, etc.

You probably use these 3 anyhow. If not, try them, and let us know. Bazza
===

 

Yeah, I use CrapCleaner...but does that actually wipe out the Content IE5 folder itself with the other 4 folders "in" it? That's my real question.

See post 12.

I know there's a lot of other stuff I have written, but I am just wondering why I don't have the same "inside folders" to the Temp Int. File -- even though CCleaner wipes the contents clean, shouldn't it leave the folders? It's not set to only clean my stuff, it's in C:\Program files so it should clean out all the Temp Int files for all 3 users the same way.

Right?

 

Pegg,

If you log on as Pam and Jeff, and use IE, Windows will create Index.dat with the four hidden folders in Temp Int Files (in Loc Setts, under Pam and Jeff). It will create that set of files. The random-named files will be just that: random names.

The problem is that on many machines, the index.dat and the four folders are very, very hard to catch, because Windows hides them very effectively. (I can only see mine in my main login immediately after a boot.)

Now, I'd like you to try this little piece of sware, install it for the Pam and Jeff login, set it to check the Temp Int Files folder for Pam and Jeff, and let me know what happens. This little prog reveals even the best-hidden index.dat and random folders.

You don't need to keep it. If you like it, keep it; if you want the space, dump it after you see what it reveals.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1575

 

OK - I decided to act um, well, can I say "like a guy" (? - well, I just did). Or maybe I'll say, "different than I normally do" and I installed it and DIDN'T READ THE DIRECTIONS - eek- I just went to the temp folders tab and directed it to my local settings blah, blah, blah.

I do know if I right click on what it found there's an option to DELETE.

But -- other than Content IE5 -- I don't recognize the others -- so what do I do (other than read directions)

No, really, I don't know what is and isn't important, what will be restored at the next boot, what will be "emptied" as opposed to "deleted" for good and cause problems so "just reading" isn't really my answer anyway.

Thanks

 

help me, wise one, or a "wise-alec"

I see what it reveals....don't quite understand what it reveals.

Help

 

Re: help me, wise one, or a "wise-alec"

post a screen shot.

 

pegg, my advice. Click on the lightning bolt icon, 3 from the left and forget about it. I delete everything that EmpTemp finds. I have been doing so since I installed it. Over 1 month now, for latest version, and going back even earlier for earlier versions. No problems for me.

Bazza

PS: then click/move onto the next tabs and delete all that they find. Works for me Baz.

===

 

Pegg, you asked us (me, in a PM) to help you SEE index.dat and the random-named files in Temp Internet Files under Pam and Jeff. I gave you a program suggestion that lets you SEE exactly those files, so that you don't need to worry about them being there or NOT being there any more. You were worried about NOT HAVING an index.dat and the random files. You've got 'em; you just couldn't see 'em. Now you can.

You asked; I offered.

If you want to delete the things you see in TIFs, do it. It won't happen 'til next boot.
If you just wanted to SEE them, well, there they are.

You give off some mighty powerful bad vibes, my friend, for someone who wants people to help for free. "wise-alec"??? Where'd that come from?