too many process modules!!!!

Ad-aware 6 is out of date. You must update to Ad-Aware SE . Latest version is 1.05.
If you do not want WildTangent, it must be uninstalled from Add/Remove programs.

You should follow all the steps in: READ ME FIRST BEFORE ASKING FOR SUPPORT: Basic Spyware, Trojan And Virus Removal

I know you stated you ran some of the items there but you did not run all of them and in the order we have stated. Plus, if you had one incorrect version of an application, you could have more. Make sure you check the links we give and you have the version in those links.

Then tell us where you stand.

 

I had said in my previous message to use Add/Remove Programs to uninstall WildTangent. Using the scanners does not typically do a complete job and that is why you had all these messages. Including the WDENGINE.DLL one.

WDENGINE.DLL is not associated with or required for Spybot to run; it is associated with WildTangent software. If Spybot is mentioning that the dll is not found, just ignore it; as I said it's your choice whether to remove WildTangent or not.

You can try going to Add/Remove programs now to uninstall all WildTangent stuff but it will probably fail due to the stuff deleted manually. Sometimes the only way to fix this is to reinstall WildTangent and then uninstall.

Post a HijackThis log as an attachment.

 

The more programs you have running (especially browser windows and scanners etc) the more process modules. I typically run around 1230 with no programs open but I only have about 35 processes running. Opening one IE browser causes it to jump to 1335. Opening 3 IE browsers and I'm at 1481. Check what you have right after reboot without running anything. You have a lot more process loading (almost double what I have) at startup.

 

Okay! In message #4 I said post a HijackThis log.

You should read the tutorial in this Sticky thread NO HIJACK THIS LOG FILES BEFORE READING THIS: HJT Tutorial & LOG File Posting

Now post a HijackThis as a .txt file attachment to your message. All running programs should be closed, including your web browser, e-mail. Close before running Hijack This!

Do NOT run Hijack This from the Desktop, a temp folder, or from a sub-folder of C:\Documents and Settings, or choose run it directly from the downloaded ZIP file. Place it in its own folder, for example C:\Program Files\HJT

 

Okay you put HijackThis in the correct type of directory but you did not download HijackThis from the link we gave you. Thus you have the wrong version. Also you still had a browser running (C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe).

So go back to the READ ME FIRST and click the link for HijackThis and get the correct version and put it in the directory your have already created (thus overwriting the old version). Then exit all of your browser sessions (this one too). And run a scan and save your log to a text file. Then re-open your browser and come back here and post the new log. The new HJT detects many more items and does a better job fixing too. We need this before continuing.

 

Do you use this Viewpoint Manager stuff that AOL put on your system:
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe

If not, goto Add/Remove Programs and uninstall it and the Toolbar that came with it too.

Run HijackThis and select the following lines but DO NOT CLICK FIX until you exit all browser sessions including the one you are reading in right now:
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {549B5CA7-4A86-11D7-A4DF-000874180BB3} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {FDD3B846-8D59-4ffb-8758-209B6AD74ACC} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)
O16 - DPF: {56336BCB-3D8A-11D6-A00B-0050DA18DE71} (RdxIE Class) - http://software-dl.real.com/056f4317b970e9cb3d05/netzip/RdxIE601.cab


And unless you know what the below line is and know you need it, fix it too.
O16 - DPF: {17D72920-7A15-11D4-921E-0080C8DA7A5E} (AimSp32 Class) - http://www.makeoversolutions.com/save/makeover.cab


And if you want to cut down on running processes the below items do not need to be run at startup either.
4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdateManager] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic\Update Manager\sgtray.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mmtask] c:\Program Files\MusicMatch\MusicMatch Jukebox\mmtask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MMTray] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mm_tray.exe

Tell me what you have decided to do and if you want to do any additional cleanup. I'm sure we could find more items that are not required.

 

Those last 4 items:
4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdateManager] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic\Update Manager\sgtray.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mmtask] c:\Program Files\MusicMatch\MusicMatch Jukebox\mmtask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MMTray] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mm_tray.exe

I am suggesting you fix with HijackThis. That will remove the lines that cause those processes to run at startup. They are not necessary. If you do not use QuickTime or MusicMatch, you could also choose to uninstall them from Add/Remove programs. That's up to you. QuickTime is need for some types of media playback but you don't need to run the task at startup.

Ignore those items you see in Spybot's window, they are only showing you what it is currently scanning for not what it is finding.

I think you had a typo. You do not have 412 processes running, do you? If you did, you PC would probably be at a stand still.

 

ctfmon.exe is a valid MS process. See this http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/ctfmon/

The O16 line is from the TrendMicro online scan we had you perform. It is okay too.

 

WeatherBug should be uninstalled using Add/Remove programs. The free version adds other crap to your computer and causes ads to popup. You do not want it.

Run Ad-Aware SE and when it finishes scanning, save the log to a text file and post it here as an attachment. Make sure you only have the same things running as when you said,
"i am at 38 running processes and 1376 process modules."

 

Okay here are a couple more processes for you to decide if you really need them:

#:22 [dsentry.exe]
FilePath : C:\WINDOWS\System32\
ProcessID : 516
ThreadCreationTime : 10-27-2004 7:55:22 PM
BasePriority : Normal
FileVersion : 1, 0, 5, 0
ProductVersion : 1, 0, 5, 0
ProductName : Dell - DVDSentry
CompanyName : Dell - Advanced Desktop Engineering
FileDescription : DVDSentry
InternalName : DVDSentry
LegalCopyright : Copyright © 2002 Dell
OriginalFilename : DSentry.exe
Comments : DVDSentry launches your software DVD player when a DVD is inserted.
dsentry - dsentry.exe - Process Information
Process File: dsentry or dsentry.exe
Process Name: Dell DVD Sentry

Description:
dsentry.exe is an application provided by Dell. It stops the autorun application from executing
on disc insertion. This is a non-essential process. Disabling or enabling this is down to user
preference


#:31 [notifyalert.exe]
FilePath : c:\Program Files\Dell\Support\Alert\bin\
ProcessID : 1260
ThreadCreationTime : 10-27-2004 7:55:23 PM
BasePriority : Normal
notifyalert - notifyalert.exe - Process Information
Process File: notifyalert or notifyalert.exe
Process Name: Dell Notifier

Description:
notifyalert.exe is a process belonging to Dell support which notifies you regarding critical
updates from Dell whenever applicable. This is a non-essential process. Disabling or enabling
this is down to user preference

 

For Dsentry, have HijackThis fix the below line:
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DVDSentry] C:\WINDOWS\System32\DSentry.exe


For the the other item it may be necessary to remove the Dell Support stuff. You should really determine whether you need this first before removing it. The line in HJT shows up as:
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DwlClient] c:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe

It most likely also causes the running of the notifyalert program too. If you decide that this Dell Support stuff is not require by you, look in Add/Remove programs for an uninstall.

 

Fair enough! I personally remove all those kinds of programs as I never need them. But for people who still use the PC manufacturer's support lines, it may be best to leave them in place.