I'm having major computer issues. Need help!

Super SlashSuper Slash
in Help Wanted!
It all started a couple nights ago. I was watching Naruto Shippuden on Hulu.com (like I had been for the past week, at least) and, when one of the commercial breaks were coming up, Firefox suddenly crashed. I thought it was just a random crash and that it wouldn't happen again; I re-launched it, and it did it again. It did this several times to the point where I couldn't browse the web for longer than a minute. At this point, I try Internet Explorer to get Malwarebytes to see if anything's up. I downloaded it, but it told me that the file was corrupt when I tried installing it. I tried re-downloading the file several times, but it still wouldn't install. Eventually, even IE begins crashing. I restarted my computer after that, only to find out that I couldn't even get past the first screen you see upon turning it on. I had no choice but to reformat, so I did, but then I still couldn't download anything. I tried to get Firefox back and it told me the installer was corrupt, and it did this with pretty much every program. I managed to get Xfire, but come to find out, I reformatted using a partition that only had 5.15 GB in total, and I only had around 150 MB left. So then, I had to reformat *again* (not only because of that, but also because errors kept popping up, causing my clicks to not register at all), and this time I used a partition that has about 50 GB (not a lot, but it will do). I'm still having mostly the same problems: things not installing due to "corrupt files", Firefox crashing at random, etc.

Also, I can't currently hear any sound on this computer. I don't know how to install the main audio driver; I tried it through Device Manager and it says it's missing files or something. When I tried downloading them and then installing, it said that doing so might permenately damage something on the PC now or in the future, and it recommended that I abort the operation, so I did. I tried Malwarebytes after the second reformat and it found no malicious threats (my hard drive was completely wiped, so nothing that I had before the reformat remains).

So now I'm stuck with a randomly-crashing Firefox, programs that won't install/update, and no audio drivers. Does anyone have any suggestions/solutions to these problems? I really want to fix them, and to be able to have sound enabled on this PC again. If it helps, this is a Compaq computer.

Comments

  • DainDain
    I would download HijackThis, and run it (if you can). Post the log after that and maybe we can see what's running. Crashes can also occur because of a number of reasons: memory failure, harddrive failure, virus, etc. If it's a newer computer, that lessens the chances of a memory or drive failure, but using a utility like SpinRite might be able to check for a drive that's going bad.
  • Super SlashSuper Slash
    I'll try HijackThis and then post the log. This computer was bought in late 2004, and I may also try SpinRite. Thanks.
  • Super SlashSuper Slash
    Wow, that was much faster than expected. As requested, here's the log:



    Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2

    Scan saved at 7:19:26 PM, on 1/4/2010

    Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)

    MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

    Boot mode: Normal



    Running processes:

    D:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\acs.exe

    D:\Program Files\Yahoo!\SoftwareUpdate\YahooAUService.exe

    D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe

    D:\Program Files\Belkin\PCI F5D7000\Wireless Utility\Belkinwcui.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe

    D:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YahooMessenger.exe

    D:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\SeaPort\SeaPort.exe

    D:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe

    D:\Program Files\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe

    D:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe

    D:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe

    D:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe



    R3 - URLSearchHook: AIM Toolbar Search Class - {03402f96-3dc7-4285-bc50-9e81fefafe43} - D:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\aimtb.dll

    R3 - URLSearchHook: AOLSearchHook Class - {54EB34EA-E6BE-4CFD-9F4F-C4A0C2EAFA22} - D:\Program Files\AIM Search\AOLSearch.dll

    O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - D:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll

    O2 - BHO: AOL Search Enhancement - {54EB34EA-E6BE-4CFD-9F4F-C4A0C2EAFA22} - D:\Program Files\AIM Search\AOLSearch.dll

    O2 - BHO: Search Helper - {6EBF7485-159F-4bff-A14F-B9E3AAC4465B} - D:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\SearchHelper.dll

    O2 - BHO: AIM Toolbar Loader - {b0cda128-b425-4eef-a174-61a11ac5dbf8} - D:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\aimtb.dll

    O2 - BHO: SingleInstance Class - {FDAD4DA1-61A2-4FD8-9C17-86F7AC245081} - D:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\YTSingleInstance.dll

    O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - D:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll

    O3 - Toolbar: AIM Toolbar - {61539ecd-cc67-4437-a03c-9aaccbd14326} - D:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\aimtb.dll

    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] "D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe"

    O4 - Global Startup: Belkin Wireless Utility.lnk = D:\Program Files\Belkin\PCI F5D7000\Wireless Utility\Belkinwcui.exe

    O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - D:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

    O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - D:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

    O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab

    O23 - Service: Atheros Configuration Service (ACS) - Unknown owner - D:\WINDOWS\system32\acs.exe

    O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - D:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe

    O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - D:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe

    O23 - Service: Yahoo! Updater (YahooAUService) - Yahoo! Inc. - D:\Program Files\Yahoo!\SoftwareUpdate\YahooAUService.exe



    --

    End of file - 3213 bytes
  • buttheadrulesagainbuttheadrulesagain
    It can be two things: it's some kind of hardware problem, or a virus. You must know that there are some virus that can survive the formatting of a hard drive. I'm not tech savvy, all I know is that they can stay in a part of the computer's memory (the one that remembers your BIOS settings). These virus can be erased if you take out the battery from your motherboard (besides formatting I believe).
  • Super SlashSuper Slash
    It must hate when I load videos, because FF crashes almost instantly at least 80% of the time when I do so. It's also gotten to the point where when FF crashes, it sometimes won't work *at all* until I restart my computer.
  • Gameboy FanGameboy Fan
    Google Crome?
  • TheBorgerTheBorger
    I would do a full reformat, wipe the drive out fully with a slow format. There are other tools to use to format the drive if you have a computer to burn a disk with. http://www.dban.org/download will wipe the drive out removing all info completely. The only other reason you could be having this problem is the Hard Drive is about to go out. I would use dban wipe the drive completely, then try to do another install with a slow format. If problems still persist i would try to pick up a new Hard drive.
  • Super SlashSuper Slash
    I have dban actually. I just might use it. However, before I do, does anyone else recommend I use it? I don't want to completely wipe the hard drive unless it's absolutely necessary, and I'm not very tech-savvy (I trust you, Lotec, I just want other opinions as well). Thanks for the help so far, guys.



    My PC is getting worse by the day, so please give opinions ASAP if you can.
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