All of a sudden XP Pro acting strange

XP Pro has been working very well (using Automatic Updates) for some time. Several days Weeks)ago, things started acting strange.
1) Occasional program crashes. (Ctrl-Alt-Del and End Task would get me going again) XP has been so very stable for me, this is very unexpected.
2) Start up Icons on task bar disappeared and I can not replace them.
3) Right clicking on program to create a new short cut will not work. Nothing happens.
4) Right clicking on a file in Explorer will not allow me to move file to another folder.
I do not know what else is not working. This is all I have found so far.
I tried to Restore to a previous date (about a month ago, but restore says it can not perform this. Possibly another problem)

Any help would be appreciated.

john4life

 

Hi John4life,

Welcome to Windows BBS

I'm suspecting malware here. I may be wrong but it won't do any harm to have a look.

Please read this and post the requested logs in the Malware and Virus Removal board.

 

As Requested

See Thread under "Malware & Virus Removal "

john4life

 

, Perhaps you should look in that thread

 

Trying to review chain of events. Here goes:

I have used XP Pro for years (Automatic Updates "ON "). Very stable. Very reliable.

About the end of June, strange things started to happen mostly when running IE8. This was installed on 06-22-09 by automatic updates.

I sometimes play Microsoft Games while listening to streaming video if there is not something I want to watch. For years this has not caused any problems but after about the end of June, the mouse would suddenly move to random locations , frequently off screen. Additionally, at this point the game program would crash, sometimes causing a need to reboot, sometimes CTRL-ALT_DEL would allow the Task Manager to "End Task" for the game, and I could continue listening and restart another game.

I started this thread in late July and you recommended that I go to the Antivirus/Malware thread and follow the instructions. I did this and just as I finished this check (THANKS TO YOUR VERY PATIENT CONSULTANT, BRONI), and received a clean bill of health, I also received an IE8 Security Update (KB972260) which seemed to change things TREMENDOUSLY.

The checks by the Antivirus/Malware did not seem to have any influence on my machines behavior but the day after the 7-29-09 update was installed the machine has stabilized to a large extent.

I can not duplicate the erratic behavior. It seems to occur at random.

1) I do not believe that I have had to reboot because of a system crash since this update was installed.
2) I am still seeing the mouse move to unexpected locations while playing a game and listening to streaming tv occasionally. I am unable to duplicate this or explain any unuasual indications of a potential problem.
3) Occasionaly, when this strange mouse behavior occurs, the program crashes and CTRL-ALT-DEL allows me to "End Task for this program, but the system has not crashed (that I remember.)
4) I am using a wheel PS2 mouse. After the 7-29-09 update, the wheel portion was very erratic. It worked mostly on IE8 screens but not on the opened pages. After 7-29-09, the scroll works on many open screens but not all.
5) I have used an ATI TV Wonder VE TV Tuner for years and really enjoy this convenience. Somewhere during this time, (I can not establish a date) the sound from this device ceased (picture fine). As far as I can tell, all other sounds are working as intended, including CD player, Microsoft system sounds, Quick Books sounds etc. Sound on the etreaming video using IE8 works fine.)
6) I thought perhaps my RAM memory (586 MB) might be causing the mouse problem if I had too many programs running, so I have played games (any of them - not one in particular) while running other programs and have had no mouse problems. The only time things go crazy is when IE8 is running (except for the lack of sound when running the TV Tuner, which remains constant - no sound).

7) About this same time, (I can not be certain of exactly when), the other machine on my home network, failed to "see" this other machine. I can not network the two machines. I have been using this feature for nearly a year and do not know of anything that might have happened to cause this sudden failure. Both machines have automatic updates turned "ON.

Thanks for looking at this for me. Did Microsoft do something strange in IE8? They must have done something because things sure did improve after the 7-29-09 update. They just do not seem to have finished the job.

Please let me know if I can furnish additional Info.

john4life

 

A new problem to add to the above list:

I can not right click on a program file and drag it to another location.

HELP!

john4life

 

Hi John,

Have you tried uninstalling IE8 to see if your problems are resolved?

 

Thanks Wildfire

I uninstalled IE8 as you suggested. Now the opening screen for IE7 opens with the selection screen for search engines. The task bar does not "hide" until I make a selection. When the task bar does "hide ", there is a small note at the bottom left corner "Error On Page." When I then press the "accept selection" button the button changes to "Applying Selections" but that is all. The program stops at that point and nothing else happens. I was interrupted on one try while in this process and remained away from the machine for two hours or more and the screen did not change. I must close the screen with the "X" in order to do anything else.

I checked Start\Control Panel\Add Remove Programs and all the updates for IE8 have disappearedand only IE7 and updates are listed.

Microsoft Outlook seems to be OK. The only way I could get this message back to you is to click on the link in the email I received from "windowsbbs.com" telling me that there was a reply to my message.

Any further recommendations will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks to all.

john4life

 

Hi John,

My next step would be to try a system restore to a point before the problems started but I fear that actions taken in the malware thread have made this impossible.

As I don't use IE I'm going to draw attention to this thread to others, in the mean time you could try reinstalling IE8 or trying another browser (eg Firefox)

 

Thanks Wildfire

I took your advice and installed FoxFire and it seems to be working so I can get back to the point where I can "Thank You. "

If anyone else has any suggistions about why I am still having trouble with IE 7 & IE8, I would appreciate hearing your comments.

TIA

john4life

 

Hi John,

After consultation and looking at the malware thread all may not be lost. However could I kindly ask you to complete your system specifications (particulary the service pack) details. Also Do you have an XP install CD or are you using a recovery partition?

 

WILDFIRE

I have supplied the "System Specifications" requested.

I have XP Installation Disks if needed.

Thanks for "hanging in there" with me.

john4life

 

WILDFIRE

I have supplied "System Specifications" as requested.

I have XP Installation Disks if needed.

Thanks for "hanging in there" with me.

john4life

 

Sorry John (feel free to call me Paddy)

I still can't see your system specifications (I think I messed up with the previous link ). Can you please enter them again?

You've said you have installation disks, as well as your system specs can you let us know the service pack (orig, SP1,SP2 or SP3) those disks are?

 

Paddy

Now I am confused. I completed the "System Specs) from your link (2 above) and when I click on the link "System Specs\Edit System Specs" (1 above) my specs appear to be there.

How can I clear up this problem?

My XP install disk contains SP2. SP3 was added as an "Automatic Update" later.

I have had no problem with SP3 that I know of. My difficulties began near the end of June after the IE8 update. There was another Microsoft Update near the end of June so I am not certain that the IE8 update was the problem but I do know that after the I*8 update at the end of July, things improved, but this machine is not right.

Thanks again for your continued involvement with me.

John

 

Thanks Pete

I was not aware of this procedure. Hope this lets us go further.

Thanks again
john4life

 

John,

Sorry for the delay but you still haven't posted your system specifications. Please read Pete's post again.

 

Paddy
Lets try again. Specs Posted and options selected.

Since last communication, I contacted Microsoft Tech about IE8 and they walked me through an elaborate procedure to delete possible corrupted files, delete IE7, download another copy of IE8 and install with Virus software and Anti-malwaer turned off.
This seems to have solved many of my difficulties but I still can not connect to my other computer on my home network.
I can not ping the other machine (either direction).
Everything else seems to be working correctly.
How can I get my network working again?
I have both machines connected through a router to the internet and both machines can connect to the internet. They just can not see each other.
I really appreciate you continued interest. I have delayed contacting you again in order to use this thing enough to see if there were still any problems.

TYA
John

 

Thanks John, I see them now

Sounds good, perhaps starting a new thread in the networking forum would be your best next step (please don't think you're being bounced around but your particular problem hasn't been easy to diagnose, sorry).

When you post in that forum link to this thread so those guys can see what you've done. If you're unsure how to link I'll post a reply similar to the one in the anti malware forum so don't worry about it.