MY laptop has gone berzerk!!!

At startup, I get this:

The system DLL user32.dll was relocated in memory. The application will not run properly. The relocation occured because the DLL C:\WINDOWSystem32\HHCTRL.OCX occupied an address range reserved for Windows system DLL's. The vendor supplying the DLL should be notified

Other than having to click OK to get rid of the blue box, this doesn't seem to be causing any problems. As far as I can tell, both are valid Windows componants.

The darned thing runs pig-slow. Internet Explorer is good for maybe a minute, then bogs to stationary.

I popped up the task manager, and noticed an instance of scvhost.exe that was using 200k of ram and 90% or more of cpu time. If I force quit that process, the computer goes back to normal and stays that way until the next reboot.

svchost is one of those things that could be good or could be bad, how do you tell what it's doing and at "who's" command? User on the offending instance is "SYSTEM"

I've run chkdsk, done an ADAWARE Scan, install norton systemworks and run WinDocter, fixed some 90 things there. Full virus scan running now, when it's done I'll pop into windows update.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Jim,

Start,Run then type SFC /runnow but be sure to have a windows OS cd handy. You may also want to run sfc/scanboot ...

Kev

sounds scary to me Jim. My old laptop had issues with Win 3.1 and started bogging down, I just backed up data, dumped it all, reformated and went to Win98. (6 years ago) still runs fine as my garage PC. Maybe time to reload your OS ?

Looks like a recent windows update.... check this out.....

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935448/en-us

Thanks guys...

Making progress. Jon, you were right on, and running windows update again got rid of that error message.

I still have the other problem, and it is getting worse.

On startup, an instance of svchost.exe is using cpu and memory, gradually, over a period of a minute or 2, building to using 90% plus of cpu time, and 250mb or more of memory. This bogs the computer down A LOT. It also appears to be accessing the network, tho not much.

If I end this process, everything goes back to normal speed.

But now I got a new one. If I close the lid on the laptop (it goes to sleep then) when I open it up again, it won't access the internet, says "page cannot be displayed" I also cannot complete a "repair" on the wireless network connection, says "cannot register with DNS"

So... to get on TC, I have to reboot the laptop ( a VERY timeconsuming thing right now) wait for the hourglass to go away... wait for it to say "connected to the wireless network" Then open Explorer 7 and wait for TC's home page to display... then go to the task manager, locate the svchost process that is using lots of ram, and end it.

Then I'm back to normal untill the next time I close the lid.

I've dealt with that scvhost thing a few times in the past. I know it is mostly a "normal" process, a part of windows that application can use to communicate, and that many things including viruses and including norton antivirus, can and do use it. What I don't know is what's using it this time.

Usually when I've seen things like this, either adaware or norton antivirus will find something that needs fixing (often they couldn't fix it, but at least they told me what it was.) They are not finding anything this time.

hmmmm, running sfc /scannow... kinda neat, but it seems to be taking awhile.

hmmm, love these lil utilities that no ones knows about, wish I knew more of them. sfc /scannow completed after awhile, with no messages. Windows cab files are on the hard drive, so I have no idea if it changed anything or not.

hmmm, love these lil utilities that no ones knows about, wish I knew more of them.

Jim....
Start, Run then type msconfig and press enter. You can go over to the Startup Tab on the next screen and End Task on things you do not want to load at startup. Be sure you know what you are shutting down :) Save changes and reboot. If you make an error, you can go back and check what you messed up. Check your Start Menu in Programs and see what is loading there too. I don't load anything there. Go to My Computer, right click on C then select properties. Turn off indexing. This should speed you up a bit :) OH..when was the last time you ran Scandisk or Defrag :)

Kev

Google for a little prog called hyjack this....
Run it and then anything u see that is suspevt run a google on that .exe file

Some of these trogens can be difficuilt and complex to remove
Your description does decribe a couple of new trogens that have appeared in the last 3 months....
I do pride myself (and is what I do for a living) on been able to clean manually.
Both of these I simply reloaded (on of my own machines here) because that was the fastest alternative.
A full reload, OS progs etc takes me 10 mins without data loss
My hd drives are partitioned ...Everything, mail, favourties, etc is configured to save to another partition
A Ghost file of C:/ is made and saved to other partition...boot into Dos (98 boot disk, run Ghost exe file from CD or floppy, go to the ghost file (reads ntfs drives) and reload....update...create new updated ghost file

I have system restore turned off.

What are the specs on the machine...ram/cpu...do u have enough ram for XP...my min reconmendations are p3 800 and 512 ram

I wonder why I forgot msconfig? I've used that a lot, and I think it will get me where I need to be.

I'll try the hyjack this, sounds worth a shot.

Ran scandisk and defrag a couple days ago, after I started this thread.

It bothers me that whatever it is, adaware and norton aren't finding it.
Also bothers me that it lets me shut it down, usually those nasty trojans don't.

machine is an acer travelmate 4060, 1.6 gig celeron, 512mb ram, delivered with xp, not quite 2 years old, sweet lil laptop, fast enough, but better battery life and less heat than the wifes 3 gig p4, nice 15" widescreen.

well, I used msconfig to turn off a bunch of stuff.

I am back to normal, or even way better than I've been accepting as normal for a while. My internet connection is truly fast again, as is overall behavior of the laptop.

When I feel like it, I'll start figuring out exactly what I turned off, and turn em back on one at a time.

There was a prime suspect. Something loading that had name, no location, no nothing, whole line was completely blank!

Thanks guys, another one fixed by Team Camaro!

Jim,
Glad that things are getting better with the laptop. Here is a link to a utility program that will help you to keep that machine running great. :) It has some nice features...and its free.


Kev

http://www.ccleaner.com/download/downloadpage.aspx?1

hyjackthis is sort of like msconfig, except it it shows stuff msconfig doesnt, plus has more functions like remove files on renoot, check/edit hosts file etc, and good forum support

Steps...

Try CCleaner above. You will see it has some great features...

Kev

Yep did look at it...yep cool little prog...everything it does the functions are in XP anyway
When I get a machine that has an 'infection' I like to handle things manualy..
Gouing thru tmp internet files, cookies etc one get an idea where the customer has been...no matter how 'well' they clean out to cover tracks they still leave little know logs and traces.
From know where they have been one then gets a feel as where to look for stuff thats hyjacked the machine and how it works, and what it is looking for...

Years back I used to try and use these little 'cleanup' uitities but they came and went, updates unreliable and some often would change and alter settings that the shouldnt....so I do have a mistrust of them...
Sort of the same with my cars...If I do it, I knowits right, rather than simply trust an expert who has had an arguement with the missus shortly before working on my car.
Plus I enjoy the challenge of hyjacks/virus'