Windows rhetorical crashing

[martinsre]

hi guys,
After skype autoupdated and avast updated, i've been experiencing some very annoying issues with windows. I am running xp pro, SP2. Everytime i open a program, and then use it, or click on the start button, and click on a program, i cannot select anything else on that menu, no does anything happen. When i hover my cursor over it, it just shows the sandwatch - as though it were loading something. The worst part, is that i cannot end the process of these programs in task manager; it's like its permanently there. Eventually, I am unable to work on any program, as i cannot select anything. The only program that appears to be useable, is internet - chrome.
This is driving me insane,
Thanks,
Martin

[mmettin]

Could you enter your system information into the space for that in your User CP then enable viewing of it? Or could you make a detailed signature listing all of your parts? This will help others answer this and future questions, and you only need to do it once. As an example of the level of detail we need, you can click on my system dropdown or look at some of the other signatures you see here. Thanks.

[martinsre]

Is that helpful?
Any suggestions on how to fix the problem, besides reinstalling windows/running a repair (don't have a cd).
After running some spyware programs (spybot, Spyware doctor) it doesnt crash as fast, and right now, quite frankly, it hasn't crashed for some while - although i only opened SIW to check for specs. Some two weeks ago, (this began about 5 days ago), a fake alert virus fraud program got downloaded onto it - somehow installing itself while i was in game (Steam - Modern Warfare 2). I only ended the process, and then couldnt find it on my hard drive anywhere. I downloaded Spyware doctor which was suggested against this program (the name is gone) and tried cleaning some days later.
I'll try running some more scans and look for something else,
I am in desperate need for help - i've got a lot of important work that i can only do on that machine and I need to finish it before the holidays.
Thanks in advance,
Martin

- the new avast is only done 2% of the quick scan after 20 minutes of run time, at some 500kb a second. That seems very unusual as well.

Foxconn 945 7AE Series, Intel Pentium D 945 3.40 Ghz, 512mbx2 RAM, ASUS EAH4670 1GB, seagate 320GB, Windows xp pro sp2, 4 years of age in a few days, ran ever so smoothly before this misfortune occured

p.s.
I open chrome, then avast, then spybot, then while opening the start menu i click on "auslogics disk defrag" it never opens, but the start menu stays permanently open - cannot be closed. AS i hover my mouse over it, it appears to be thinking - sand clock

[mmettin]

The reason I asked for specs is to get you think about providing some more details about your specific issues. It may also help in the future with any issues you may have.

Sounds like you will need to do some more cleaning.

I guess I'd Try Mbam and possibly combofix to rid you of the malware...

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/comb...o-use-combofix

Might as well take a look at the stickies HERE as well

[martinsre]

Thanks, i'll try those,
my only concern is difficulties opening them. if explorer locks up (the start menu, and task bar is "busy") I have some trouble opening these, i keep force reseting my pc every five minutes.
I'll try that and get back to you

-im on a laptop right now just in case

[martinsre]

I'm unable to finish installing it - can i install it to a fflashdrive from a different pc, and then run it from there?
-I'll install in safe mode

[mmettin]

I'm unable to finish installing it - can i install it to a fflashdrive from a different pc, and then run it from there?
-I'll install in safe mode

install what exactly ?

[martinsre]

install what exactly ?

malware bytes and combofix. the installation locks up after some few seconds. Mb is scanning right now - i realized i wasnt in safe mode before.

[martinsre]

Great,
Malware bytes found quite a few infections, over ten registry related ones, but i cannot upload a picture on chrome - it crashes immedieatly, yet i dont have that issue anymore, just yet.

... even better
It locked up again, looks like every next time that i run some malware program, the situation gets a little better. I think i'll try combofix.

[martinsre]

This is what was found - i hit repair, and then it rebooted. It locked up again, but not as quickly. I will run combofix now.

After downloading microsoft windows recovery console,
i get the error boot partition cannot be enumerated correctly

[mmettin]

after combofix run mbam until the scan doesn't find anything

[martinsre]

In safe mode, evenen with networking, it says that a connection cannot be made, after it said t was unexpected at this time the first time. It combofix.exe won't launch outside of safe mode - in task manager, it only takes up 80k and cannot be ended.

[martinsre]

it downloads from microsoft.com
then:
Error
Boot Partition cannot be enumerated correctly

I press continue to scan for malware,
then the console reads after a moment
T was unexpected at this time

mode: safe mode with networking windows xp sp 2 pro

[mmettin]

In safe mode, evenen with networking, it says that a connection cannot be made, after it said t was unexpected at this time the first time. It combofix.exe won't launch outside of safe mode - in task manager, it only takes up 80k and cannot be ended.

rename combofix to something else, and re-run in safe mode

[madhatter256]

it downloads from microsoft.com
then:
Error
Boot Partition cannot be enumerated correctly

I press continue to scan for malware,
then the console reads after a moment
T was unexpected at this time

mode: safe mode with networking windows xp sp 2 pro

Classic symptom of a PC infected with a MBR Rootkit virus.

Your only option is to load off a live-CD of Linux and backup your data onto another hard drive and do a low-level format of you HDD and reinstall the OS.

Combofix can remove the rootkit, but the rootkit tends to do some serious damage that you're better off formatting/reinstalling the whole thing.