First off, there is a difference between viruses and adware/spyware....

norton A/V and trend micro pc cillin a/v both focus on viruses, rather than on adware/spyware.

so they may report your system as being clean of viruses...

but it may still be (very) infected by adware/spyware.

 

secondly, tracking cookies are not necessarily bad.... most sites you go to (including your bank, for example) may place a "cookie" on your machine... sometimes, this allows you to re-access the site without having to log-in again... which can be helpful.  so you WANT 'good' cookies.  the problem is that some cookies collect information from you at one site, but then share the information with other sites.    unfortunately, 'bad' cookies have a way of coming back, over and over again.   if you wish to permanently stop them:

in Internet Explorer, click on TOOLS

   INTERNET OPTIONS

   PRIVACY

   EDIT (web sites)

and then type-in and BLOCK the 'bad' cookies you want to keep away (e.g., DOUBLECLICK.NET )

when done, click on OK

Just be careful not to block any "good" sites (like your bank/brokerage, or sites you intentionally log-into regularly, like Yahoo or HotMail).

 

By the way, I know this cookie-blocking feature is available on win98,  winME, and win2000... i'm not sure about other WIN operating systems.   Alternatively, you can download a program which can monitor cookies (among other things):  WinPatrol 9.0

http://winpatrol.com/

 

 

to check for adware/spyware, you need a different set of tools, such as:

 

Microsoft anti-spyware beta (Note:  will NOT run on win98 nor winME)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en

 

spybot search and destroy 1.3

http://www.spybot.info/en/download/index.html  for the underlying 1.3 program.  

Install it.  and THEN go to:

http://majorgeeks.com/download4392.html  for the 1.3. 1TX DSO-Exploit patch

 

ad-aware SE 1.05, with the VX2 add-on

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

 

CWShredder 2.13

http://majorgeeks.com/download3019.html

 

 

and, when these don't completely do the job, HiJackThis 1.99.1, which should only be used in consultation with the experts in this forum

http://majorgeeks.com/download3155.html

 

good luck

It turns out it was actually,

iexplore.exe   @   29,232k

would this be my problem?

Regards,

Steve.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 15:41:19, on 05/03/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\bcmwltry.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Share-to-Web\hpgs2wnd.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\BILLPS~1\WINPAT~1\WinPatrol.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpobnz08.exe
C:\Program Files\interMute\SpySubtract\SpySub.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Share-to-Web\hpgs2wnf.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpoevm08.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\Bin\hpoSTS08.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\ssmith\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdaptecDirectCD] "C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [XpDis0Conf] C:\PROGRA~1\Belkin\BELKIN~1\Tool\WinXPDisableZeroConfigation.exe VEN_14E4&DEV_4320&SUBSYS_70011799 /d
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [XpOpenAuto] "C:\Program Files\Belkin\Belkin 54Mbps Wireless Utility\TOOL\OpenXpAuto.exe" VEN_14E4&DEV_4320&SUBSYS_70011799
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [bcmwltry] bcmwltry.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [removecpl] RemoveCpl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe"  -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Share-to-Web Namespace Daemon] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Share-to-Web\hpgs2wnd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV CfgWiz] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CfgWiz.exe /GUID NAV /CMDLINE "REBOOT"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gcasServ] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinPatrol] "C:\PROGRA~1\BILLPS~1\WINPAT~1\WinPatrol.exe"
O4 - Global Startup: hp psc 2000 Series.lnk = C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpobnz08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: SpySubtract.lnk = C:\Program Files\interMute\SpySubtract\SpySub.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O12 - Plugin for .pdf: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\nppdf32.dll
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=36467&clcid=0x409
O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedContent/vc/bin/AvSniff.cab
O16 - DPF: {4F1E5B1A-2A80-42CA-8532-2D05CB959537} (MSN Photo Upload Tool) - http://by10fd.bay10.hotmail.msn.com/resources/MsnPUpld.cab
O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedContent/common/bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/msnmessengersetupdownloader.cab
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
O23 - Service: WLTRYSVC - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\WLTRYSVC.EXE (file missing)

hope that means something to you guys! lol

Steve