Windows Explorer keeps crashing; Windows thinks system is slow

[HoggyDog 1]

i5 3570K 4.0GHz

8GB DDR3

GTX 970 4GB

Windows 7 Home Premium x64

SSDs (2); HDDs (2)

Emsisoft Anti-Malware and Malwarebytes Anti Malware do not detect anything.

 

Hi- I'm having two issues, exactly the same issues as I reported here 6 months ago and which you helped me fix then:

 

1. From time to time, I get a popup from Windows saying it wants to reduce the color depth "to improve performance." This system has run fine for 2+ years, so the sudden appearance of this recurring warning is highly suspicious. Memory checks, CHKDSK and other hardware checks do not disclose any hardware problem.

 

2. Windows Explorer (NOT Microsoft Internet Explorer) crashes inexplicably a couple of times a day and must be restarted.

 

Following the instructions to run EEK and FRST scans, I found the following mismatches between your instructions and what actually happened:

1. Instructions state that a scan will begin automatically at the end of EEK installation. It did not. I had to navigate to the installation directory and manually launch 'Start Emergency Kit Scanner.exe.'

2. Instructions say to enable PUP detection in EEK but no such option exists in EEK Settings or in the Scan dialog. I do recall that option existing 'somewhere' in my installation of EAM.

3. Instructions say to 'save the scan log....' No 'Save Log' option exists in EEK. In the Logs tab, there is an 'Export' button, which is what I finally used, but then I discovered that this is not what you want at all- you want the one that is automatically saved in the EEK installation directory at the end of the scan. This leaves me baffled as to why the instructions want me to perform a step that is automatically done by EEK.

4. Instructions state the log to upload can be found in "C:\EEK\Reports" but no such path exists because I installed it to E:\EEK instead- my system drive is an SSD and I don't install anything there except Windows system files. Instructions should specify [installation Drive]:\EEK\Reports to acknowledge that 21st century users commonly have multiple drives and EEK thankfully allows itself to be installed anywhere.

5. Despite downloading and running a new installation of EEK, the Logs tab showed two previous scans from 5-6 months ago in addition to today's scan, indicating that EEK's installation process did NOT completely overwrite the previous installation.

 

Thanks in advance for updating the instructions to match reality- it would've saved me 10 or 15 minutes of trying to figure out what to do to follow impossible directions.

 

I would be particularly interested in any thoughts you may have on why, despite 'clean bills of health' from EAM and MBAM, something keeps getting onto my system and screwing it up.

 

EEK Log and 2 FRST logs attached.

scan_160614-124633.txt

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Kevin Zoll 309]

Your logs do not show any malware.

I am going to have you use a couple of tools that target Adware and Junkware in general.

Download AdwCleaner and save it on your desktop.

• Close all open programs and Internet browsers (you may want to print our or write down these instructions first).
• Double click on adwcleaner.exe to run the tool.
• Click on the Scan button.
• After the scan has finished, click on the Clean button.
• Confirm each time with OK.
• You will be prompted to restart your computer. A text file will open in Notepad after the restart (this is the log of what was removed), which you can save on your desktop.
• Attach that log file to your reply by clicking the More Reply Options button to the lower-right of where you type in your reply.

  NOTE: If you lose that log file for any reason, you can find it at C:\AdwCleaner on your computer.

Download Junkware Removal Tool and save it on your desktop.

• Run the tool by double-clicking it.
• The tool will open and start scanning your system.
• Please be patient as this can take a while to complete depending on your system's specifications.
• On completion, a log is saved to your desktop and will automatically open.
• Attach the JRT log file to a reply by clicking the More Reply Options button to the lower-right of where you type in your reply.

Copy the below code to Notepad; Save As fixlist.txt to your Desktop.

SearchScopes: HKLM -> {0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A} URL = 
SearchScopes: HKLM-x32 -> {0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A} URL = 
BHO-x32: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper -> {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} -> C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll => No File
FF Plugin: @microsoft.com/GENUINE -> disabled [No File]
FF Plugin-x32: @microsoft.com/GENUINE -> disabled [No File]
C:\Users\Angie\AppData\Local\Temp\Nexus Mod Manager-0.61.23.exe
AlternateDataStreams: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\zlib.dll:DocumentSummaryInformation [63]
AlternateDataStreams: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\zlib.dll:SummaryInformation [63]

Close Notepad.

NOTE: It's important that both files, FRST64 and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work.

NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system

Run FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait.

If the tool needed a restart please make sure you let the system restart normally and let the tool complete its run after restart.

The tool will make a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt). Attach it to your reply.

Note: If the tool warns you about an outdated version please download and run the updated version.

[HoggyDog 1]

Kevin,

 

It's insane how quickly you responded! I was still finding and removing typos from my OP and you had already responded!

 

AdwCleaner generated TWO files, so I'm attaching both.

 

AdwCleanerS1.txt

AdwCleanerC1.txt

JRT.txt

FRST.txt

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Kevin Zoll 309]

It's insane how quickly you responded! I was still finding and removing typos from my OP and you had already responded!

I happened to by online at the time and had just finished responding to all my open support tickets when you posted your support thread.

Few minor things to clean up.

Copy the below code to Notepad; Save As fixlist.txt to your Desktop.

SearchScopes: HKLM -> {0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A} URL = 
SearchScopes: HKLM-x32 -> {0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A} URL = 
BHO-x32: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper -> {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} -> C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll => No File
FF Plugin: @microsoft.com/GENUINE -> disabled [No File]
FF Plugin-x32: @microsoft.com/GENUINE -> disabled [No File]
C:\Users\Angie\AppData\Local\Temp\Nexus Mod Manager-0.61.23.exe

Close Notepad.

NOTE: It's important that both files, FRST64 and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work.

NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system

Run FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait.

If the tool needed a restart please make sure you let the system restart normally and let the tool complete its run after restart.

The tool will make a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt). Attach it to your reply.

Note: If the tool warns you about an outdated version please download and run the updated version.

[HoggyDog 1]

Here's the final fixlog.txt, and thanks!

 

Fixlog.txt

[Kevin Zoll 309]

That should take care of it. How are things running?

[HoggyDog 1]

That should take care of it. How are things running?

Well, Windows Explorer is still crashing once or twice a night, but I haven't got the dreaded "Windows suggests you decrease your color depth to speed up the system" message in the past couple of days, so maybe that's fixed. I've just never heard of Windows Explorer crashing, and when I Google it I find mostly "you probably have malware" so I guess at this point I give up.

 

Thanks again fro your help.

[Kevin Zoll 309]

Let's try resetting several areas of Windows to the defualts.

Download Windows Repair by Tweaking.com http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/windows_repair_all_in_one.html to your desktop. Use the direct download link for the Portable version of Windows Repair by Tweaking.com

• Double-click "tweaking.com_windows_repair_aio.zip" and extract the "Tweaking.com - Windows Repair" folder to your desktop.
• Now open this folder and double-click "Repair_Windows.exe".
• Click the "Repairs" tab on the far right.
• Click the "Open Repairs" button (bottom right)

Note: When asked if you would like to create a restore point. It is recommended just in-case something does not go as planned.

• Click "Unselect All"
• Put a checkmark in the following items:
  • 01 - Reset Registry Permissions
  • 02 - Reset File Permissions
  • 03 - Reset Service Permissions
  • 04 - Register System Files
  • 05 - Repair WMI
  • 09 - Repair Hosts File
  • 10 - Remove Policies Set By Infections
  • 15 - Repair Proxy Settings
  • 19 - Repair Volume Shadow Copy Service
  • 26 - Restore Important Windows Services
  • 27 - Set Windows Services To Default Startup
  • 33 - Repair Performance Counters

Note: Leave everything else unchecked

• Put a checkmark in "Restart System When Finished"
• Now click the "Start" button (bottom right)

[Kevin Zoll 309]

Thread Closed

Reason: Lack of Response

PM either Kevin, Elise, or Arthur to have this thread reopened.

All posters requesting Malware Removal assistance are required to follow all procedures in the thread titled START HERE if you don't we are just going to send you back to this thread.