Hi guys. I brought my system to the computer shop for repair a little while ago; since then, whenever I open the system, I notice the message 'Detecting proxy settings' right above the tool bar, before I am taken to my default page. Now, this message, on average, lasts about 30 to 45 seconds, during which time I am left with a blank screen, and no function is operational. I never had that message before: when I signed on to the Internet, the access to my default page was immediate.

In perhaps unrelated matters, when I want to download a JPEG pic, or a game from a game site, I click on the appropriate link and then again have to wait between 30 and 45 seconds before what I'm looking for actually appears on my screen, during which time, again, functions are frozen. The 'hand' sign is there and I can move mouse freely, but the system doesn't respond to any command. Again, this is a problem which I didn't experience before I brought the computer to the shop.

Is there any way of removing this 'problem'? It's not a question of life and death; my system is functioning properly otherwise. I would just hope that it would run more....smoothly.

Many thanks.

And sorry about the poor English and lack of 'technical' terms: I am a hopeless newbie when it comes to computers.

Hello Ivon, Please open Internet Explorer, now click Tools, click Internet Options, click the Connections Tab. Now click LAN Settings, you need to make sure nothing on that page is checked. HTH

Bear: Thanks so much. It took care of the 'Detecting proxy settings' problem [it still appeared, but was gone a second or two later]. I still have the problem when I want to download a (simple) game, though. There's a lapse of 20 to 30 seconds before the game appears on the screen, and I still get the 'hand' icon when I use the mouse during that time, but I can't do anything with it. I also noticed that, in those instances, there is no movement in the small window on the upper right hand corner where the MSN logo is...After the said 20 to 30 seconds, the game box simply appears on the screen. I have no trouble playing once it has come up.

By the way, I have Windows Millenium and DSL (if that matters any)

By the way, Bear, I don't know if this helps but the problem files seem to be PHP (for pics) and JavaScript (for games). There might be other types involved, but I've identified those two. I'm attaching my latest log, if it helps:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 8:35:01 PM, on 9/28/2004
Platform: Windows ME (Win9x 4.90.3000)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCEVTMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCSETMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\AVGSERV9.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RESTORE\STMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KHOOKER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\ptsnoop.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\INTERNAT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\LOADQM.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ZONE LABS\ZONEALARM\ZLCLIENT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCPD-LC\SYMLCSVC.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCAPP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\AVGCC32.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYMPATICO\ACCESS MANAGER\APP\ENTERNET.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\OUTLOOK EXPRESS\MSIMN.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PSTORES.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://channels.aimtoday.com/search/aimtoolbar.jsp
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.ca/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://channels.aimtoday.com/search/aimtoolbar.jsp
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 5.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.OCX
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AIM Search - {40D41A8B-D79B-43d7-99A7-9EE0F344C385} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\AIM TOOLBAR\AIMBAR.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiS KHooker] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\khooker.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CountrySelection] pctptt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PTSNOOP] ptsnoop.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCHealth] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\Support\PCHSchd.exe -s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [internat.exe] internat.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec Core LC] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QTTASK.EXE" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Tray Temperature] C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\MINIBUG.EXE 1
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVG6\avgcc32.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [*StateMgr] C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [TrueVector] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE -service
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ScriptBlocking] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Script Blocking\SBServ.exe" -reg
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccEvtMgr] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccSetMgr] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Avgserv9.exe] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVG6\Avgserv9.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\NVMCTRAY.DLL,NvTaskbarInit
O8 - Extra context menu item: &AIM Search - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\AIM TOOLBAR\AIMBAR.DLL/aimsearch.htm
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\AIM\AIM.EXE
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.sympatico.ca/homepage.html
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.granddictionnaire.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://w3.granddictionnaire.com
O16 - DPF: {41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C} - http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52/...eInstaller.exe
O16 - DPF: {E504EE6E-47C6-11D5-B8AB-00D0B78F3D48} (Yahoo! Webcam Viewer Wrapper) - http://chat.yahoo.com/cab/yvwrctl.cab
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) - http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2...ll/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/S...in/AvSniff.cab
O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/S.../bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chat - http://us.chat1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com.../c381/chat.cab
O16 - DPF: {7D1E9C49-BD6A-11D3-87A8-009027A35D73} (Yahoo! Audio UI1) - http://chat.yahoo.com/cab/yacsui.cab
O16 - DPF: {2B323CD9-50E3-11D3-9466-00A0C9700498} (Yahoo! Audio Conferencing) - http://us.chat1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com...45/yacscom.cab
O16 - DPF: {B9191F79-5613-4C76-AA2A-398534BB8999} - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yaho...tocomplete.cab
O16 - DPF: {8714912E-380D-11D5-B8AA-00D0B78F3D48} (Yahoo! Webcam Upload Wrapper) - http://chat.yahoo.com/cab/yuplapp.cab
O16 - DPF: {EFAEF0E4-F044-4D57-9900-1C3FF18524C9} (AV Class) - http://www.pcpitstop.com/antivirus/PitPav.cab


P.S.: Should I be worried about this new 'addition' (**which I didn't request**) called AIM Toolbar??

Hello again Ivon, please follow Owen's instructions HERE after doing that please post your log in the Spyware, Adware and Viruses Forum It will get a better responce there. And Owen is our resident HJT log expert so he would be a better Tech to analyze your log.

Thank's Bear: That same info helped me too

Thanx to you "Bear", You have saved me a lot of turmoil.
If the world only had more personalities like yours, I can only imagine how much better life would be.
Keep it shining...

Thank you