I've been having a problem which many people seem to have, but i can't seem to find it. My task manager or regedit disappear whenever i open them. My HijackThis log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 10:33:34 PM, on 7/20/2005
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\ibmpmsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
C:\Program Files\IBM\Security\uvmserv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ibmsmbus.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\QCONSVC.EXE
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY\TPHKMGR.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RunDll32.exe
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\TpKmapMn.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\EzEjMnAp.Exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY\TPONSCR.exe
C:\Program Files\IBM\Messages By IBM\ibmmessages.exe
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY_1\TpScrex.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswctrl.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb0 8.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\IBM\Security\certtool.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\CONNEC~1\QCWLIcon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.exe
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\QTIMER.EXE
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\cygwin\usr\X11R6\bin\XWin.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Speech\sapisvr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntvdm.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\not that.exe
C:\EmergencyUtils\Copy_of_Regedit.com
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\GIANTAntiSpywareMain.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Steve\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://start.earthlink.net
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.earthlink.net/partner/more/msie/button/search.html
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = about:blank
O1 - Hosts: 38.115.131.131 sk2.slsk.org
O1 - Hosts: 38.115.131.131 www.slsk.org
O1 - Hosts: 38.115.131.131 mail.slsk.org
O1 - Hosts: 38.115.131.131 server.slsk.org12.129.205.209 search.netscape.com12.129.205.209 sitefinder.verisign.com
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: AltaVista Toolbar - {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-92EA-EC65A294AE31} - C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\ALTAVI~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: DriveLetterAccess - {5CA3D70E-1895-11CF-8E15-001234567890} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswshx.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AltaVista Toolbar - {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-92EA-EC65A294AE31} - C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\ALTAVI~1.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [S3TRAY2] S3Tray2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPLpr] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BluetoothAuthenticationAgent] rundll32.exe bthprops.cpl,,BluetoothAuthenticationAgent
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPHOTKEY] C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY\TPHKMGR.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BMMGAG] RunDll32 C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\pwrmonit.dll,StartPw rMonitor
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BMMLREF] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\BMMLREF.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPKMAPMN] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\TpKmapMn.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TP4EX] tp4ex.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EZEJMNAP] C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\EzEjMnAp.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ibmmessages] C:\Program Files\IBM\Messages By IBM\ibmmessages.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StorageGuard] "c:\Program Files\VERITAS Software\Update Manager\sgtray.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dla] C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswctrl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb0 8.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CoolSwitch] C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISS_Certtool] C:\PROGRA~1\IBM\Security\certtool.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QCWLIcon] C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\CONNEC~1\QCWLIcon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sysmon] C:\WINDOWS\System32\sysmon44.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WildTangent CDA] RUNDLL32.exe "C:\Program Files\WildTangent\Apps\CDA\cdaEngine0400.dll",cdaE ngineMain
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ViewMgr] C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Quicktime Runtime] QTIMER.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DeadAIM] rundll32.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\AIM\\DeadAIM.ocm",ExportedCheckOD Ls
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TizzleTalk] C:\Program Files\TizzleTalk\TizzleTalk.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gcasServ] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ibmmessages] C:\Program Files\IBM\Messages By IBM\ibmmessages.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [IM] C:\PROGRA~1\EARTHL~2\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpyKiller] C:\Program Files\SpyKiller\spykiller.exe /startup
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\RunOnce: [Quicktime Runtime] QTIMER.EXE
O4 - Startup: Shortcut to startxwin.lnk = C:\cygwin\usr\X11R6\bin\startxwin.bat
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: AltaVista Search - file://C:\Program Files\Dynamic Toolbar\ALTAVISTA\Cache\SelectedContextSearch.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate - file://C:\Program Files\Dynamic Toolbar\ALTAVISTA\Cache\SelectedContextTranslation .htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\npjpi150_02.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\npjpi150_02.dll
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
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
O15 - ProtocolDefaults: 'http' protocol is in My Computer Zone, should be Internet Zone
O16 - DPF: {41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C} - http://akamaidownload.apple.com/530x3824/binaries/iTunesSetup.exe
O16 - DPF: {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-92EA-EC65A294AE31} (AltaVista Toolbar) - http://toolbar.altavista.com/app/toolbar/cfg/altavista.cab?r=JTKMYG
O16 - DPF: {AB29A544-D6B4-4E36-A1F8-D3E34FC7B00A} (WTHoster Class) - http://install.wildtangent.com/bgn/partners/shockwave/polarbowler/install.cab
O18 - Protocol: ms-help - {314111C7-A502-11D2-BBCA-00C04F8EC294} - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Help\hxds.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: NavLogon - C:\WINDOWS\system32\NavLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
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: Symantec AntiVirus Definition Watcher (DefWatch) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
O23 - Service: IBM User Verification Manager - IBM - C:\Program Files\IBM\Security\uvmserv.exe
O23 - Service: IBM PM Service (IBMPMSVC) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ibmpmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: SMBus Upgrade Service for Windows 2000 and above (ibmsmbus) - International Business Machines Corp. - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ibmsmbus.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service (iPodService) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: QCONSVC - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\QCONSVC.EXE
O23 - Service: SAVRoam (SavRoam) - symantec - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\SavRoam.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe



If you could tell me which entries need to be fixed, that would be great.

Here is some general info:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ToolsQuit.htm

thanks, i've looked at those but none seem to be on my computer

HJThis or Owen should be about later today to read your log.

In the mean time please follow the instructions HERE 1st & HERE 2nd

I actually found the problem. It was, in my case, C:\Windows\system32\qtimer.exe, which was a hidden file which had a couple of entries in the registry, in the startup and runonce directory (just search for qtimer.exe in the registry to find them), but i was able to delete the file in safe mode along with its registry entries. problem solved! hopefully this will help other people.

Thanks for the tip!

Hello,staidvelo41 & Welcome

I would like to thank you for taking the time to post this
info it will help someone having this same problem.

if you end up with any more problems please
stop by here we will be happy to help.

HGD