Task Manager acting funny

[MGaddict]

I have 3 problems that I think might be related because they all showed up at
about the same time.
1. Windows Media Player does not close when I exit the program. Audio
continues playing. I have to goto Task MNGR to close it. Also It doesn't give
me the controlls in my task bar anymore.
2. pressing CTRL - ALT - DEL does not open task mngr. I have to goto my task
bar to open it.
3. task mngr reports my processor at 20% usage 24-7, but it doesn't list any
programs utilizing the processor. The idle process only reports 9%.

I have used 3 programs to scan for malware/spyware and nothing has shown up.
All 3 of these showed up soon after upgrading to SP3. I don't know if that
could be the cause. I don't use this computer for much besides word
processing, internet, and watching movies but I hate to do a system
reinstall. Doing a system restore doesn't seem to work either. Any
suggestions would be appreciated. These may be 3 different problems but like
I said, they all showed up at about the same time.

AMD Athalon XP 2000, 512Mg DDR 333, ATI All In Wounder 2000, SB Live Pro,
Disabled Belkin Wireless 502.11g adapter, all on a K7S5A motherboard running
Windows XP Pro Student Edition w/ SP3 installed.

(NOTE: Ubuntu Linux 8.04 is running smooth on another HD not currently in
the system. Tried removing it while troubleshooting)

I'm stumped.

 

[Gerry]

What 3 programmes did you use to check for malware?

What errors appear in Event Viewer?

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[MGaddict]

This is the only error reported for the last month. It shows up about 2x a
day.

DCOM got error "The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled
or because it has no enabled devices associated with it. " attempting to
start the service MDM with arguments "" in order to run the server:
{0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064}

This warning shows up at what appears to be random times every day, but I
never have a problem with the internet. That's something else I checked that
when I'm not using the internet, nothing else seems to be either. (Thank God)
I checked that first.

Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the
DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 0007954597D1. The
following error occurred:
The semaphore timeout period has expired. . Your computer will continue to
try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

I could find the names of them but its been a while, honestly I use AVG and
windows defender all the time. I don't use any other 3rd party software on a
regular basis unless I have a problem. I've not found AVG and windows
defender to let anything into my system in a really long time and it was
because my daughter clicked on a link she shouldn't have, that one caused me
to end up reinstalling windows. I just hate to do that again. So I only have
AVG and windows defender currently running but this problem has been here
since about a week or 2 after I upgraded to SP3. I've been dealing with this
for a while now, its just gotten on my nerves to the point that something has
to be done.

 

[Gerry]

The service MDM is the Machine Debug Manager. The recommended setting is
Manual.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/machine_debug_manager.htm

Select Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services. Place the
cursor on the MDM service in the list, right click and select
Properties. If not showing the Start Up type as Manual change it to
that. Restart the computer and check later to see if the error message
recurs.

The suggestion above may or may not solve the problem but I do not think
the error should cause Task Manager to act funny. Can you explain in
more detail what you mean by "funny".

I use Windows Defender but I do not consider it to be a strong player. I
would download and run Spybot S & D (freeware version) and see if it
finds anything like a Trojan. If Spybot S & D finds anything significant
( other than cookies) you need to be wary. If it removes something and
it returns or another nasty pops up it can be an indication that there
is another hidden nasty not being detected by AVG or Spybot.

Spybot S & D. There is a freeware version buried in this link:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[MGaddict]

If this helps....

alg.exe LOCAL SERVICE
ati2evxx.exe SYSTEM
ati2evxx.exe SYSTEM
atidtct.exe Goeller
avgrsx.exe SYSTEM
avgtray.exe Goeller
avgwdsvc.exe SYSTEM
CCC.exe Goeller
csrss.exe SYSTEM
ctfmon.exe Goeller
devldr32.exe Goeller
E_S40RP7.exe SYSTEM
explorer.exe Goeller
firefox.exe Goeller
lsass.exe SYSTEM
MOM.exe Goeller
MSCamS32.exe SYSTEM
PWRISOVM.exe Goeller
services.exe SYSTEM
smss.exe SYSTEM
spoolsv.exe SYSTEM
svchost.exe SYSTEM
svchost.exe SYSTEM
svchost.exe NETWORK SERVICE
svchost.exe SYSTEM
svchost.exe NETWORK SERVICE
svchost.exe LOCAL SERVICE
svchost.exe SYSTEM
System SYSTEM
System Idle Process SYSTEM
taskmgr.exe Goeller
ViewpointServices.exe SYSTEM
winlogon.exe SYSTEM
WLService.exe SYSTEM
WMP54Gv4.exe SYSTEM

 

[MGaddict]

Well I mean funny because the tskmgr is showing nothing using the CPU or only
a program using 1% but then says 20% of the CPU is in use 24/7. That tells me
something is running that's not being reported on tskmgr. I"ll try the
program suggested but because the internet is not being used at all, I'm not
suspecting spy ware at all. the process runs even if the internet is
disconnected. and MDM is on manual. I'm curious because if Windows Media
Player isn't closing when I tell it too, what else might not close either?
Could it be something in the startup that doesn't close correctly? And why
doesn't CTRL-ALT-DEL work? (The keys work fine, I've tested the keyboard on
my laptop) Its just so strange and I keep ending up back staring at tskmgr.

I'm going to keep digging, check out some of these other processes settings,
and I"ll try your suggestion.

 

[Gerry]

MGaddict

Do you leave your computer on 24/7?

If the internet is not being used how are you updating your software?
Windows Updates, Virus Definition updates etc?

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[MGaddict]

What I mean by the internet is not being used is that I've found that spy
ware and especially Trojans will use the internet to access your computer and
your system will be working when your not using it and the internet will be
in use as well. I do have automatic updates and my virus scanner updates
sometimes a few times in a single day. Those programs have access and use it,
but I have nothing accessing it that I have not specifically desired.
Programs such as Real Player and what not don't do automatic updates because
that's just crap you don't need running in the background. I am very specific
about what I allow to run and what I don't. I don't like anything doing
anything without my say so. This is an older computer and up until this
processor thing, the system still ran really well but since 20% of the
processor is being utilized by some unknown source, that's 20% less processor
for the system to use on simple things like opening a program and therefore
creates un needed lag.