Computers It's all gone slow!

Where to start... On Monday 7th Feb, my computer suddenly decided to act up and go at snail speeds. Basically I have encounter problems in the following areas:

- Starting the computer up takes several minutes compared to 30-45 seconds when operating normally.
- Programs in general are running/opening up slow (more or the latter).
- Right click menu-box when accessed takes several seconds to load up (as supposed to almost instant)
- ntbackup/rstrui/winzip...exe files from system32 all encounter the following message - "Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the items."
- As a result of all these slow running programs, many of my virus scans with Norton, AVG, Panda Activescan, Lavasoft adware remover, Spybot spyware remover have so far failed, however I did manage to detect a trojan horse - "Dyfica.3.L" (seems to have many similar type file names such as Dyfica.3.E, Dyfica.3.H, Dyfica.3.G etc after some googling), this has seem removed by AVG but now and then it does detect it.
Also in my C:\Temp file, an odd file "optimise.exe" seems to randomly appear now and then and is sometimes detected by AVG... again it doesn't seem to remove it properly.

These are the problems I can list from memory. Will add more if I can but seriously, I'm chuffed on what to do to next and whether all these problems are linked or not, any advices out there?

My computer specs:

Windows XP Professional
2.5Ghz AMD Athlon
512 ddr ram
Service pack 2 installed

Here's the log from 'HijackThis' if it is at all useful:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 22:58:50, on 09/02/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
D:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
D:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
D:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG6\avgserv.exe
D:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
D:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.exe
D:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\eEBSVC.exe
D:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
D:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
D:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
D:\Program Files\Norton Utilities\NPROTECT.EXE
D:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
D:\WINDOWS\System32\dllhost.exe
D:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
D:\WINDOWS\System32\dllhost.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
D:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
D:\Program Files\Alcatel\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe
D:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
D:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exe
D:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG6\avgcc32.exe
D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
D:\Program Files\Windows FormatAd\WinForm.exe
D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\CLI.exe
D:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\BTTray.exe
D:\Program Files\Norton Utilities\SYSDOC32.EXE
D:\Program Files\Windows FormatAd\WinFormKeep.exe
D:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
D:\WINDOWS\system32\ntvdm.exe
D:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
F:\DAP downloads\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {BC207F7D-3E63-4ACA-99B5-FB5F8428200C} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: InstaFinder - {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-DCF7-F96DA086B434} - D:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\instafin.dll
O2 - BHO: LinkTracker Class - {6A6E50DC-BFA8-4B40-AB1B-159E03E829FD} - D:\WINDOWS\system32\lmf32v.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {A85C4A1B-BD36-44E5-A70F-8EC347D9B24F} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {BC207F7D-3E63-4ACA-99B5-FB5F8428200C} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - D:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {BF55256A-3B3B-11D2-B05B-000001145917} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTStartup] "D:\Program Files\Creative\Splash Screen\CTEaxSpl.EXE" /run
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] D:\WINDOWS\UpdReg.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpeedTouch USB Diagnostics] "D:\Program Files\Alcatel\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe" /icon
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV Agent] D:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Jet Detection] "D:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive\PROGRAM\ADGJDet.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelliPoint] "D:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_CC] D:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG6\avgcc32.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICCC] "D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe" runtime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows FormatAd] D:\Program Files\Windows FormatAd\WinForm.exe
O4 - Global Startup: ATI CATALYST System Tray.lnk = D:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\CLI.exe
O4 - Global Startup: BTTray.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: Norton System Doctor.lnk = D:\Program Files\Norton Utilities\SYSDOC32.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download with &DAP - D:\PROGRA~1\DAP\dapextie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download &all with DAP - D:\PROGRA~1\DAP\dapextie2.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://D:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Send To &Bluetooth - D:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie_ctx.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - (no file)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: °Ù¶ÈËÑË÷°é - {BC207F7D-3E63-4ACA-99B5-FB5F8428200C} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: @btrez.dll,-4015 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - D:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @btrez.dll,-4017 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - D:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - D:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - D:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [!IESearch] !IESearch
O16 - DPF: {00B71CFB-6864-4346-A978-C0A14556272C} (Checkers Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/msgrchkr.cab27571.cab
O16 - DPF: {14B87622-7E19-4EA8-93B3-97215F77A6BC} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsPAClient.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {2917297F-F02B-4B9D-81DF-494B6333150B} (Minesweeper Flags Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MineSweeper.cab
O16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsClient.cab
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab
O16 - DPF: {B8BE5E93-A60C-4D26-A2DC-220313175592} (ZoneIntro Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/ZIntro.cab32846.cab
O16 - DPF: {BC207F7D-3E63-4ACA-99B5-FB5F8428200C} - http://bar.baidu.com/update/IESearch.cab
O16 - DPF: {F58E1CEF-A068-4C15-BA5E-587CAF3EE8C6} (MSN Chat Control 4.5) - http://chat.msn.com/bin/msnchat45.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{96B3D70A-8FCE-4B4F-80FD-F050CEB5F7F3}: NameServer = 194.74.65.86 194.72.9.44
O18 - Protocol: mp3 - {BC207F7D-3E63-4ACA-99B5-FB5F8428200C} - (no file)
O18 - Filter: text/html - {DFAA31C8-A356-4313-9D95-5EDAB46C5070} - D:\WINDOWS\system32\lmf32v.dll

I appreciate your help.

- Shen

 

Could be a new trojan that's running. Did you check out the System device manager? Normally when computers run slow it's because one or two programs are overloading the CPU. If you can find the programs that cause the "slowness", and close it / delete them

optimise.exe - it's a trojan, that redirects you to a special site (Correct me if I am mistaken. Tried Spybot and/or Spy Sweeper?

- Teddz

 

Thanks for your advices so far. On SaberJ2X's adivce, I've done what you suggested and although Ad-Aware and Spybot together found over 140 mal-ware (which I happily removed) the problem still exist.

On your note on searching via symantec and googling. I assume you are trying to find my stated virus Dyfica.3.L? Well I couldn't find results for it either but if you just type in Dyfica.3 you should find a number of similar looking virus names and by what i read they seem function similar to my one.

On Teddz's note, optimize.exe is no longer found on my computer so I assume it has been found and deleted by one of my anti-virus programs, or it just might decide to strike back like it did last time. I havn't actually opened this file so I really have no clue what it does.

Btw, does ptcore.exe seem suspicious? Found in system32 it's been classified as some sort of mal-ware by KasperskyLab.com. But I'm not too sure, havn't found much information indicating that it could be one.

- Shen