For the last couple of weeks, I've had a problem with XP that I can't seem to diagnose. Periodically, particularly after I've left my computer running for a while, I am no longer able to open any of my programs. If I click on my desktop shortcuts various error messages come up like "cannot access this Win32 file" or "this shortcut links to a program that does not exist, would you like to remove it?" etc. Basically, my computer is telling me that my programs do not exist. Additionally, the display will sometimes do odd things. One day while I was browsing the net on Firefox, certain fonts appeared in a hard-to-read cursive case. Also, whenever my computer is telling me that my programs have disappeared, the display will do weird things (the text on the start button will disappear, for example).

All of this can be fixed by simply restarting my computer. It will then operate normally for a while.

I've run Ad-Aware and I have PC-Cillin Anti-virus which runs scans every day. Nothing.

Any ideas?

It sounds like a virus to me. Have you tried Trend Micro's House Call? It will take a while, but is worth it. I've heard that the IE version (active x) responds better than the downloaded version. It found problems with one of my machines that my regular scanner didn't. Try different scanners, don't always trust just one.

Moved to Windows Sub-Forum

I ran that scan, and it also came up with nothing...Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Hjackthis! would be another idea - It seems that what you have done so far is not even recognizing the issue at hand - 3 years ago my computer at work got a virus that would pop-up windows evrytime I was on the internet - It got to be very annoying - My IT guy assisted in trying first to locate the problem which we did using Hijackthis! - The file was called nail.exe - Every time I deleted it it would just reappear in the folder - Finally on April the first of that year (yes April Fool's day) my automatic update for Mcaffe deleted it on it's own - Also when I first investigated the virus on the internet there were only about 2 listings - After about 2 weeks there were over 2,000 listings - Mine were add pop-ups others were having porn popping up on theirs - A friend of mine a short while back downloaded something she did not research and she got a virus - Well, once again using the old browser I typed in the name of the thing she downloaded and there were numerous blogs about the virus - Even the author who sold it to the site for download had posted a blog about how mad he was that they were doing this - She tried PC Doctor but it did nothing - Ultimately she reloaded her O.S.

Visit CastleCops, they have a long list of tried and true virus identification and removal. The link is here: Malware Removal and Prevention: Introduction - CastleCopsWiki I've used this to work. It does include the Hijack this, but also includes other malware ID/Removal products.

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BE CAREFUL WITH HIJACKTHIS
It can damage your system with Misuse, i only reccomend it if you are a certified system administrator or are experienced with the use of this software

Atleast Hijackthis! could assist in finding the cuplrit to start with. But, Souuthparkxp101 is correct if you do not know what you are doing you could cause evn more issues. Such as deleting good files.

Turned out it was a trojan. I had to run a program that specifically looks for trojans in oder to find it, though. Their weren't even any malicious files in HijackThis. Thanks for you help guys.