my internet is going so slow that i can't even bare to use it. when i was a kid my parents had dial up and i am begging for it back because that was faster than mine is right now. it started a few days ago and before that it was great. I do regular spy ware scans and its fine i am running AVG anti virus and it tells me i have no viruses. i just did a house call scan the other day and its good too. Is my problem from my internet provider or is there something wrong with my computer?

Slow internet is caused by a couple of things. The most common is spyware or virus infections. You've already scanned. I can look for new variants of stuff...if you want to post a HijackThis log here for me I can look for other stuff that wouldn't be picked up by a scanner.

Other common causes are:

- Problems with your internet provider. Call and report it and have them run some tests.

- People hijacking your internet connection (like if you don't secure your wireless access point, they can bog down your connection badly).

- Filesharing software. If someone is downloading files from you it will kill your connection in a heartbeat. Most filesharing programs will load automatically on start so you have no choice but to be online with the software and let people download stuff.

- Failing modem or router.

- Old or outdated drivers for your modem, if they are required.

I had something like that last year that seems to have been caused by AOL. The cure was to uninstall AOL 9.0. I installed AOL 7.0 a month or two later, and it ran fine for several months. Three days ago, it started creeping again, so I uninstalled the AOL, then reinstalled it, and it got fast again.

Very strange. I'm not a huge fan of AOL software. I am not a huge fan of any internet provider that forces you to use their software to get connected and use their service. Sadly, these are usually the companies that charge you out the rear-end for their service.

With Comcast cable, I pay around $29/month for high speed internet (compare to AOL's $23/month) and I get over 100 times the speed of AOL. No special softwre install is required, so my computer is sooo much faster without having to run the 3-4 services and several background applications required in order to use the AOL service.

I would highly recommend evaluating your internet service or at least evaluating why you are using the AOL software, what your purpose for keeping it is (pretty sure you can check AOL mail on the web - doesn't require their software) and whether you should continue using it.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 4:04:58 PM, on 19/01/2006
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\csrss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~2\MEDIAKEY.EXE
C:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCD.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\a-squared\a2guard.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~2\KBOSDCtl.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~2\KCodeMsg.EXE
C:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCDsrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zapro.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wdfmgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Benica\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://saskatoonhomepage.ca/
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MediaKey] C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~2\MEDIAKEY.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [InCD] C:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCD.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [a-squared] "C:\Program Files\a-squared\a2guard.exe"
O4 - Global Startup: ZoneAlarm Pro.lnk = C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zapro.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Translate English Word - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmwordtrans.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
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
O16 - DPF: {00B71CFB-6864-4346-A978-C0A14556272C} (Checkers Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/msgrchkr.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {0D62A517-E7C6-4E1F-A577-07D4AC549A48} (Progetto1.int_ver32) - http://advnt01.com/dialer/int_ver32b.CAB
O16 - DPF: {14B87622-7E19-4EA8-93B3-97215F77A6BC} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsPAClient.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {205FF73B-CA67-11D5-99DD-444553540013} (CInstall Class) - http://adserver.sharewareonline.com/adserver/Install.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E5A37BF-FD42-463A-877C-4EB7002E68AE} (Housecall ActiveX 6.5) - http://eu-housecall.trendmicro-europe.com/housecall/applet/html/native/x86/win32/activex/hcImpl.cab
O16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsClient.cab28578.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/MsnMessengerSetupDownloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {B8BE5E93-A60C-4D26-A2DC-220313175592} (ZoneIntro Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/ZIntro.cab32846.cab
O16 - DPF: {BB21F850-63F4-4EC9-BF9D-565BD30C9AE9} (ASquaredScanForm Element) - http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/axscan.cab
O16 - DPF: {BD393C14-72AD-4790-A095-76522973D6B8} (CBreakshotControl Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/Bankshot.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {DA758BB1-5F89-4465-975F-8D7179A4BCF3} (WheelofFortune Object) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/WoF.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {F58E1CEF-A068-4C15-BA5E-587CAF3EE8C6} (MSN Chat Control 4.5) - http://chat.msn.com/bin/msnchat45.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WRNotifier - WRLogonNTF.dll (file missing)
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: InCD File System Service (InCDsrv) - AHEAD Software - C:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCDsrv.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe

thank you for your help again.

This line is bad:


O16 - DPF: {0D62A517-E7C6-4E1F-A577-07D4AC549A48} (Progetto1.int_ver32) - http://advnt01.com/dialer/int_ver32b.CAB

But otherwise all looks good. I would close all internet programs and run a speed test at CNET (link: http://reviews.cnet.com/7004-7254_7-0.html ) and see what you get. If it's considerably lower than your advertised speed from your internet provider, contact their support department.

ok its still not working very good. i fixed the one item from the hijack log and then i did the speed test thing that you linked and it showed my speed at 1261.6 kbps, but it didn't have my internet provider on there and i am from canada so that may have effcted it. today i phoned the internet provider and he guided me to there companies speed tester and i tested 4294.4 kbps. he said that is unusually high for what i am supposed to be getting but my internet is still very slow. he said that i prolly have some spyware or a virus or something. he also suggested i try reinstalling my browser or something. i have been scanning my computer with ad aware and spybot and avg and a squared and nothing un usual is coming up. i am not using any file sharing programs, i learned my lesson with those. so i don't know? i am going to go do another housecall scan i think

There are a few things I can think of right off the top of my head.

I would scan here also to look down a different path of stuff:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx#run

I would check my ports out to make sure nothing screwy is going on. You can do this by going to a DOS prompt and typing netstat -a - if you post a screencap of what you see I can look it over.

I would press CTRL+ALT+DEL and go into Task Manager to make sure there is not a process sucking up all of your system resources.

I would go into the Event Viewer of XP and look for System errors or Application errors (Right-click the My Computer icon, choose Manage, expand the Event Viewer).

I would try installing another browser like Firefox and see if it also happens with that browser.

Think back ... did this start after you installed some firewall or scanning software?