Windows freezes during any scan - virus, spyware, etc

[Guigsy1]

First off...
Compaq Presario 6600
Windows XP SP2
Intel P4 2GHz
80GB HD
512 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440
Onboard Sound

I first noticed this about 3 weeks ago, after installing Windows Defender Beta 2 on my system, I fired up a scan (even though I'm already protected well). About halfway through, the computer froze... the mouse could move perfectly fine but everything else was unresponsive, had to power of the computer. Tried again with the same result, so i figured it was Defender and uninstalled it. I just recently got Spy Sweeper and it did the same problem, twice. I then realized it has something to do with scanning.... I tried Ad-aware full scan with the same result. Started a virus scan with McAfee VirusScan 8 Enterprise and got the same thing. It's not one particular file that it hangs on, just the process of scanning. I've noticed that when it freezes, the computer continuosly makes about 2 seconds of HD noise followed by about 5 seconds of silence.

I'll post a HijackThis log, then restart in Safe Mode and report back. Thanks for any help in advance

Here's the HJT Log
logfile

 

[Spike]

PLease also consider opening task manager, running a scan on something, and seeing if the CPU or memory saturates on one particular process. Will check your HJT log momentarily, but they aren't supposed to be posted in this forum. I will move it momentarily to the security and the web forum.

 

[Spike]

Just to eliminate the obvious...

before doing the thing I mentioned with Task manager, run HJT and fix all 016 entries, all entries marked with (file missing), and disable o&o cleverchache (just in case it's causing a problem in the rapid access of multiple files that AVs require.) Clearly, it would be pointless to get you to follow the normal instructions as yet, though if you could run ONLINE scans it may be helpful.

I also note that you still have a windows defender entry, though you said you uninstalled it?

I note that you also have a backweb infection that you should eliminate - the instructions are here... http://articles.networktechs.com/359-p1.php ...but there's no need to post in their HJT forum. Just do the removal bit.

Let us know if there's any change, and post a fresh HJT log.

 

[Guigsy1]

i guess that i forgot to mention that i reinstalled windows defender after finding that spy sweeper and ad-aware were also messing up... just want to confirm that it was still doing it.

After reboot in Safe Mode: Ad-aware froze twice, Windows Defender finished the scan (after pauses and some of the noise that is associated with the freeze), Spybot S&D worked (i didn't test this out of SM but wanted to see if it was having problems), VirusScan 8 froze twice on the same file (see the pic), I let it run for about 10 mins before ending the process.

I'm going to start the removal process for backweb (it came with my logitech mouse). In the meantime, here's the HJT file with the 016's removed, clevercache processes killed (it wasn't running in the first HJT), i tried removing the (file missings) but the 2 on there won't budge

http://copland.udel.edu/~jstan/hijackthislog2.txt

 

[Guigsy1]

an interesting thing happened when i navigated to the offending file for the VirusScan crash in windows explorer - the same crash, and i didn't even open it. I went to command prompt and deleted it. Navigated back without a hitch, going to run and monitor a virusscan. I would like to mention that I use Registry Mechanic and have been for awhile... scan programs haven't work for about a month, but i doesn't correlate to anything that i've done with that program, and it's scan still works.

HJT log file sans backweb (uninstalled Logitech Desktop Manager)
http://copland.udel.edu/~jstan/hijackthislog3.txt