BleepingComputer.com: CtHelper32.exe stops responding :(

Hi everybody

This is my 1st post, so bare with me if it's not perfect...

I have a problem.

I am on a dell system, running Windows XP Home edition.
Now this problem has appeared from time to time ever since I bought th pc in 2004.
However lately I started playing a Zynga game called "Mafia Wars" on Facebook. And (only) there my problem gets to the point that I need to reboot my pc every 5 minutes now
It wasn't like that when I started playing around 1 - 1½ month ago. I even just had my system reinstalled 2 weeks ago (in a local dell-pc shop), because the pc became totally unresponsive. Even bought a new harddisc because the old one stopped working/responding.

However...even after all that, I have the same problem, primarily when playing this game on FB.
The browser (IE8, but I also tried IE7 and Firefox. Same thing) starts working veeeeery slowly until it just becomes unresponsive. And when it doesn't respond anymore, I am presented with the option to close it down like "unnaturally".
So I do that, and by that time everything on my pc is working in slow-motion. So I go to reboot, and when windows is closing down, I get the message (wich haunts me)

"CtHelper32.exe is not responding....closing down".

If anyone knows what this could be related to? Any help would be welcome

In the shop they told me, that because my pc only has 512 rams, this program doesn't have the power to work properly. And they ordered 2 gig rams for me, which will not arrive until 2 weeks from now.
But someone I've been talking to on-line (that really seems to know what they are talking about) says that this is not the issue.

So I am a bit lost at the moment

Thanks...

Looks like malware, http://www.bioticaindia.com/file-cthelper32.exe.html.

See also http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/C....EXE-20687.html. I suggest following the instructions provided.

Louis

My free AVG antivirus finds nothing.
And my on-line friend made me download a "Uniblue Registry error cleanup program" and in the same program was a "SpeedUpMyPc" dated 2009. And that program finished my pc off. After I ran those 2 programs my PC didn't respond anymore. So I pulled the electricity plug.
And when I tried to start it again, I waited 8 hours only getting like 2 messages: that the system couldn't find sufficient information to start. And the second one: that it couldn't find sufficient information on the "user" to start. Windows never actually started.
That is why I took it to the shop to fix. And they tried and said that the computer couldn't connect with the harddisc. That the harddisc was finished.
So they reinstalled it (with the new and bigger harddisc that I bought 160 gb), but the problem is still there
CtHelper.exe is not responding.
I am told that this is a sound-card related program, from my friend. And in the shop they told me that it is a program that locates files on the harddisc, which doesn't get enough power with only 512 rams, and stops responding because of that.

I did run with a subscription version Norton Basic 2006 and Antivirus 2007 until around 1 - 1½ year ago, but stopped that, as it seemed to cause more problems than it solved (made my pc run very slowly. It became much faster and more reliable after I deleted the norton). And the CtHelper.exe problem even occured back then. Just not so frequently. But my point is that Norton didn't locate a virus or malware either.

Well...I'm kind of like SGT Friday from Dragnet...I'm just trying to present you with the facts as others see them.

It's your system...if you want to treat as if it's not a malware problem...that's up to you.

As for what other persons may tell you...I trust that you are old enough to understand that there are two conditions prevalent which ought to make you take anything spoken...with a large dash of salt:

a. A person who is charging you money for a service/product...and who has no scruples...is subject to misrepresent reality.

b. Some persons just don't know the answers...and like to pretend that they do. The result is misinformation.

It's up to you to determine...how valid/responsible...the sources of your information are.

Me...I have no reason at all to misrepresent anything to you...and I gladly acknowledge when I don't know. I consider that a characteristic of maturity and wisdom.

But...it's up to you.

As for Uniblue...take a read at Should I Use A Registry Cleaner - http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099.

Louis

Yes...ok

I was just reading through the link you posted.
However when I tried to do as instructed and clicked on that Autorun link (to show me which programs start on startup) I got a 404 error message that I couldn't open it.
So now I will read through this latest entry of yours. Should I use a Registry Cleaner, ok?

I am just trying to make sense of this whole thing
Thanks

Point taken. No registry cleaner. (saw nothing about uniblue thogh)

However, I am still left with the problem

If it is malware! How do I locate it? And how do I get rid of it?

As I said before. I couldn't open that link...Autorun??something from the page I was on earlier, to locate wich programs run on startup.

If you use Google (or any other search engine), you will find a link for Autoruns, along with explanations/instructions for using.

AutoRuns for Windows - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb963902.aspx

As for determining whether malware has taken control of your system...BC has an excellent forum for eliminating doubts about such situations.

BleepingComputer.com - Am I infected What do I do - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum103.html

If you decide to use it, I suggest that you read all instructions/procedures which are posted...and that should get you started on a course leading to resolution.

There is also a link in the first BC link I provided, titled Removal Instructions.

Louis

I used autorun from your link. Thanks

I ran it, and unticked some programs that have been bugging me for a long time, because they run on startup, like messenger and nokia pc suite. And that's all good.

Also I got a grasp of how many there actually are. Shocking

I didn't see excactly the name I was looking for (CtHelper32.exe), but I did see one called CTHelper Application (under description) which was a (not verified) program from Creative Technologies, which I unticked as well. (I was told by my friend that he had the same soundcard before, but had upgraded it. But he said that he had the same problem with his, so I didn't hesitate to untic that.) I should add to that (because of your previous statement), that this person has been helping me every day for a bit over a month through webcams. He has only shown me a lot of information about my system, which I didn't know about...or know how to locate. And he has been doing this only as a favour. Not because he needed to. And we haven't tampered with anything. He has only tried to help me understand my own system.
And as for the pc-shop. I live in a small place with 1000 inhabitants, so they can't work without scruples, as that will bite themselves in the behind

Anyway, working with the pc all day it has run very well. No sign of that previous problem yet (knock on wood). It didn't even slow down. Yes, the mafia wars game on facebook still works like beep, but I think everybody on there is having problems. So maybe it's not my pc. Because I ran a lot of other sites, even streamed the lfc-channel for more than an hour (which does tend to stutter occasionally as I only have 1 gig bandwidth in a far away location. And if I open some other application simultaniously, usually it will stutter). But everything has worked very well so far.

So I will wait and see, until further problems arrive at least. (Hopefully not)

And thanks.

Now relating to your post...
You say "If you decide to use it, to read all the instructions etc...". Are you referring to the forum? Or some program?
Also I read through the removal instructions yesterday. All of it. I read about starting up in "safe mode", to delete the infections. However, I didn't see there...and don't know how to start in safe mode. I heard some years ago, someone I worked with talking about bypassing the password by holding/pressing F8 on startup. I never tried it though. But is that it? Or how do I start in safe-mode?

My friend is actually on now, telling me that it is a thing called "memory leakage". And that it is a common error with this Creative lab technology driver/program. It is a program designed to help/activate only if there is a problem with the soundcard. But windows finds some fault in it, wich it is not able to fix. So it continues to look to fix it and is using all my memory for that. So it is like a visious cirkle that has no end. So it is a compatability problem with this driver and windows. I did also get the message all the time before, that windows was "expanding the virtual memory file". Before I got that message after only 5 min. And now I've been working all night and day, even streamed some tv-channel, and still didn't get that message

So hopefully the problem is solved.
Thanks

<<You say "If you decide to use it, to read all the instructions etc...". Are you referring to the forum? Or some program?>>

To be honest...both .

Every user should read the instructions for using any program...before ever installing it or buying it. This prevents users from needing an app which does A...and the user winds up with an app which does R.

And the forums each have rules and procedures, which most users don't bother to read. Following those rules and procedures would probably save some users questions/comments/etc., particularly when the user has possible malware issues.

<<My friend is actually on now, telling me that it is a thing called "memory leakage". And that it is a common error with this Creative lab technology driver/program. It is a program designed to help/activate only if there is a problem with the soundcard. But windows finds some fault in it, wich it is not able to fix.>>

I personally haven't thought "memory leak" since my Windows 9x days and never consider such with XP.

But I see that Microsoft and others still refer to phenomenon and document such, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sou...ks&aqi=g-m1

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=h...;oq=&aqi=g1

I guess I think of "memory leaks" as "bad programming", since they seem to be initiated by installed software, rather than by the system. In any case, I would treat the cause (the program/driver/whatever installed) as a way of dealing with it.

Let us hope that your good fortune continues...you know where we are if you have problems .

Happy computing , feedback appreciated.

Louis

Well, I haven't checked back here, because I haven't had the problem anymore. Typical, right Sorry.

I used autoruns and deactivated the CtHelper.exe, and that seems to have solved the problem.
At least the slowdowns I'm having now I think are due to much traffic on facebook/mafia wars. And I don't exsperience the same crashing/unresponsiveness of my system.
Now I will at least wait for the extra rams/memory I ordered to arrive and see how the performance will be after that.

So all that is left for me to do at this point, is say thank you Louis
And I will know where to come, if....(hopefully not, though)

Keep those fingers crossed , happy computing .

Louis