BleepingComputer.com: Internet-required application problem

Hey everyone.

So I've got kind of a weird issue. I recently installed Battlefield: Bad company 2. It was working fine until a couple of days ago when I noticed that the game would not connect to any servers. So I thought maybe it was a server problem and went to youtube.com to kill some time. Well it turns out that trying to play a flash video would hang up the browser (Chrome). So I tried Firefox with the same results. After that I tried to open up my virtual box and do some coding, but that hung up too! So I ran a virus scan, found a couple viruses and quarantined those with AVG. After that everything seemed to work fine, until yesterday. I've been running virus scans and spyware scans, but to no avail. Can anyone think of anything that would be causing this? (I run a Windows 7 quad core box protected by a Comodo Firewall.)

Thanks so much,
Kevin

I recommend try using malwarebytes I think they charge now, I would also switch over to Microsoft Security essentials its free too instead of avg.

Scan for Spyware/Adware

The process of cleaning your computer may require you to temporarily disable some security programs. If you are using SpyBot Search and Destroy, please refer to Note 2 at the bottom of this page.

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free version and save it to your desktop.

NOTE: Before saving MBAM please rename it to zztoy.exe....now save it to your desktop.


alternate download link 1
alternate download link 2

• Make sure you are connected to the Internet.
  
• Double-click on mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
  
• When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
  
• When installation has finished, make sure you leave both of these checked:
  • Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
    
  • Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  
  
• Then click Finish.

MBAM will automatically start and you will be asked to update the program before performing a scan.

• If an update is found, the program will automatically update itself.
  
• Press the OK button to close that box and continue.
  
• If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.

On the Scanner tab:

• Make sure the "Perform Quick Scan" option is selected.
  
• Then click on the Scan button.
  
• If asked to select the drives to scan, leave all the drives selected and click on the Start Scan button.
  
• The scan will begin and "Scan in progress" will show at the top. It may take some time to complete so please be patient.
  
• When the scan is finished, a message box will say "The scan completed successfully. Click 'Show Results' to display all objects found".
  
• Click OK to close the message box and continue with the removal process.

Back at the main Scanner screen:

• Click on the Show Results button to see a list of any malware that was found.
  
• Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
  
• When removal is completed, a log report will open in Notepad.
  
• The log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
  
• Copy and paste the contents of that report in your next reply and exit MBAM.

Note:
-- If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you may be asked to reboot your computer so it can proceed with the disinfection process. Regardless if prompted to restart the computer or not, please do so immediately. Failure to reboot normally (not into safe mode) will prevent MBAM from removing all the malware.

Note 2:
-- MBAM may make changes to your registry as part of its disinfection routine. If you're using other security programs that detect registry changes (like Spybot's Teatimer), they may interfere with the fix or alert you after scanning with MBAM. Please disable such programs until disinfection is complete or permit them to allow the changes. To disable these programs, please view this topic: How To Temporarily Disable Your Anti-virus, Firewall And Anti-malware Programs
---------------------------
Be sure to re-enable your AV and malware scan tools if they were disabled

SAS, may take a long time to scan
Please download and scan with SUPERAntiSpyware Free

• Double-click SUPERAntiSypware.exe and use the default settings for installation.
  
• An icon will be created on your desktop. Double-click that icon to launch the program.
  
• If asked to update the program definitions, click "Yes". If not, update the definitions before scanning by selecting "Check for Updates". (If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here. Double-click on the hyperlink for Download Installer and save SASDEFINITIONS.EXE to your desktop. Then double-click on SASDEFINITIONS.EXE to install the definitions.)
  
• In the Main Menu, click the Preferences... button.
  
• Click the "General and Startup" tab, and under Start-up Options, make sure "Start SUPERAntiSpyware when Windows starts" box is unchecked.
  
• Click the "Scanning Control" tab, and under Scanner Options, make sure the following are checked (leave all others unchecked):
  
  • Close browsers before scanning.
    
  • Scan for tracking cookies.
    
  • Terminate memory threats before quarantining.
  
  
• Click the "Close" button to leave the control center screen and exit the program.
  
• Do not run a scan just yet.
  
• First

Reboot your computer in "Safe Mode" using the F8 method. To do this, restart your computer and after hearing your computer beep once during startup (but before the Windows icon appears) press the F8 key repeatedly. A menu will appear with several options. Use the arrow keys to navigate and select the option to run Windows in "Safe Mode".

Scan with SUPERAntiSpyware as follows:

• Launch the program and back on the main screen, under "Scan for Harmful Software" click Scan your computer.
  
• On the left, make sure you check C:\Fixed Drive.
  
• On the right, under "Complete Scan", choose Perform Complete Scan and click "Next".
  
• After the scan is complete, a Scan Summary box will appear with potentially harmful items that were detected. Click "OK".
  
• Make sure everything has a checkmark next to it and click "Next".
  
• A notification will appear that "Quarantine and Removal is Complete". Click "OK" and then click the "Finish" button to return to the main menu.
  
• If asked if you want to reboot, click "Yes" and reboot normally.
  
• To retrieve the removal information after reboot, launch SUPERAntispyware again.
  • Click Preferences, then click the Statistics/Logs tab.
    
  • Under Scanner Logs, double-click SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log.
    
  • If there are several logs, click the current dated log and press View log. A text file will open in your default text editor.
    
  • Please copy and paste the Scan Log results in your next reply.
  
  
• Click Close to exit the program.

Note.. SAS doesn't open the registry hives for other user accounts on the system, so scans should be done from each user account.

Thanks for the thorough reply techextreme.

Here are the results from the malware scanners.. there doesn't appear to be anything there except tracking cookies..

MBAM:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.44
Database version: 3872
Windows 6.1.7600
Internet Explorer 8.0.7600.16385

3/15/2010 11:30:11 PM
mbam-log-2010-03-15 (23-30-11).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 108210
Time elapsed: 3 minute(s), 31 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)


SAS:

SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log
http://www.superantispyware.com

Generated 03/16/2010 at 00:52 AM

Application Version : 4.34.1000

Core Rules Database Version : 4679
Trace Rules Database Version: 2491

Scan type : Complete Scan
Total Scan Time : 01:18:39

Memory items scanned : 156
Memory threats detected : 0
Registry items scanned : 5315
Registry threats detected : 0
File items scanned : 240730
File threats detected : 10

Adware.Tracking Cookie
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\kevin@2o7[1].txt
C:\Users\Charlie\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\charlie@collective-media[1].txt
C:\Users\Charlie\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\charlie@doubleclick[2].txt
C:\Users\Charlie\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\charlie@tribalfusion[2].txt
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\kevin@ad.yieldmanager[2].txt
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\kevin@atdmt[1].txt
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\kevin@doubleclick[1].txt
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\kevin@fastclick[1].txt
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\kevin@interclick[2].txt
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low\kevin@msnportal.112.2o7[1].txt

Again, thanks for the help. Anything useful in this information? Also, I can view flash files the first time I boot up my computer. However, if I close the browser and try again, no luck.

Thanks,
Kevin

Well, your logs are clean as a whistle. So, let's try a few other things here.

Please download TFC (Temp File Cleaner) by Old Timer and save it to your desktop.
alternate download link

* Save any unsaved work. TFC will close ALL open programs including your browser!
* Double-click on TFC.exe to run it. If you are using Vista, right-click on the file and choose Run As Administrator.
* Click the Start button to begin the cleaning process and let it run uninterrupted to completion.
* TFC will clear out all temp folders for all user accounts (temp, IE temp, Java, FF, Opera, Chrome, Safari), including Administrator, All Users, LocalService, NetworkService, and any other accounts in the user folder.
* Important! If TFC prompts you to reboot, please do so immediately. If not prompted, manually reboot the machine anyway to ensure a complete clean.

Note: It is normal for the computer to be slow to boot after running TFC cleaner the first time.

After running TFC, please go to Adobe.com and get the updated Adobe Flash Player.

I also checked EA's Battlefield Bad Company 2 site and found that multiple people are having the same if not very similar issue as you are with this game. Check it out here.

Hope this helps,

It looks like the temp cleaner worked like a charm! Thanks so much!

You're welcome. Glad I could help.