Thanks for all this - and have downloaded 'Pesky StartUp'. Seems helpful
already.

Yes it is ctfmon - well spotted! Does that make a difference? Ivee?

"lvee" <notmesothere@msn.com> wrote in message
news:uTBS$7NzFHA.1856@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Are you sure the program that hangs is cfmon, and not ctfmon?
>
>
> "Touchbase" <animals@thezoo.com> wrote in message
> news:ONYuRvNzFHA.2644@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> If you have an anti-virus program get it updated and run it as it can
>> remove the Backdoor.Trojan that appears to be on your computer. There are
>> free AV programs out there that you can download. When you have updated
>> your AV program disconnect from the internet and leave it disconnected
>> until you have cleaned up your machine.
>>
>> I would check for any trojans or spyware first.
>> ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
>>
>> More tools than you need but better to have a full arsenal than just one.
>>
>> Start by downloading Adaware, Spybot S&D, HiJack This, CWShredder.
>>
>> Adaware & Spybot S&D may do the job. If not continue with the other
>> tools.
>>
>> Scum/Spyware removal tools/blockers/information
>> http://grc.com/optout.htm
>> "What is Spyware?
>>
>> Spyware is ANY SOFTWARE which employs a user's Internet connection in the
>> background (the so-called "backchannel") without their knowledge or
>> explicit
>> permission."
>>
>> Once any spyware/scumware is installed it can change and/or lock you out
>> of
>> your home page, really slow down or cripple your computer, gather
>> information about which sites you go to, install keystroke loggers,
>> install and run
>> programs in the background without your knowledge, making your computer a
>> zombie slave at their command to use to attack other computers or servers
>> on
>> the internet, find your passwords & credit card numbers etc etc...
>>
>> Programs:
>>
>> http://www.lavasoftusa.com (Free)
>> Ad-aware is a free multi spyware removal utility that scans your
>> memory,registry and hard drives for known spyware and scumware components
>> and lets you remove them safely. It is updated frequently.
>>
>> Download and install it, MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE IT, and then run it
>> following
>> these directions:
>>
>> Ad-Aware 6 comes pre-configured with default options that are already ON
>> (green checkmark) ... do not change them. The following are changes that
>> you
>> will need to make to prepare the "Full" custom scan that is recommended
>> for
>> the first look into your computer (instead of a red "x", you will make
>> them
>> a green "checkmark"):
>> Launch the program, and click on the Gear icon at the top of the start
>> screen to access the preferences/setting window.
>> Click the "Scanning" button.
>> Under Drives & Folders, select "Scan within Archives".
>> Click "Click here to select Drives + folders" and select your installed
>> hard
>> drives.
>> Under Memory & Registry, select all options.
>> Under "Cleaning Engine", select the following:
>> "Let Windows remove files in use after reboot."
>> Click on 'Proceed' to save these Preferences.
>> Now update to the latest reference file. They update these constantly.
>>
>> When you are finished, you will be using the Custom Scan with Memory and
>> Both registry scans ON. Please make sure that you activate IN-DEPTH
>> scanning
>> before you proceed.
>>
>> After you have set up these options, be sure to choose "Custom Scan" not
>> "Smart Scan" and choose next.
>>
>> Let it remove all finds. It will put these in quarantine to back up later
>> if
>> necessary.
>>
>> REBOOT
>>
>> http://www.lurkhere.com/~nicefiles/ (Free)
>> SPYBOT SEARCH AND DESTROY : Searches your system for so-called spyware,
>> adware and similar threats to your privacy and security. If such threats
>> are
>> found, it can give you some information about the interloper and remove
>> it
>> from your system; creating a backup beforehand. Download and install it,
>> MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE IT before running it.
>>
>> HijackThis:
>> HijackThis examines certain key areas of the Registry and Hard Drive and
>> lists their contents and provides the ability to remove any unwanted
>> stuff..
>> These areas are used by both legitimate applications and hijackers. This
>> list can then be posted in a forum where experienced people can assist
>> you
>> to get rid of the unwanted programs if the above two programs do not
>> entirely clean your system. Some spyware can be heavily imbedded into the
>> windows infrastructure.
>>
>> Download, unzip, and run Hijack This from one of these locations:
>> http://www.net-integration.net/tools/hijackthis.html
>> http://computercops.biz/downloads-cat-14.html
>> http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html
>> http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads...HijackThis.exe
>> Unzip to a folder other than your Desktop or the Temp folder, doubleclick
>> HijackThis.exe, and hit "Scan".
>>
>> When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save
>> Log"
>> button.
>> Press that, save the log somewhere you can find it (Desktop, My
>> Documents,
>> or similar). Most of what it lists will be harmless or even required, so
>> do
>> NOT fix anything yet.
>>
>> Copy the log files and paste them into a new post at one of these forums:
>> http://forum.aumha.org/
>> http://forums.net-integration.net/
>> http://computercops.biz/forums.html
>> http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showforum=30
>> http://tomcoyote.org/forums/
>> http://www.lavasoftsupport.com
>> http://boards.cexx.org/
>>
>> The folks there will tell you what to remove.
>>
>> A tutorial for using Hijack This is located here:
>> http://tomcoyote.com/hjt/
>> and an in-depth tutorial is here:
>> http://aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm
>>
>>
>> CWShredder (on same page):
>> http://www.net-integration.net/tools/hijackthis.html
>>
>> CWShredder
>> If you find a system scan by SpybotS&D indicates CoolWebSearch present
>> but
>> does not effectively remove it download and run CWShredder.
>>
>> CWShredder, a small utility for removing CoolWebSearch (aka
>> CoolWwwSearch,
>> YouFindAll, White-Pages.ws and a dozen other names). Spybot S&D tends to
>> forget essential parts of the hijack, so until it updates, you can just
>> do
>> this to completely remove the hijack. Updated to remove the new variants
>> once they come out.
>> http://www.allsecpros.com/download/CWShredder.exe
>>
>> Any known information regarding CoolWebSearch can be found in the
>> CoolWebSearch Chronicles at
>> http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html
>>
>> http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html (Free)
>> SPYWAREBLASTER doesn't scan and clean for spyware - it prevents it from
>> ever
>> being installed. How? By setting a "kill bit" for the spyware ActiveX
>> controls, it prevents the installation of any of them from a webpage. You
>> can run Internet Explorer with Active-X enabled, but you will never even
>> get
>> a "Yes/No" box popped up, asking you to install a spyware Active-X
>> control
>> (Internet Explorer will never download or run it!). All other Active-X
>> controls or plug-ins will work fine. The SpywareBlaster database contains
>> information on these known spyware Active-X controls. Make sure you run
>> the
>> Check For Updates feature frequently to get the latest database! (And
>> make
>> sure you check the new items to protect your system against them!)
>>
>> A wealth of information on many of the spyware items that SpywareBlaster
>> protects against can be accessed here: http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/
>> This site can also check any scum/spyware you might have acquired, in
>> most
>> cases unknowingly, in trips around the internet.
>>
>> http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html (Free)
>> SpywareGuard
>> Provides a real-time protection solution against spyware that is a great
>> addition to SpywareBlaster's protection method.
>>
>> An anti-virus program scans files before you open them and prevents
>> execution if a virus is detected - SpywareGuard does the same thing, but
>> for
>> spyware! And you can easily have an anti-virus program running alongside
>> SpywareGuard.
>>
>> http://www.wilderssecurity.com/bhblaster.html (Free)
>> BROWSER HIJACK BLASTER protects your system from browser hijackers and
>> spyware that alters your Internet Explorer settings. Running silently in
>> the
>> background, Browser Hijack Blaster only springs into action when an
>> attempt
>> is made. It watches and protects the following items:
>> IE Homepage, IE Default Page, IE Search Page, BHOs. Whenever one of the
>> above items is changed, or a BHO is added, you are immediately provided
>> with
>> information on the item, along with the option to keep the change, or
>> revert
>> to your previous settings.
>>
>> Great spyware-related information and resources;
>> http://www.spywareinfo.com
>> http://www.pchell.com/support/spyware.shtml
>>
>> Browser Hijacking
>> http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/
>>
>>
>> Then once that is handled check out the following info.
>> .................................................. .................................................. .........................................
>> If you are a single user of a non-networked machine, you can disable the
>> following items, with no ill effect. This will improve windows startup
>> because a lot of these services are set to automatically start when they
>> don't need to or are not required anyway on a standalone PC.
>>
>> To disable unneeded startup services for a safer, faster XP, use the
>> "Services" Admin Tool (Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Services).
>>
>> Alerter
>> Clipbook
>> Computer Browser
>> Fast User Switching
>> Human Interface Access Devices
>> Indexing Service (Slows the hard drive down)
>> Messenger
>> Net Logon (unnecessary unless networked on a Domain)
>> Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing (disabled for extra security)
>> Remote Desktop Help Session Manager (disabled for extra security)
>> Remote Procedure Call Locator
>> Remote Registry (disabled for extra security)
>> Routing & Remote Access (disabled for extra security)
>> Server
>> SSDP Discovery Service ("Universal P'n'P", & leaves TCP Port 5000 wide
>> open)
>> TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
>> Telnet (disabled for extra security)
>> Universal Plug and Play Device Host
>> Upload Manager
>> Windows Time
>> Wireless Zero Configuration (for wireless networks)
>> Workstation
>>
>> Services - Listed and Explained
>>
>> Windows XP Services
>>
>> Services - Here is a way to figure out which services to set as Automatic
>> and which to set as manual or disabled.
>>
>> Step1: Set ALL your services to *manual* setting.
>> Step2: Reboot computer and wait for windows XP to load. XP will boot
>> pretty slowly, since it has to turn on each service separately. Use your
>> computer for a bit, doing what you normally do during a computing
>> session. This will allow any
>> other services to activate (such as DHCP or other services that didn't
>> load during the boot process).
>> Step3: Go back to the list of services, and see which ones are Started.
>> Change the services that are marked as Started, to
>> *Automatic*. This way windows will automatically load all of the services
>> that you normally use, and the ones that you don't use will stay
>> unloaded.
>>
>> Tip: Services Running - Alter to Improve Performance
>>
>> DNS Client - Automatic / Manual - This service is responsible for DNS
>> lookup so disable at your own risk!
>> IPSEC Services - Automatic / Manual
>> Messenger - Automatic / Manual
>> Remote Registry - Automatic / Manual
>> Automatic Updates - Automatic / Disabled
>> Computer Browser - Automatic / Manual
>> Distributed Link Tracking Client - Automatic / Manual
>> Portable Media Serial Number - Automatic / Disabled
>> Task Scheduler - Automatic / Manual
>> --
>>
>> Minds are like parachutes, they only work when open
>> --
>> Touch Base
>> Post back here on the result- good or bad
>>
>>
>>
>> "Galen" <galennews@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:%23rZI6iMzFHA.664@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>> In news:ejE$xZMzFHA.1252@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl,
>>> Y Cymro <david.owens2@RemoveCymrobtinternet.com> had this to say:
>>>
>>> My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
>>>
>>>> I have been using Windows XP for about 18 months, and gradually the
>>>> Start Up takes longer and longer until it now takes over two minutes
>>>> from password entry to being able to use my space. I am sure I don't
>>>> need to be loading everything that is getting loaded. How can I
>>>> sensibly reduce these items so I am only starting what I need, and
>>>> can call up other options as I need them?
>>>>
>>>> Also, XP has developed an annoying fault, If I delete pictures from
>>>> the picture editor - which I am doing all the time as I am a keen
>>>> digital camera user - XP hangs, and I have to log off and log on
>>>> again - another 2 minutes (see above)! It is usually a programme
>>>> called "cfmon.exe" which is causing the problem -to then causes other
>>>> programmes to 'hang'. What is it and how do I cure it? I have
>>>> fought shy of resetting the PC to an earlier date because I am not
>>>> sure when the problem emerged, and I have downloaded a few programmes
>>>> recently, including Windows updates.
>>>> DJO
>>>
>>
>>
>
>