Empty Programs menu - Help

[indrajit]

I am having a weird problem since today morning. My start menu has gone haywire. The shortcut links abofe the "Programs" menu is gone and the "Programs" menu is showing empty. None of my installed programs are there in the list.
I'm posting my HJT log here. Please see if any of you guys can help me out.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:14:48 PM, on 3/7/2006
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\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winser.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\CA\eTrust EZ Armor\eTrust EZ Antivirus\isafe.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMax4PNP.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\CA\ETRUST~1\ETRUST~1\VetTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\Program Files\Huawei\MT882\dslagent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\sdaemon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\winwd.exe
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\YourWare Solutions\FreeRAM XP Pro\FreeRAM XP Pro.exe
C:\Program Files\CA\eTrust EZ Armor\eTrust EZ Antivirus\VetMsg.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\CA\ETRUST~1\ETRUST~1\AutoDown.exe
E:\SOFTWARE IMAGES\UTILITIES\HijackThis\1.99.1\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.rediffmail.com/cgi-bin/login.cgi
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
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
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMax4PNP.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VetTray] C:\PROGRA~1\CA\ETRUST~1\ETRUST~1\VetTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DSLAGENTEXE] C:\Program Files\Huawei\MT882\dslagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SDaemon] C:\WINDOWS\sdaemon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SWd] C:\WINDOWS\winwd.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [FreeRAM XP] "C:\Program Files\YourWare Solutions\FreeRAM XP Pro\FreeRAM XP Pro.exe" -win
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
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: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Messenger - {E5D12C4E-7B4F-11D3-B5C9-0050045C3C96} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\MESSEN~1\YAHOOM~1.EXE
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {E5D12C4E-7B4F-11D3-B5C9-0050045C3C96} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\MESSEN~1\YAHOOM~1.EXE
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: {88D969C0-F192-11D4-A65F-0040963251E5} (XML DOM Document 4.0) - file://C:\TempEI4\EI40_\msxml4.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{DE2E506F-5FBE-40EC-8F2C-E2203A78BA72}: NameServer = 218.248.255.145 61.1.96.71
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxsrvc.dll
O23 - Service: CA ISafe (CAISafe) - Computer Associates International, Inc. - C:\Program Files\CA\eTrust EZ Armor\eTrust EZ Antivirus\isafe.exe
O23 - Service: SoundMAX Agent Service (SoundMAX Agent Service (default)) - Analog Devices, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
O23 - Service: VET Message Service (VETMSGNT) - Computer Associates International, Inc. - C:\Program Files\CA\eTrust EZ Armor\eTrust EZ Antivirus\VetMsg.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
O23 - Service: winser - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\winser.exe

[anandk]

winser is a trojan TR/PSW.Lmir.art .

update and run ur antivirus in safe mode.
http://products.antivir.de/en/threat...t_details.html

for detailed scrutiny of ur hijakthis logfile. copy-paste it in www.hijackthis.de and click 'analyze' !

also shud u wish to scan any file online i suggest http://virusscan.jotti.org/ as u can simultaneously scan it with multiple antivirus for better results.

[indrajit]

Thanx for the replies guys, but I don't think that's the problem. Winser got a clean chit from both the online virus checking sites you suggested. I've got PC Security installed and I think its a part of that program.
The links in my Programs menu are still missing and I'm at my wits end to find out what's happening. If nothing works out, guess I'll have to go through re installing the OS all over. I hate doing that!!

[william]

Go to C: drive click on windows folder and then click on star menu folder. select programs from start menu folder and check whether your programs are there or not.

[indrajit]

Checked that already. All installed programs are intact. A new weird thing is happening. Some times the links in the program menu are coming back on their own. Am at a total loss.