Hi, The above process started appearing in the Task Manager after I inadvertently opened a suspicious email attachment. Its effects are similiar to the pup.exe, but unlike the latter I could not shut it off from the Startup with 'Msconfig', because even after rebooting using 'Diagnostic Startup', when unchecked the process (actually 2 processes in HKCU and HKLM respectively), still reloads after the restart. Moreover, when I deleted its registry entries, they immediately appeared again in both Classes and Machine. I also located the actual file in the System32 folder, but when i tried to delete it the system doesn't allow me since it's running. Shutting it off via Task Manager is useless since it immediately restarts, even when ending the whole 'Process Tree'. Both Spybot and Adaware failed to remove it. Can anyone help? I also ran CWS shredder and Hijackthis after suggestions from the XP Forum, yet still the file is still there. Any more ideas? C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe C:\Program Files\No-IP\DUC20.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe C:\PROGRA~1\Serv-U\ServUDaemon.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe C:\Program Files\Alcatel\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe C:\WINDOWS\mHotkey.exe C:\Program Files\Serv-U\ServUTray.exe C:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\CuteFTP Pro\TE\ftpte.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\logdisk.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\devldr32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\Hfdrv.exe C:\Program Files\Serv-U\ServUAdmin.exe C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe C:\Music2\HijackThis.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = about:blank R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = about:blank R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\System\panels\blank.htm R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page_bak = about:blank R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{CFBFAE00-17A6-11D0-99CB-00C04FD64497} - (no file) O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx O2 - BHO: (no name) - {16664845-0E00-11D2-8059-000000000000} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\ReGet Shared\Catcher.dll O2 - BHO: (no name) - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\windows\googletoolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll O3 - Toolbar: ReGet Bar - {17939A30-18E2-471E-9D3A-56DD725F1215} - C:\Program Files\ReGetDx\iebar.dll O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\windows\googletoolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpeedTouch USB Diagnostics] "C:\Program Files\Alcatel\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe" /icon O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.exe NvQTwk,NvCplDaemon initialize O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CHotKey] mHotkey.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dat64] C:\WINDOWS\System32\Hfdrv.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ServUTrayIcon] C:\Program Files\Serv-U\ServUTray.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.exe" /background O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CuteFTP Pro TE] "C:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\CuteFTP Pro\TE\ftpte.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [dat64] C:\WINDOWS\System32\Hfdrv.exe O8 - Extra context menu item: Do&wnload by ReGet Deluxe - C:\Program Files\Common Files\ReGet Shared\CC_Link.htm O8 - Extra context menu item: Download A&ll by ReGet Deluxe - C:\Program Files\Common Files\ReGet Shared\CC_All.htm O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000 O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: Spy (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: MSIE &Spy (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger (HKLM) O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll O16 - DPF: {1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} - http://imgfarm.com/images/nocache/funwebproducts/SmileyCentralInitialSetup1.0.0.6.cab O16 - DPF: {3E68E405-C6DE-49FF-83AE-41EE9F4C36CE} (Office Update Installation Engine) - http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate/content/opuc.cab O16 - DPF: {8EDAD21C-3584-4E66-A8AB-EB0E5584767D} - http://toolbar.google.com/data/GoogleActivate.cab O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/unicode/iuctl.CAB?37965.6827662037 O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab O16 - DPF: {EFB22865-F3BC-4309-ADFA-C8E078A7F762} (SysWebTelecomInt Class) - http://www.sponsoradulto.com/en/SysWebTelecom.cab O16 - DPF: {F5192746-22D6-41BD-9D2D-1E75D14FBD3C} (ddm_download.ddm_control) - http://download.rfwnad.com/cab/crack.CAB O16 - DPF: {FF0C042C-98E9-4C36-B2EC-E21FDFDCEF75} (InstallCtl Class) - http://download.redswoosh.net/Installer/104/rsinstaller.cab O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{CE131BD6-0DD5-4164-B90A-779235E2F850}: NameServer = 194.158.37.196 194.158.37.211

Disable System Restore, enable Show Hidden Files, then.... Reboot into safe mode (tap F8 key on boot) Open HJT and put check marks in the following to fix: R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = about:blank R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = about:blank R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\System\panels\blank.htm R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page_bak = about:blank R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{CFBFAE00-17A6-11D0-99CB-00C04FD64497} - (no file) O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dat64] C:\WINDOWS\System32\Hfdrv.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [dat64] C:\WINDOWS\System32\Hfdrv.exe O16 - DPF: {F5192746-22D6-41BD-9D2D-1E75D14FBD3C} (ddm_download.ddm_control) - http://download.rfwnad.com/cab/crack.CAB Then, find (search for) and delete : C:\WINDOWS\System32\Hfdrv.exe Reboot normaly and post a new log, or update. hth Shep

If all is well re-enable System Restore, it will create a new one. Shep

Thanks for your useful tips. The system is free from that file now.