AARRRRGGG!!!!!! Visual C++ Runtime library Runtie error. C:\Windows\Explorer.exe Abno

I am getting the above error in win xp.

When the problem first started, it wasn't due to any install or removal of software, as I remember.

The error message occurs when I double click a folder in any windows folder window ie. MY documents, or explorer, my computer etc. If I right click and explore (in the left hand pane only) , i can get it not to make a run tme error.

Also the error occurs when I use windows search tool.

System restore was unable to restore back to a previous state, i didnt get the exact error message (one error at a time thanks!) I have searched high and low, and tried several things,

including uninstall google toolbar, reinstall and uninstall again,

replacement of vb runtime files,

use of sfc /scannow,

tried selective startup in mscinfig to isolate problem, but no good,

cleaned with virus scanners, avast, avg, ewido, ad aware, and spybot, as per above, done a regclean.

Removed minisearch in hijack - no good.

Posted in virus and malware , and they said try here, so here i am !

I am running out of ideas to try . Help !!!

Oh yeah and here is my hijack log

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 10:02:32 PM, on 25/08/2006
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\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\Program Files\LEAD Technologies, Inc\LEADTOOLS ePrint 3.0\Bin\LPSVS03N.EXE
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-spyware 4.0\guard.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$RETSDATA\Binn\sqlservr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CAP3RSK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WgaTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\VTtrayp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\VTTimer.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE2.0\OpwareSE2.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\LEADTE~1\LEADTO~1.0\bin\EPRINT3.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskswitch.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\w98Eject.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Osa.exe
C:\Palm\HOTSYNC.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\CAP3LAK .EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SPOOL\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\CAP3SWK .EXE
C:\Program Files\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyServer = proxy.tpg.com.au
N2 - Netscape 6: user_pref("browser.search.defaultengine", "engine://C%3A%5CPROGRAM%20FILES%5CNETSCAPE%5CNETSCAPE%206%5 Csearchplugins%5CSBWeb_01.src"); (C:\Documents and Settings\Pw\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\llge2abj.slt\prefs.j s)
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: FDMIECookiesBHO Class - {CC59E0F9-7E43-44FA-9FAA-8377850BF205} - C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\iefdmcks.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Easy-WebPrint - {327C2873-E90D-4c37-AA9D-10AC9BABA46C} - C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Toolband.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VTTrayp] VTtrayp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VTTimer] VTTimer.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Tweak UI] RUNDLL32.EXE TWEAKUI.CPL,TweakMeUp
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OpwareSE2] "C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE2.0\OpwareSE2.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mdac_runonce] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\RUNONCE.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ePrint 3.0 Service] C:\PROGRA~1\LEADTE~1\LEADTO~1.0\bin\EPRINT3.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CoolSwitch] C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskswitch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CnxTrApp] rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\NetComm\CnxTrApp.dll,AppEntryA -REG "NetComm\NetComm USB Network"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Clipboard Recorder] C:\PROGRAM FILES\LW-WORKS\CLIPBOARD RECORDER\ClipboardRecorder.exe /Startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CAP3ON] C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\CAP3ONN .EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_EMC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGEMC.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_AMSVR] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGAMSVR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - Global Startup: w98Eject.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\w98Eject.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Service Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\sqlmangr.exe
O4 - Global Startup: PopTray.lnk = C:\Program Files\PopTray\PopTray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Office Startup.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: HotSync Manager.lnk = C:\Palm\HOTSYNC.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Canon LASER SHOT LBP-1120 Status Window.LNK = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\CAP3LAK .EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Yahoo! Search - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycsrch.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download all with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlall.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download selected with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlselected.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dllink.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Add To Print List - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_AddToList.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint High Speed Print - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_HSPrint.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Preview - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_Preview.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Print - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_Print.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &Dictionary - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycdict.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &Maps - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycmap.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &SMS - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycsms.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Services - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\COMMON\YIESRVC.DLL (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - %windir%\bdoscandel.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Uninstall BitDefender Online Scanner v8 - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - %windir%\bdoscandel.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Lite - {B863453A-26C3-4e1f-A54D-A2CD196348E9} - C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ Lite - {B863453A-26C3-4e1f-A54D-A2CD196348E9} - C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.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: {2A32B14F-4D29-4EA3-AC54-E9B19F436CE7} (Scanner Class) - http://www.trojanscan.com/trojanscan/TDECntrl.CAB
O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/S...in/AvSniff.cab
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (YInstStarter Class) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {4E330863-6A11-11D0-BFD8-006097237877} (InstallFromTheWeb ActiveX Control) - http://www.installshield.com/install/iftwclix.cab
O16 - DPF: {4F1E5B1A-2A80-42CA-8532-2D05CB959537} (MSN Photo Upload Tool) - http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.co...s/MsnPUpld.cab
O16 - DPF: {5D86DDB5-BDF9-441B-9E9E-D4730F4EE499} (BDSCANONLINE Control) - http://download.bitdefender.com/reso...an8/oscan8.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsu...?1143465856483
O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/S.../bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E5A37BF-FD42-463A-877C-4EB7002E68AE} (Trend Micro ActiveX Scan Agent 6.5) - http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/ho...vex/hcImpl.cab
O16 - DPF: {90F7E144-984F-4FA6-83A7-C9C8DCB9974C} (RSActiveXObj Control) - http://www.radarsync.com/RSActiveX.ocx
O16 - DPF: {928626A3-6B98-11CF-90B4-00AA00A4011F} (SurroundVideoCtrl Object) - http://carpoint.msn.com/components/o...d/MSSurVid.cab
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://cdn.messenger.msn.com/downloa...Downloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {C2FCEF52-ACE9-11D3-BEBD-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec RuFSI Registry Information Class) - http://security2.norton.com/SSC/Shar.../bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {EF791A6B-FC12-4C68-99EF-FB9E207A39E6} (McFreeScan Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/is...36/mcfscan.cab
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - "C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\msgrapp.dll" (file missing)
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: EPrint III Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\LEAD Technologies, Inc\LEADTOOLS ePrint 3.0\Bin\LPSVS03N.EXE
O23 - Service: ewido anti-spyware 4.0 guard - Anti-Malware Development a.s. - C:\Program Files\ewido anti-spyware 4.0\guard.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPodService - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Macromedia Licensing Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macromedia Shared\Service\Macromedia Licensing.exe
O23 - Service: Sandra Data Service (SandraDataSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2007.SP1\Win32\RpcDataSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Sandra Service (SandraTheSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2007.SP1\RpcSandraSrv.exe

Hi Mister.....

Did you ever make any progress on this I am experiencing exactly the same problem (only started today) and like you have run many adware / spyware / registry scans and has not made any difference either....... v annoying!

Please can someone help!

does your windows xp fail to update at all? becuz that has happened to me as well

I have managed to fix this issue on my machine.

I found a program called BHO Captor which I downloaded and this allows you to deactivate certain controls. There was an entry in there for Adobe Reader which I de-activated and hey presto - problem fixed!

From other comments I have found online it appears that it could be various controls in here that could affect it as other people mentioned having to deactivate controls for the Java Runtime Environment etc so try and deactivate more than one if you don't have success after the first attempt - but just remember if you need to restore that control at a later date you will need that programs original installer.

Well it only took most of the evening but I got there in the end!!!