first, the problem: i've cleaned my registry pretty good and have the browser back under control, their page is gone and the system speed lag problem is gone as well.
i managed to find and kill wdm.dll - at least i think i did, i don't see it there any more.
the problem is that my desktop still goes to that warning page that the about:blank garbage had originally pput there - the one that blackmails you.
i've manipulated the code on it so that the text and pictures are gone, but i can't find where the thing lives to go kill it.
here's a log:
Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.3
Scan saved at 10:49:07 AM, on 6/19/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)
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\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\program files\support.com\bin\tgcmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\QCDriver3\LVCOMS.EXE
C:\Program Files\Samsung\SmarThru\PORTCTRL.EXE
C:\Program Files\BroadJump\Client Foundation\CFD.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Meaya\Popup Ad Filter\PopFilter.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
C:\Program Files\SBC\Connection Manager\CManager.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\MESSEN~1\ymsgr_tray.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\BROADJ~1\CORREC~1\CCD.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\PC-cillin 2003\Tmntsrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\PC-cillin 2003\tmproxy.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\PC-cillin 2003\PccPfw.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\sgmain.exe
C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\sgbhp.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Documents and Settings\sprigly\Desktop\Misc Programs\HijackThis.exe
O2 - BHO: SpywareGuard Download Protection - {4A368E80-174F-4872-96B5-0B27DDD11DB2} - C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\dlprotect.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WorksFUD] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\wkfud.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [tgcmdprovidersbc] "c:\program files\support.com\bin\tgcmd.exe" /server /startmonitor /deaf /nosystray
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Portfolio] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WksSb.exe /AllUsers
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LVCOMS] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\QCDriver3\LVCOMS.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb04.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GW Port Controller] C:\Program Files\Samsung\SmarThru\PORTCTRL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BJCFD] C:\Program Files\BroadJump\Client Foundation\CFD.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Yahoo! Pager] C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\MESSEN~1\ypager.exe -quiet
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Popup Ad Filter] C:\Program Files\Meaya\Popup Ad Filter\PopFilter.exe
O4 - Startup: Connection Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\SBC\Connection Manager\CManager.exe
O4 - Startup: PowerReg Scheduler.exe
O4 - Startup: SpywareGuard.lnk = C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\sgmain.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = ?
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Login (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Login (HKLM)
O16 - DPF: {27527D31-447B-11D5-A46E-0001023B4289} (CoGSManager Class) - http://gamingzone-dev.ubisoft.com/dev/packages/GSManager.cab
O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) - http://www.installengine.com/engine/isetup.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/...7865.6372106482
O16 - DPF: {A17E30C4-A9BA-11D4-8673-60DB54C10000} (YahooYMailTo Class) - http://download.yahoo.com/dl/installs/ymail/ymmapi.dll
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{96C7C10C-DB66-4C38-B08E-569F3D6B4CBA}: NameServer = 63.203.35.55 206.13.28.12
one thing to note - i thought that wuauclt thing was part of the problem and had deleted it after stopping the process. i learned that it was a ms update thing so i decided to leave it alone after i saw it had resurrected itself. but how could it do that? is it possible that the about:blank problem has overwritten something that seems benign? i don't know a lot about how all of this works, but it seems like the problem ought to be easy enough to kill - oh well
thanks in advance