system 32 folder opens when windows 7 loads

I'm not 100% sure this is a virus because I can't recall going anywhere different that I usually do (but I didn't know where else to post for help about this). For the past week, or so, though my system 32 folder will pop open when windows loads up. It doesn't happen *every* time but often enough to cause me concern. I looked up and on Microsoft's site it said this...

"This behavior can occur if a null, incomplete, or damaged entry exists in the registry."

And gave a resolution but it deals with modifying the registry and that scares me shitless. So I just wanted to get a second opinion before I go diving into things that might mess my computer up.

Also, when I went to shut down my computer yesterday...it wanted to do one of those automatic updates and that's all fine. So I left it but when I came back home (was gone four hours) the computer was still running and it was stuck. So obviously I had to hard restart. Everything was fine after that but it did it again last night. Could the problem with my system 32/registry be causing this hang up on the update?

Hello and welcome to GeekPolice.Net My name is Dave. I will be helping you out with your particular problem on your computer.

1. I will be working on your Malware issues. This may or may not solve other issues you have with your machine.
2. The fixes are specific to your problem and should only be used for this issue on this machine.
3. If you don't know or understand something, please don't hesitate to ask.
4. Please DO NOT run any other tools or scans while I am helping you.
5. It is important that you reply to this thread. Do not start a new topic.
6. Your security programs may give warnings for some of the tools I will ask you to use. Be assured, any links I give are safe.
7. Absence of symptoms does not mean that everything is clear.

If you can't access the internet with your infected computer you will have to download and transfer any programs to the computer you're using now and transfer them to the infected computer with a CD-RW or a USB storage device. I prefer a CD because a storage device can get infected. If you use a storage device hold the shift key down while inserting the USB storage device for about 10 secs. You will also have to transfer the logs you receive back to the good computer using the same method until we can get the computer back on-line.
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Let's run a few scans to make sure it is clean and we'll take it from there.

Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode onto your Desktop.

Before starting AdwCleaner, close all open programs and internet browsers, then double-click on the AdwCleaner icon.



If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.
When the AdwCleaner program will open, click on the Scan button as shown below.



AdwCleaner will now start to search for malicious files that may be installed on your computer.
To remove the files that were detected in the previous step, please click on the Clean button.



AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to reboot the computer. Please do so and then click on the OK button. AdwCleaner will now delete all detected adware from your computer. When it is done it will display an alert that explains what PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) and Adware are. Please read through this information and then press the OK button. You will now be presented with an alert that states AdwCleaner needs to reboot your computer.
Please click on the OK button to allow AdwCleaner reboot your computer.A log will be produced. Please copy and paste this log in your next reply.
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Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware from here.
Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application.

• It should update automatically if the computer is connected to the internet.
  
• Click on Threat Scan and click on Scan Now.
  
• The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.
  
• When the scan is complete make sure all the infections have "quarantine" selected in the Action box.
  
• Click on "Apply actions" You may be asked to Restart your computer to completely remove the infections.
  
• When disinfection is completed you can click on "Copy to Clipboard".
  
• Paste the log in you next reply (CTRL+ V)
  

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Please download Junkware Removal Tool to your desktop.

•Warning! Once the scan is complete JRT will shut down your browser with NO warning.

•Shut down your protection software now to avoid potential conflicts.

•Temporarily disable your Antivirus and any Antispyware real time protection before performing a scan. Click this link to see a list of security programs that should be disabled and how to disable them.

•Run the tool by double-clicking it. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, right-click JRT and select Run as Administrator

•The tool will open and start scanning your system.

•Please be patient as this can take a while to complete depending on your system's specifications.

•On completion, a log (JRT.txt) is saved to your desktop and will automatically open.

•Copy and Paste the JRT.txt log into your next message.
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Download Security Check by screen317 from one of the following links and save it to your desktop.

Link 1
Link 2

* Double-click Security Check.bat
* Follow the on-screen instructions inside of the black box.
* A Notepad document should open automatically called checkup.txt
* Post the contents of that document in your next reply.

Note: If a security program requests permission from dig.exe to access the Internet, allow it to do so.

AdwCleaner found nothing but I cleaned and rebooted all the same.  Here's the log

# AdwCleaner v4.208 - Logfile created 29/07/2015 at 17:12:22
# Updated 09/07/2015 by Xplode
# Database : 2015-07-26.2 [Server]
# Operating system : Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1 (x64)
# Username : Holly - GADGET
# Running from : C:\Users\Holly\Desktop\adwcleaner_4.208.exe
# Option : Scan

***** [ Services ] *****


***** [ Files / Folders ] *****

File Found : C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\browser\searchplugins\yahoo.xml
File Found : C:\Users\Holly\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\hxxp_www.yourtango.com_0.localstorage
File Found : C:\Users\Holly\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\hxxp_www.yourtango.com_0.localstorage-journal

***** [ Scheduled tasks ] *****


***** [ Shortcuts ] *****


***** [ Registry ] *****


***** [ Web browsers ] *****

-\\ Internet Explorer v11.0.9600.17909


-\\ Mozilla Firefox v38.0.5 (x86 en-US)


-\\ Google Chrome v44.0.2403.125


-\\ Opera v0.0.0.0


*************************

AdwCleaner[R0].txt - [2866 bytes] - [17/01/2015 11:56:40]
AdwCleaner[R1].txt - [1089 bytes] - [29/07/2015 17:12:22]
AdwCleaner[S0].txt - [2977 bytes] - [17/01/2015 11:59:01]

########## EOF - C:\AdwCleaner\AdwCleaner[R1].txt - [1207 bytes] ##########



Maleware bytes wouldn't open and I kept getting this error with JRT (even running as administrative):
"Could no create file "C:\Holly\AppData\Local\Temp\jrt\badFOLDERS.cfg".  Access is denied."

And now my folders aren't loading.  This started happening after I downloaded Maleware Bytes.  
I couldn't even get into my control panel to uninstall anything.

Thankfully, with malewarebytes, there was a folder in my start menu (boy aren't I glad I didn't say no to that) and I was unable to uninstall it.  That actually solved my problems.  So I'm thankful for that.

I'm actually about 99% sure I don't have a virus and that it's something else.  Since the first scan showed nothing and I haven't actually downloaded anything other than image files (pngs) lately.

That actually solved my problems.

Do you mean your original problem?
Let's try this:

To Run the SFC /SCANNOW Command in Windows 7
1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. To Scan and Repair System Files
NOTE: Scans the integrity of all protected system files and repairs the system files if needed.
A) In the elevated command prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This may take some time to finish.



B) Go to step 4.

3. To Only Verify if the System Files are Corrupted
NOTE: Scans and only verifies the integrity of all proteced system files only.
A) In the elevated command prompt, type sfc /verifyonly and press Enter.

4. When the scan is complete, hopefully you will see all is ok like the screenshot below.
NOTE: If not, then you can attempt to run a System Restore using a restore point dated before the bad file occured to fix it. You may need to repeat doing a System Restore until you find a older restore point that may work.



5. When done, close the elevated command prompt.

No, not my original problem. After running adwcleaner and my system rebooted...the system 32 file still popped up. I meant that uninstalling maleware bytes fixed my folder issue I was having.

I'll do the elevated command prompt now.

Please run ADwCleaner and hit the clean button.

I did run ADwCleaner and hit clean before.

Anyway...ran the elevated command prompt and got this...
https://oimg.photobucket.com/albums/v204/tangled_puppet/results.png

I'm assuming this is where my problem lies?

I tried looking in the CBS log but it said access denied.

I take it that I need to do a system restore?  Which scares me cause I've never done it before.  I absolutely won't lose any of my photos or art or programs on my computer (I know newly installed ones (and assuming newly saved stuff) would be...but nothing old)?

I'm not really sure exactly when these problems started.

You can try a system Restore and see if it fixes the problem. Just do a search for System Restore and it will tell you how to do it. You will not lose anything but you should backup your important data just to be on the safe side.Do you have the Windows 7 OS disk?

No. My computer came preloaded with Windows 7 and there wasn't a disk with it.

Ok, you must have a system recovery installed on a partition of your hard drive. Do you have a D drive? We may have to use this to fix your computer.

Yes..."Recovery (D:)"

Though I likely won't be able to do anything until some time tomorrow. I want to clean out my external hard drive and put some things on it...as a backup. But I'm getting ready to be away from the computer and since it's so late...I'll likely just wait until tomorrow to deal with all this.

Sounds good. When you're ready proceed with System Restore to see if that will help. Please let me know.

Ok...I was busy yesterday and didn't have a chance to do anything.  I was going to do it today but for some reason I can't get my external hard drive to show up when I plug it up.  I tried other USB ports and I plugged a flash drive up and it's lit up but not showing up in my list.  So maybe the system 32 folder problem is causing this?  I don't know.

So I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and do a system restore without backing anything up (because I really have no clue how to do a back up any other way).

Does a system restore uninstall old programs (skype, aim, chrome, paint tool sai, gimp, etc)?


EDIT: I checked out the link (for doing a system restore) you posted the other day and I got to the point where I see the system restore button but it is grayed out and it says "searching..." under 'protection settings'.

System Restore will bring your computer back to a previous date and the only thing you will lose is any programs that you've installed after that date. System Recovery will take your computer back to the day you purchased it. You may also have a repair option. I can help you make a disk which will help you to back up your important data before doing anything else.