Hard Drive Constantly Running

[march]

Using XP. My Hard drive is continuously (90% of the time) running.

Tried evreything ... removing anti-virus, scanned for virus and malware, stopped indexing, etc.

All to no avail.

Here is my Hijack this log, if it helps:

Thanks for any help.

[TheTerrorist_75]

You are running two different anti-virus programs, Norton and AVG. One needs to go. Also Spyware Terminator is a crap program that used to be on Spyware Warrior's rouge list due to adware. Remove it.

To check your system for malware, read and do the following.

We no longer use HJT to resolve malware issues. Please read these directions and post the required logs in the correct section of the forums.

How To Post An Otl Log, Easy to Follow Guide

Create a new thread and post the required logs in the following section of the forums.

Malware Removal

Please wait patiently for the experts to read your logs and guide you on removing your malware.

[shanenin]

one other thought. A system running without enough ram will use the hard drive as a ram substitute(swapping). This will cause it to constantly run. Open up the task manager and look at the pf usage. This will show you roughly how much ram your system needs to run without having to swap.

[MrBill]

You have programs running on startup also that don't need to be running. Also, do you use a screen saver?

These don't need to be running:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe

Some of the others I am not sure of as when I googled them, I see where you posted on another forum the same thing you did here.

[Pete_C]

C:\Program Files\Norton GoBack\GBPoll.exe

My first thought is that GoBack is at fault

Constantly checking to see if anything changed so that it can back it up.

Next would be this

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AvaFind] "C:\Program Files\AvaFind\AvaFind.exe" /minimized

any file search utility can cause this behavior if it conflicts with windows search indexing.

My third thought based on the lack of 04 entries and the disparity between them and entries in services (023) and winlogon (020) entries is that you disabled something incorrectly (used MSCONFIG) and only got part of it. The remaining part is still running and keeps trying to find its other component which you improperly disabled. What about scheduled tasks / jobs ? Did the malware removal guy check them out ?

Finally comes defrag utilities; I do not see any third party defrag utilities, but if you do have one installed be warned that generally different defrag utilities use different algorythms to determine what file belongs where. Some sort by name, some by file type, some by frequency of use, others by what the file is used for (windows files, program files, data....) The XP defrag utility is based on Executive Software Diskkeeper. It has a component which "optimizes the hard drive' when idle; essentially performing mini defrags when it senses that you are not accessing the hard drive. So it is normal to see some hard drive activity. Excessive amounts can indicate that your drive is fragmented and needs defragging. But if you have a third party defrag often you can run into battling defrags if you do not disable the windows one if it too has an optimize in background feature. One moves a file from A to B location and the other freaks out and moves it back.

[march]

C:\Program Files\Norton GoBack\GBPoll.exe

My first thought is that GoBack is at fault

Constantly checking to see if anything changed so that it can back it up.

DISABLED: NO HELP

Next would be this

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AvaFind] "C:\Program Files\AvaFind\AvaFind.exe" /minimized

any file search utility can cause this behavior if it conflicts with windows search indexing.

DISABLED: NO HELP

My third thought based on the lack of 04 entries and the disparity between them and entries in services (023) and winlogon (020) entries is that you disabled something incorrectly (used MSCONFIG) and only got part of it. The remaining part is still running and keeps trying to find its other component which you improperly disabled. What about scheduled tasks / jobs ? Did the malware removal guy check them out ?

RE=ENABLED ALL NO HELP. DISABLED ALL: NO HELP

Finally comes defrag utilities; I do not see any third party defrag utilities, but if you do have one installed be warned that generally different defrag utilities use different algorythms to determine what file belongs where. Some sort by name, some by file type, some by frequency of use, others by what the file is used for (windows files, program files, data....) The XP defrag utility is based on Executive Software Diskkeeper. It has a component which "optimizes the hard drive' when idle; essentially performing mini defrags when it senses that you are not accessing the hard drive. So it is normal to see some hard drive activity. Excessive amounts can indicate that your drive is fragmented and needs defragging. But if you have a third party defrag often you can run into battling defrags if you do not disable the windows one if it too has an optimize in background feature. One moves a file from A to B location and the other freaks out and moves it back.

3RD PARTY DEFRAG WORKS OK. M/S DEFRAG WON'T WORK. INDICATES THAT CHKDSK IS SCHEDULED TO RUN - PLEASE RUN CHKDSK. I CAN NOT RUN CHKDSK ??????????????????????????

tHANKS FOR TRYING

[Pete_C]

3RD PARTY DEFRAG WORKS OK. M/S DEFRAG WON'T WORK. INDICATES THAT CHKDSK IS SCHEDULED TO RUN - PLEASE RUN CHKDSK. I CAN NOT RUN CHKDSK ??????????????????????????

Well, I would try scheduling chkdsk to run on next boot

(start => run , type cmd , hit enter. In black box type

chkdsk /f /r

(note space after chkdsk and before /f and between /f and /r)

hit enter . Should say cannot run would you like to schedule to run on reboot. Choose yes. May need to disable goback.

Third party defrag; well then you need to download TweakUI from the microsoft power toys

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx

Run it from Start => programs => Powertoys=> tweakui

Select general on left pane but do not expand it

On right side uncheck "optimize hard disk when idle"

[march]

3RD PARTY DEFRAG WORKS OK. M/S DEFRAG WON'T WORK. INDICATES THAT CHKDSK IS SCHEDULED TO RUN - PLEASE RUN CHKDSK. I CAN NOT RUN CHKDSK ??????????????????????????

Well, I would try scheduling chkdsk to run on next boot

(start => run , type cmd , hit enter. In black box type

chkdsk /f /r

(note space after chkdsk and before /f and between /f and /r)

hit enter . Should say cannot run would you like to schedule to run on reboot. Choose yes. May need to disable goback.

BEEN THERE ,,, DONE THAT, DEFRAG STILL GIVES SAME ERROR

Third party defrag; well then you need to download TweakUI from the microsoft power toys

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx

Run it from Start => programs => Powertoys=> tweakui

Select general on left pane but do not expand it

On right side uncheck "optimize hard disk when idle"

IT'S NOT THE THIRD PARTY DEFRAG. I JUST INSTALLED IT BECAUSE THE WINDOWS DEFRA WOULDN'T WORK

MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 3-4 WEEKS. BUT I DID TRY THE TWEAKUI SUGGESTION --- NO HELP

THANKS,

[shanenin]

you may also have a failing hard disk. That will also cause those symptoms.

[TheTerrorist_75]

If the Windows defrag doesn't run you may be running low on free space on the hard drive. You need at least 15%. 20% is better.