uTorrent causes repeated system freezes

[mre1]

Hey there,

I've been using uTorrent on this computer before without any problems, but since I tried starting it today after not using it for some weeks the entire computer stops responding about 5 seconds after starting uTorrent, and I'm forced to do a hard reboot. It doesn't matter if I turn off autostart objects using msconfig, and I've also tried removing the uTorrent settings files to no avail. The ports seems to be forwarded just fine, and my torrents seems to be starting up correctly before the freeze.

If it can help, here's a HijackThis log (with autostart objects turned ON). I hope some of you understand it better than me.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 04:39:25, on 2008-07-11
Platform: Windows Vista SP1 (WinNT 6.00.1905)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6001.18000)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\BisonCam\BisonMnt.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback 3G\razerhid.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback 3G\razertra.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback 3G\razerofa.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = 
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = 
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = 
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: Länkhjälp till Adobe PDF Reader - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Windows Live inloggningshjälpen - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: AVG Security Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - C:\PROGRA~2\AVG\AVG8\AVGTOO~1.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: AVG Security Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-9990-79A187E2698E} - C:\PROGRA~2\AVG\AVG8\AVGTOO~1.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Diamondback] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback 3G\razerhid.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~2\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOKAL TJÄNST')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOKAL TJÄNST')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NÄTVERKSTJÄNST')
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java-konsol - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O13 - Gopher Prefix: 
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O23 - Service: Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft - C:\Program Files (x86)\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AVG8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~2\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~2\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: @dfsrres.dll,-101 (DFSR) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\DFSR.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor (IAANTMON) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\IAANTMon.exe
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: MATLAB Server (matlabserver) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB71\webserver\bin\win32\matlabserver.exe
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\SLsvc.exe,-101 (slsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\SLsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 6704 bytes

[Ultima]

Gotta wonder whether it's an AVG thing... And what's with your computer missing so many files? You'll notice plenty of system services indicate "(file missing)." Has me suspecting malware hard at work here.

[jewelisheaven]

Vista shows alot of files like that sometimes... I thought it was limited to x64 hardware.

[mre1]

Thanks for the replies.

Could AVG be causing it even if I've removed it from autostart using msconfig? And yeah, I'm using 64-bit Vista Home Premium, but I didn't think there were any known compability issues with 64-bit OSs? Does the log look normal as far as anyone here can see then?

[jewelisheaven]

Sorry I didn't even check the log

If AVG's services are running, yes that's a possibility. TBQH I have no clue if it's x64-related. Though soon I should have an x64 system TO TEST on

It appears you have some sort of link to your cell phone's 3G network on the computer? You don't use THAT connection for torrenting do you? If so, you may have to check for updated drivers...

As far as the rest of the log.. I don't know what SHOULD be there as I'm not a fan of Vista, but did you also recently install that matlab server? What I'd start with is taking out AVG... and if possible discontinue using 3G if you are using it.

[mre1]

3G? You mean the "Razer Diamondback 3G" entries? That's my mouse. Which for some reason is so hightech that it needs three different processes running. Figure that out...

Regarding my internet connection, I'm connecting through a wireless accesspoint that I just recently installed. Come to think of it, I haven't tried using uTorrent since before I got it... I guess I'll try connecting through cable and will then get back to you.

[jewelisheaven]

Yeah I don't know about those mouse "drivers" lol.

As far as the wireless, it's not the wireless per-se, but the drivers which could be at fault. Additionally, any of the possible multi-core or multi-CPU fixes may help too... we've not removed too many components to proceed further aside from an exclude-em-one-at-a-time approach.

[mre1]

I've tried connecting through cable now, and uTorrent works just fine if I turn off the wireless LAN. Whenever the WLAN is running however, even if the computer is connected to the router through cable, the computer freezes after a couple of seconds of running the program.

What do you think I should try? Is it likely the laptop's WLAN card, the Wireless accesspoint, or the Router that is causing the problem? I'm asking because I had a difficult time setting up the network and would prefer to try to fix the most likely source first.

[jewelisheaven]

You sure it isn't the drivers? Are you using a separate driver/tool for WLAN?... could you try just using Windows drivers and no other tool running/installed?

It's certainly possible the card went bad, leading to your difficulties however without isolating each of those possibilities there is no CLEAR answer. Problems like this aren't usually related to the router, as there's little to no interaction with the router when talking about data transfer. Similarly the wifi AP only translates the signals for you... so concentrate on the drivers--being able to update or only use windows ones; and then the card itself. See if you've just got a "spare" computer around you can pop the wlan card into to see if the same card on a different computer can manifest the crashing.

[Switeck]

I'm going to guess that you've got uTorrent settings overloading connection issues as well, which may be the router simply overloads due to high half open rate or too many global/per-torrent connections.

1st and 2nd link in my signature.

[mre1]

Sorry, my last post was a bit unclear. I hadn't tried anything yet and was wondering which of the components I should've tried to change drivers/firmware for first before going on to the next.

I reinstalled the drivers for the WLAN card, and now everything works like a dream! No crashes at all, at least during this session.

Thanks a lot for your help!

[Switeck]

Still, take a look at my 2nd link for possible settings based on your connection's upload speed max.

Many people have bad settings in uTorrent and suffer slow download speeds as a result!

[mre1]

You are totally right - I had my speed settings set according to my DOWNLOAD speed. Fixed it now, but I haven't really noticed any difference in performance except that I upload slightly less than before.

But as I think you pointed out, maybe the WLAN problems did arise from connection overloads since the computer didn't freeze until after a few of the torrents had started. Even with the bad card drivers, I had no problems surfing the web or downloading through a browser.

[Switeck]

Most wireless connections crap out when they get over 100 connections at once.

Not every torrent (alone) would push your line to that point, but if you have too many started at once...and running for awhile...I'm sure it could.