System 32 Command Failure

[Grand Master Kickface]

I started noticing problems with my laptop a little over a week ago, approximately around the same time I upgraded to Webroot Antispyware with Antivirus version 7.0. I'd been using Webroot for years and I'd never experienced any computer-ruining problems with it installed, but upon installing version 7.0 my computer speed ground to a halt. It took forever to do anything, even opening basic applications. On top of that, it could never finish a scan, even after letting it go on for 14+ hours, and it couldn't be turned off either - the only way to get rid of it was to uninstall it. I felt some trepidation about uninstalling the spyware protection I'd been using for years, but after a few days of frustration I scrapped it and installed AVG Free and Malwarebytes in its place.

After getting rid of Webroot 7.0, my computer speed improved noticeably, but it still didn't feel quite right. It seems like there's always something running in the background, and the fan is constantly running at an unusually fast rate whenever my computer's on. Scanning with AVG and Malwarebytes turned up insignificant results.

Then yesterday, after opening my computer from Stand By mode and trying to load up Firefox, I got a disturbing message, something along the lines of "System 32 has encountered a problem and needs to close." After that, none of my programs would work. I tried to restart, and once Windows opened, a black text box named something like "C://Windows//System32//.cmnd.exe" (I'm writing this from sleep-deprived, computer-ignorant memory, so I doubt the file name is exact) constantly opened and closed itself infinitely, often with several windows appearing at once. I promptly turned off my computer, turned it on in safe mode, and scanned with AVG and Malwarebytes, but after I tried to load it up normally again the same problem occurred. This second time I got a message from Zonealarm informing me that a new network would like to connect with my computer. Being in a paranoid state of mind, I of course denied it permission. I got the same message roughly a minute later, and after denying it again, the pop-up windows finally stopped.

My computer's functional for the time being, but I'd really like to get to the bottom of this in case it comes back, and for my peace of mind. Any help would be appreciated.

In summary: System 32 went schizophrenic and it's freaking me out. What do?

Edit: I'm trying to attach my DxDiag, but it's just 0.4 KB over the file size limit for the forum. Any help with that would be appreciated too. ._.

Edit 2: Got a little more information. AVG said there was an infection in C://Windows//System32//svchost.exe called Adware Generic.VDM. It said that it quarantined it, where I promptly deleted it, but I still don't know if I've gotten rid of it completely.

[Inbred Chocobo]

Ta put it simply, this isn't exactly an easy message to diagnosis considering that it has disappeared. However, system32 refers to one of the main folders inside the windows folder, and there are scans you can run to fix errors depending on the system. So simple question, what is the operating system?

[Grand Master Kickface]

It's Windows XP.

And since my last post, I cleared my restore points, scanned again just to be sure, restarted my computer, got the new network message again (and denied it again), and then... nothing bad happened. My computer fan isn't on full-blast all the time anymore either. So I might've managed to get rid of it after all.

And sorry if I'm making my problems seem really ambiguous. I'm not sure what constitutes relevant information and what doesn't, so I'm kind of just including everything I've been doing.

[Inbred Chocobo]

You can always try to run a sfc /scannow in the command prompt. (Go to start-> run type in cmd and click okay. In the window that pops up type in that.) Though more than likely you may need an XP Pro disk if it actually finds errors, though what that will do is actually check out your system (including the system32 folder) for errors and correct any that it finds.

Other than that it sounds like your Anti-Virus software is finally doing its job. Don't stress to much over your Webroot anti-spyware going crazy, all it takes is one update and software that has worked for years can go bonkers and kill everyone within a 50 yard radius. Your system is good, you can run that scan, and unless it shows up again it sounds like your AV took care of things for you this time.

[Grand Master Kickface]

Okay, thanks for being patient with my ramblings. If I happen to encounter any more problems I'll post them here.