All downloads are corrupt

[tiger_tick]

Sorry my first post is begging for help!

I think this is a fairly common, I've googled it extensively. I haven't found a solution though.

I rebuilt my PC last week. I put a brand new hard drive in. I installed XP (eventually after a ton of problems reading from various XP CD's). Since I installed it, the only things I've installed are SP3, IE8 and the various security fixes.

My problems started when I tried to install Avast antivirus, the download was corrupt. I've had this trying to download Firefox, AVG and VLC Media player. Anything above about 2MB seems to corrupt.

I ran Memtest on my Ram overnight, no errors. I reinstalled the LAN drivers from my install CD. I've tried a PCI ethernet LAN adapter. I've cleared temporary internet files, tried installing to 3 different directories, opened up the security to stop it blocking downloading of the file and forcing me to click the yellow bar at the top and I've installed an old version of firefox off a CD and tried downloading that way.

I've read about issues with phone lines or modems but I have a spare PC and the Netgear router works great on that one.

It's taken me weeks to fix my own PC and now this is (hopefully) the last problem I have! I can't imagine it's a virus because everything should be clean but here is a hijack this log. I think my missus installed MSN messenger but the problem existed before that.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 18:44:55, on 30/11/2010
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
Boot mode: Normal
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\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\tmp\HijackThis.exe
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
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxtray] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxhkcmd] C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxpers] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://download.cnet.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://*.sourceforge.net
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/micr...?1290807503765
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Browseui preloader - {438755C2-A8BA-11D1-B96B-00A0C90312E1} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll
--
End of file - 3217 bytes

Any help is very much appreciated.

[Van Nugent]

If you did not format the hard drive in NTFS file system when installing XP, please try to convert the existing volume (hard drive) from FAT32 to NTFS (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881). If the problem's still the same, the RAM might be bad. Please run the MS Memory Diag tool (http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp) to test the RAM. Another possibility is overheating so you will also need to check the CPU and system fans to make sure they're in good working condition.

[duffy90210]

I would agreed with Van, the hints are it took you multiple times to install XP, this normally indicate hardware fault but I would go with the memory first, the next thing to check are the capacitors, leaking ones can be hard to spot but causes no end to problems.