CMD loops

[piloteer]

Client brought in a computer WIN XP SP3. He said the problem started a while back. What happens is when he wants to get to a command, he types CMD and it goes into a loop until CPU is running 100% and memory is almost full. It then stops and displays the c:\documents and settings> prompt.
All shortcuts on the desktop freeze internet freezes stays that way until I reset. Then the computer runs normal until CMD is called. Looked for hidden loops, did malwarebytes scan and AVG scan all come up negative. Any one seen that before or have any ideas?

 

[phaZed]

Are you using Process Explorer or some third party process viewer to see what's going on? Make sure there isn't a program (malware?) that is kicking in when CMD is called.

Does this happen in Safe Mode?

Could be a Anti-Virus Program gone amuck as well. What AV is or WAS installed? Have you tried the AV Removal Tools along with Windows uninstall?

Have you disabled entries not needed via msconfig to try to eliminate those as a possibility?

 

[johnrobert]

I would ask customer how long it been doing this, maybe a system restore
Sometimes I have gone back 4 months to fix a nasty browser hyjack

 

[Ccomp5950]

Sounds like an issue with file associations, either that or cmd.exe has been replaced with something else.

This is going off the limited information given and would be the first thing I would check if a customer described it in a fashion you did.