OK I'm stumped (again) Dell Dim 2350

[unfaithfulsfan]

this is the third time I've had this machine on my bench. It's a Dell Dimension 2350 with a WD 40 GB HDD and Windows XP Home
The problem is that for no apparent reason, Windows Explorer will suddenly start then crash then restarting then crashing causing the desktop to "flash." Once it starts, it won't stop until you do a clean install. Repair install doesn't fix it.

The first time I "fixed" it, I ran extensive diagnostics on the entire system. Nothing. I pulled the drive and slaved it to my computer then ran a battery of anti-virus/spyware scans on it. They found a lot but just the usual trojan, vundo variants, etc. Nothing I'd never seen before. Put it back in, same thing. The desktop was still flashing me--dirty ol' desktop.

Next I tried a repair install. No change.

So I backed up all the customer's data and did a clean install, restored his data tested it for two days and it was fine. Customer took it home and all was hunky-dory for two days. He called after trying to install Publisher 2003. He got the app installed then was prompted for updates so he downloaded the updates and *poof* (sorry to get technical), the flashing desktop was back.

He brought it back in with the Publisher CD so I did another clean install. Installed Publisher ran the crap out of it, Nothing. Just fine. He takes it home and everything's hunky-dory. 4 days later he calls and tells me after he installed Adobe Reader, it started again.

Anyone got any ideas or please tell me someone has at least seen this happen before?!? Nobody I know seems to have ever heard of this phenomenon. Even my boss who has been doing this for over 15 years doesn't have a clue. Boss thought maybe he has a wireless router that's getting interference somehow and causing this to happen. But customer swears up and down that the wireless on the router is disabled. His laptop, which he uses while this is in the shop, is fine. No problems whatsoever.

Thanks,
Jack

[Darkstar]

it sounds to me as if something is still lurking on the machine (virus, trojan, etc) maybe in his data that was restored after the clean install.
Have you checked the log files or you get any errors at all?
Another thing that could cause that is 3rd party shell extensions, if you right click a file is there alot of other options in the drop down window besides cut copy etc? you can download a utility like this that will show you all the shell extensions on the system http://www.snapfiles.com/get/shellexview.html
it will let you disable them and you can do further testing.

[unfaithfulsfan]

The biggest problem is, once the desktop starts flashing, you can't do anything! I can bring up task manager and throw a couple of commands at it but whatever I get just flashes on and off too. You can't read anything. Then after you do the clean install, then of course, there's nothing odd there.

I thought about the backed up data too yesterday so I ran multiple scans on it. Found a couple of cookies and that was it. Gonna run a 3rd scan with AVG this morning just for sh*ts and giggles.

I honestly don't know what to tell this guy because I've never been able to duplicate the error. It works fine for me for at least two days. He takes it and *poof* it's happening again. He has to be doing something he's not telling me about.

Jack

[hnzw_rui]

I thought about the backed up data too yesterday so I ran multiple scans on it. Found a couple of cookies and that was it. Gonna run a 3rd scan with AVG this morning just for sh*ts and giggles.

I honestly don't know what to tell this guy because I've never been able to duplicate the error. It works fine for me for at least two days. He takes it and *poof* it's happening again. He has to be doing something he's not telling me about.

Jack

True. If you've got other anti-virus software, might be worth a try using those. I used to have AVG and it wasn't very successful at locating and removing all viruses (a subsequent scan using avast! or Symantec Anti-Virus showed a couple more culprits lurking in the slaved drive).

[unfaithfulsfan]

I've tried CureIt by Dr Web; Super AntiSpyware and now AVG. Those three almost always find everything. I'm going to give it back to him today and if it happens again, I'm just going to have to schedule an in-home service call to see what's going on..

Thanks,
Jack