1) first thing is kaspersky caught some sort of trojan and was able to delete all but two .dll files located in the system32 directory. i ended up having to delete them offline using dos from a bootcd.

2) after that, kaspersky scanned clean.
3) but then i noticed in process explorer that a 'rundll.exe' was still appearing at start-up. when i hover the mouse pointer over it in the process explorer window, it says that the file is actually a .dll in system32. searching this filename on google, i get nothing. now that's pretty suspicious, eh? whenever i reboot (which is rare) i just kill this process immediately and it never comes back during the session and my system seems to be running well enough (no pop-ups or system hangs, etc.).
4) but i am pretty sure this must be some kind of virus, right? here is the 'hijackthis' log, hopefully it can shed some light on what's going on?? oh, and please don't be confused-- i changed the names of some of my system directories using winlite. so, 'program files' is 'applications', 'windows' is 'wondoes', 'docs & settings' is 'users'.. i just liked those names better and why not?

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 1:31:33 AM, on 4/12/2008 Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Unable to get Internet Explorer version! Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\WONDOES\System32\smss.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\services.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\lsass.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\svchost.exe C:\WONDOES\System32\svchost.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\applications\Common Files\ABBYY\FineReader\9.00\Licensing\PE\NetworkLicenseServer.exe C:\WONDOES\Explorer.EXE C:\WONDOES\system32\ctfmon.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\hkcmd.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\igfxpers.exe C:\applications\Fujitsu\FUJ02E3\FUJ02E3.exe C:\WONDOES\RTHDCPL.EXE C:\applications\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe C:\applications\Notebook Hardware Control\nhc.exe C:\applications\D-Tools\daemon.exe C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Acrotray.exe C:\applications\Fingerprint Sensor\ATSwpNav.exe C:\applications\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe C:\applications\Active Desktop Calendar\ADC.exe C:\applications\CFi\ShellToys\CFiShlMan.exe C:\applications\CFi\ShellToys\cliphook.exe C:\applications\Weather Watcher\ww.exe C:\applications\RocketDock\RocketDock.exe C:\applications\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\DOpus.exe C:\applications\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\DRIVERS\CDANTSRV.EXE C:\applications\allSnap\allSnap.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\gearsec.exe C:\applications\process explorer\procexp.exe C:\applications\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe C:\applications\Last.fm\LastFMHelper.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\svchost.exe C:\applications\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\wscntfy.exe C:\applications\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe C:\applications\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe C:\applications\Internet Download Manager\IDMan.exe C:\WONDOES\system32\notepad.exe C:\applications\ABBYY FineReader 9.0\FineReader.exe c:\applications\abbyy finereader 9.0\FineExec.exe c:\applications\abbyy finereader 9.0\FineExec.exe C:\applications\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://www.daemon-search.com/startpage 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 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = 129.143.13.82:3128 O1 - Hosts: 127.255.255.255 www.get-right.com O1 - Hosts: 127.255.255.255 www.getright.com O1 - Hosts: 127.255.255.255 pro.getright.com O1 - Hosts: 127.255.255.255 www.headlightinc.com O1 - Hosts: 127.255.255.255 www.get-right.com O2 - BHO: (no name) - {24E9519B-3F70-429B-99BC-4B2B49B96F66} - (no file) O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\applications\Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\ssv.dll O2 - BHO: (no name) - {D10F0F11-55C3-4338-8B07-2F39FA24BFA3} - (no file) O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {E0E899AB-F487-11D5-8D29-0050BA6940E3} - (no file) O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxhkcmd] C:\WONDOES\system32\hkcmd.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxpers] C:\WONDOES\system32\igfxpers.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadFUJ02E3] C:\applications\Fujitsu\FUJ02E3\FUJ02E3.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [High Definition Audio Property Page Shortcut] HDAShCut.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\applications\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BootSkin Startup Jobs] "C:\applications\BootSkin\BootSkin.exe" /StartupJobs O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NotebookHardwareControl] "C:\applications\Notebook Hardware Control\nhc.exe" -quiet O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools-1033] "C:\applications\D-Tools\daemon.exe" -lang 1033 -lock O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Babylon Client] C:\applications\Babylon\Babylon-Pro\Babylon.exe -AutoStart O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Acrobat Assistant 8.0] "C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Acrotray.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATSwpNav] "C:\applications\Fingerprint Sensor\ATSwpNav" -run O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVP] "C:\applications\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BMd70706a7] Rundll32.exe "C:\WONDOES\system32\mlfdvcnu.dll",s O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Active Desktop Calendar] C:\applications\Active Desktop Calendar\ADC.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CFi ShellToys Utility Manager] "C:\applications\CFi\ShellToys\CFiShlMan.exe" -start O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CFi ShellToys Clipboard History] "C:\applications\CFi\ShellToys\cliphook.exe" -start O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WeatherWatcher] C:\applications\Weather Watcher\ww.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [RocketDock] "C:\applications\RocketDock\RocketDock.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DOpus] C:\applications\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\DOpus.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WONDOES\system32\ctfmon.exe O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [nlpo_08] rundll32 advpack.dll,DelNodeRunDLL32 "%SystemRoot%\System32\dllcache" (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [nlpo_09] cmd.exe /c md "%SystemRoot%\System32\dllcache" (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [nlpo_12] cmd.exe /c md "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp" (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [nlpo_14] rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection nlite.inf,nLiteReg (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [nlpo_15] rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection nlite.inf,S (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [nlpo_08] rundll32 advpack.dll,DelNodeRunDLL32 "%SystemRoot%\System32\dllcache" (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - Startup: Last.fm Helper.lnk = C:\applications\Last.fm\LastFMHelper.exe O4 - Global Startup: allSnap.lnk = C:\applications\allSnap\allSnap.exe O4 - Global Startup: procexp.lnk = C:\applications\process explorer\procexp.exe O4 - Global Startup: RocketDock.lnk = C:\applications\RocketDock\RocketDock.exe O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download by Orbit - res://C:\applications\Orbitdownloader\orbitmxt.dll/201 O8 - Extra context menu item: &Grab video by Orbit - res://C:\applications\Orbitdownloader\orbitmxt.dll/204 O8 - Extra context menu item: Append to existing PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert link target to Adobe PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECapture.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert link target to existing PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert selected links to Adobe PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECaptureSelLinks.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert selected links to existing PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppendSelLinks.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert selection to Adobe PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECapture.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert selection to existing PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert to Adobe PDF - res://C:\applications\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECapture.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Do&wnload selected by Orbit - res://C:\applications\Orbitdownloader\orbitmxt.dll/203 O8 - Extra context menu item: Down&load all by Orbit - res://C:\applications\Orbitdownloader\orbitmxt.dll/202 O8 - Extra context menu item: Download all links with IDM - C:\applications\Internet Download Manager\IEGetAll.htm O8 - Extra context menu item: Download FLV video content with IDM - C:\applications\Internet Download Manager\IEGetVL.htm O8 - Extra context menu item: Download FLV videos with IDM from 10 last requested - C:\applications\Internet Download Manager\IEGetVL2.htm O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with IDM - C:\applications\Internet Download Manager\IEExt.htm O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate with &Babylon - res://C:\applications\Babylon\Babylon-Pro\Utils\BabylonIEPI.dll/Translate.htm O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\applications\Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\ssv.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\applications\Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\ssv.dll O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\APPLIC~1\MICROS~1\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WONDOES\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WONDOES\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1199911937468 O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab O20 - Winlogon Notify: byXNdbYS - byXNdbYS.dll (file missing) O23 - Service: ABBYY FineReader 9.0 PE Licensing Service (ABBYY.Licensing.FineReader.Professional.9.0) - ABBYY (BIT Software) - C:\applications\Common Files\ABBYY\FineReader\9.00\Licensing\PE\NetworkLicenseServer.exe O23 - Service: Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 (AVP) - Kaspersky Lab - C:\applications\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\applications\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe O23 - Service: C-DillaSrv - C-Dilla Ltd - C:\WONDOES\system32\DRIVERS\CDANTSRV.EXE O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\applications\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe O23 - Service: gearsec - GEAR Software - C:\WONDOES\system32\gearsec.exe O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\applications\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1150\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe O23 - Service: LEC TranslateDotNet Server - Unknown owner - C:\applications\Power Translator\LogoMedia TranslateDotNet Server.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: MSSQL$SONY_MEDIAMGR - Unknown owner - C:\applications\Sony\Shared Plug-Ins\Media Manager\MSSQL$SONY_MEDIAMGR\Binn\sqlservr.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: PDAgent - Raxco Software, Inc. - C:\applications\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe O23 - Service: PDEngine - Raxco Software, Inc. - C:\applications\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDEngine.exe O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\applications\CyberLink\Shared files\RichVideo.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: SQLAgent$SONY_MEDIAMGR - Unknown owner - C:\applications\Sony\Shared Plug-Ins\Media Manager\MSSQL$SONY_MEDIAMGR\Binn\sqlagent.EXE (file missing) -- End of file - 11716 bytes