USB Flash Drive/iPod not showing up in my computer/disk management...

[Pixietails]

I have a Dell Dimension 4700, running Windows XP service pack 3 and recently I had Trojans in the system...it took me a while, but my system seems to be pretty much back to normal, I had to turn off system restore and turn it back on to get rid of one Trojan, so I can't turn to it for help.  Anyway, I recently noticed that when I plug in my USB 2.0 Flash drive or my iPod nano it won't show up in my computer.  The remove hardware icon appears and I can safely remove it, but I can't access the devices.  When I check the remove hardware icon, it tells me the device is at location 0, which I can't figure out.  I looked under disk management and it shows my D drive, the CD drive, E drive, which is CD-RW and F drive, DVD drive...which is confusing.  I never paid attention, but I only have two slots that open on the PC...I don't even actually remembering having a DVD drive, but then I never tried to use it.  It says no media on it anyway.  I can't change the path of the USB Device since it won't show up under disk management.  My mouse and keyboard are USB, and they get picked up, and when I check hardware under C drive, I get this for the following drives:

WDC WD800JD-75MSA3 Location 0 (0)  -- I actually don't know what this is...hard drive?
USB 2.0 SD/MMC Reader USB Device Location 0
HL-DT-ST DVD ROM GDR8163B Location 0 (0)
SAMSUNG CD-R/RW SW-2525 Location 1 (1)
PM5302J RSW601D SCSI CdRom Device Location Bus Number 0, Target ID 0, Lun 0

Everything is said to be working properly...

I went into device manager and uninstalled the generic volume under system volume, then went to USB controllers and tried to uninstall everything...I got all root hubs uninstalled except one (when I tried it the first time, it stopped my mouse and keyboard from functioning) and uninstalled all of the Intel(R) 82801 FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controllers...and when I hit the last one, it detected new hardware and reinstalled it all...then I rebooted my computer twice, it detected the hardware and said it was ready for use, but no changes for the USB Drive.  I'm wondering if I did this wrong, maybe, or it just didn't work.

I believe I still have my old XP disc, so if it comes down to it...could I reinstall Windows without losing everything?  I have a lot of personal things on this computer and without my USB drive, I'm not sure how to store them...and after my computer crashed two years ago I had to install Windows about three times, it was really troublesome for me and my activation key never worked (in use or something I think) so I had to call for a new one every time.  I'd reinstall completely if I had to, but I really want to be able to fix it without doing that, I mean, the computer DOES recognize an external device, it's just being mean about it...

I searched the site and couldn't find anything to help me on this, so I'm really sorry if this was addressed somewhere...I couldn't find it.  If anyone can help me, I would be eternally grateful...

[patio]

You are probably still infected...
Visit our Virus and Spyware section and follow the instructions at the top of the page for posting your logs....
BTW
Your drives as listed are:
Hard Drive
Card Reader
DVD burner
CD Burner
SCSI CDROM.

[Pixietails]

I ran SuperAntiSpyware and removed 4 more Trojans...but my computer is still acting weird, can't get the USB drive to show up and in Task Manager I have about 3 or 4 instances of rundll32.exe running...and I know I shouldn't...here's my HijackThis logfile...

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Stevv]

Maybe you should install the drivers again... I recently had problems with the same model computer with flash drives but I found the drivers in some folder called Windows/INF I think, when that add new hardware wizard thing came up.

[patio]

There is no single tool that will remove serious infections...especially Trojan variants,

Clik Here  and follow the instructions...

[Pixietails]

I used the CA Security Suite Virus Scanner and AntiSpyware, Super Anti Spyware, check disk and UnHackMe and after it removed several things (they just showed up today, even after I had scanned several times...)  I restarted my computer and my USB drive was showing up in My Computer again!  It still says location 0, but it's working.  Though I still have rundll32.exe running in my Task Manager, and when I checked my System Configuration for statup programs, there were a few things I wasn't sure about.  Can you tell me about Rundll32 p17?  Is it a needed at start up or is it something suspicious...I also had a blank start up program (no name, just a location) and another that says chkdsk and has the location C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe and after that it has another location pointing to My Documents...Is it an infection?

[patio]

If you refuse to click the link above and follow the instructions i can't offer any other advice.

[Pixietails]

You don't need to be rude to me, I'm not refusing to click it.  I already did days ago and posted my log but you didn't tell me anything.  I was just asking a question, but never mind.

[patio]

Well i did not mean to give a rude impression.
I checked the Virus and Spyware section and i see no logs posted at all from you so i wish you the best of luck.

[truenorth]

Pixietails, I am going to make an attempt to act as a conciliator/mediator with you so as to move your problem forward to a better (for you) resolution. When Patio came on board to try and assist you you were benefiting from one of the top advisers on these forums.He tends to be quite direct but that should not be taken for rudeness.In one of his earlier posts he stated that it is likely that your current problems may be ongoing due to the continued presence of virus,Trojans,etc. He asked you to click on a link which he provided. Had you done so you would have been directed to another component of the CH forums --namely the "virus" forum. Now that forum is different than all the others that make up the rest of the varied forums. Only people who are certified "experts" in dealing with virus,etc nasties are allowed to give advise on that forum. Whereas anyone (no matter whether the advise is good ,bad or indifferent )can post on the other forums. So that is why he was directing you there and away from the "hardware"forum. He was simply trying to get you in the forum he felt you needed to be posting in. I hope that you will reconcider and act on his advise. I am certain you will be the better for adhering to it. You might even decide to change your status and become a "member" of our group and not be just a guest.goodluck,truenorth