WinLogin crashes in XP - Virus?

[VirtualLarry]

I recently installed my new Conroe865PE/E4400 rig, and during overclocking testing, twice WinLogin died with a C0000005 exception (I think it was).

I was thinking.. wasn't there some virus that worked by exploiting and crashing WinLogin? Is it possible that there is a machine on my local LAN that is infected, and thus infected my PC? What would be a good tool to use to check this out?

I realize that it could likely also be due to my overclocking, although I've overclocked before and never had WinLogin crashes, ever. So I feel like being safe rather than sorry, and assume the worst about my LAN.

 

[mechBgon]

1) what Service Pack level is WinXP at?

2) has the system's firewall been up since before it went onto the LAN the first time, and stayed up the entire time?

3) do you have antivirus software? If so, has it indicated anything?

4) what sort of LAN is it... home LAN with "tame" computers, college LAN with who-knows-what, ???

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I recently installed my new Conroe865PE/E4400 rig, and during overclocking testing, twice WinLogin died with a C0000005 exception (I think it was).

I was thinking.. wasn't there some virus that worked by exploiting and crashing WinLogin? Is it possible that there is a machine on my local LAN that is infected, and thus infected my PC? What would be a good tool to use to check this out?

I realize that it could likely also be due to my overclocking, although I've overclocked before and never had WinLogin crashes, ever. So I feel like being safe rather than sorry, and assume the worst about my LAN.

There are a number of malware which inject themself into the winlogon process (as an example this one). However, given the scenario, I tend to think it's overclocking. Winlogin is special in that if it dies, the machine bluescreens. Where as other processes may simple restart or you have missed them ending if the overall machine was unstable, when winlogon goes down, it's hard to miss

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
1) what Service Pack level is WinXP at?

2) has the system's firewall been up since before it went onto the LAN the first time, and stayed up the entire time?

3) do you have antivirus software? If so, has it indicated anything?

4) what sort of LAN is it... home LAN with "tame" computers, college LAN with who-knows-what, ???

1) SP2
2) I think so, SP2 defaults to firewall on at install time, doesn't it?
3) No, but I will install some just to check.
4) Home lan with 4 boxen, my main rig (unlikely to be infected, I practice VERY safe computing habits), my secondary rig (the one that crashed), and my father's desktop and laptop. He runs ZoneAlarm and AV software. LAN also has wireless with WPA-AES security, haven't changed the password in ages though. Hooked up to DSL via a modem/router combo.

Hmm, thinking further, if I had an active infector on the LAN, wouldn't it repeatedly cause those crashes? Because I haven't had any futher crashes after I stabilized my overclock.
I'm going to blow away that OS soon anyways, so even if it is infected, it won't last long. But now I'm starting to think that it's not infected.

Btw, thanks for your help.