Help! Command Prompt box flashing like a strobe light on my screen

Please help. The little black Command Prompt box is flashing on my screen
very quickly. There's also something flashing in the taskbar. Sometimes I can
open a window on top of the flashing, but other times I can't, and the
flashing window is on top. This prevents me from accessing the window I'm
trying to work in. I don't know what caused this to happen. I first noticed
it a couple of nights ago when I was trying to uninstall a toolbar I had
accidentally downloaded with some other software. The flashing began when I
tried to uninstall and nearly prevented me from completing the uninstall.
This makes me wonder if it's a virus, but my Nortan Security scan says I'm
all clear. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.

Open the Start/.../system tools/"Internet Explorer(No Add ons)" icon. If the
flashing stops, use IE, tools menu "Manage Add-ons" to disable add ons till
it stops in the regular IE.

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Mark L. Ferguson

..

"Bookworm0383" <> wrote in message
news:08EE0B78-32BD-4129-AE09-...
> Please help. The little black Command Prompt box is flashing on my screen
> very quickly. There's also something flashing in the taskbar. Sometimes I
> can
> open a window on top of the flashing, but other times I can't, and the
> flashing window is on top. This prevents me from accessing the window I'm
> trying to work in. I don't know what caused this to happen. I first
> noticed
> it a couple of nights ago when I was trying to uninstall a toolbar I had
> accidentally downloaded with some other software. The flashing began when
> I
> tried to uninstall and nearly prevented me from completing the uninstall.
> This makes me wonder if it's a virus, but my Nortan Security scan says I'm
> all clear. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.

Opening the Internet Explorer (No Add ons) icon didn't stop the flashing. The
icon says my add-ons are disabled. When I go to IE Tools, Manage Add-ons,
they are all listed as enabled. I'm afraid I'm still very confused. Do you
think the flashing Command Prompt box is caused by something within Internet
Explorer? It flashes whether or not I'm online or using IE.

"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:

> Open the Start/.../system tools/"Internet Explorer(No Add ons)" icon. If the
> flashing stops, use IE, tools menu "Manage Add-ons" to disable add ons till
> it stops in the regular IE.
>
> --
> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
> interface.
> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales....htm#RateAPost
>
> Mark L. Ferguson
>
> .
>
> "Bookworm0383" <> wrote in message
> news:08EE0B78-32BD-4129-AE09-...
> > Please help. The little black Command Prompt box is flashing on my screen
> > very quickly. There's also something flashing in the taskbar. Sometimes I
> > can
> > open a window on top of the flashing, but other times I can't, and the
> > flashing window is on top. This prevents me from accessing the window I'm
> > trying to work in. I don't know what caused this to happen. I first
> > noticed
> > it a couple of nights ago when I was trying to uninstall a toolbar I had
> > accidentally downloaded with some other software. The flashing began when
> > I
> > tried to uninstall and nearly prevented me from completing the uninstall.
> > This makes me wonder if it's a virus, but my Nortan Security scan says I'm
> > all clear. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.
>

The toolbar you downloaded sounds like some form of Malware to me. You will
have to try to remove it. I would try System Restore.

--
Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
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Mark L. Ferguson

..

"Bookworm0383" <> wrote in message
news:6896683C-8065-4957-884E-...
> Opening the Internet Explorer (No Add ons) icon didn't stop the flashing.
> The
> icon says my add-ons are disabled. When I go to IE Tools, Manage Add-ons,
> they are all listed as enabled. I'm afraid I'm still very confused. Do you
> think the flashing Command Prompt box is caused by something within
> Internet
> Explorer? It flashes whether or not I'm online or using IE.
>
> "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
>
>> Open the Start/.../system tools/"Internet Explorer(No Add ons)" icon. If
>> the
>> flashing stops, use IE, tools menu "Manage Add-ons" to disable add ons
>> till
>> it stops in the regular IE.
>>
>> --
>> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
>> interface.
>> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales....htm#RateAPost
>>
>> Mark L. Ferguson
>>
>> .
>>
>> "Bookworm0383" <> wrote in message
>> news:08EE0B78-32BD-4129-AE09-...
>> > Please help. The little black Command Prompt box is flashing on my
>> > screen
>> > very quickly. There's also something flashing in the taskbar. Sometimes
>> > I
>> > can
>> > open a window on top of the flashing, but other times I can't, and the
>> > flashing window is on top. This prevents me from accessing the window
>> > I'm
>> > trying to work in. I don't know what caused this to happen. I first
>> > noticed
>> > it a couple of nights ago when I was trying to uninstall a toolbar I
>> > had
>> > accidentally downloaded with some other software. The flashing began
>> > when
>> > I
>> > tried to uninstall and nearly prevented me from completing the
>> > uninstall.
>> > This makes me wonder if it's a virus, but my Nortan Security scan says
>> > I'm
>> > all clear. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.
>>

I tried System Restore twice and it didn't work. I was able to uninstall the
suspected toolbar after I noticed this problem, and the problem didn't stop.
I don't know if the problem is related to the toolbar or not, but that's when
I first noticed it. However, the persistence of the problem even after the
toolbar is removed makes me think it might be coincidence.


"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:

> The toolbar you downloaded sounds like some form of Malware to me. You will
> have to try to remove it. I would try System Restore.
>
> --
> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
> interface.
> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales....htm#RateAPost
>
> Mark L. Ferguson
>
> .
>
> "Bookworm0383" <> wrote in message
> news:6896683C-8065-4957-884E-...
> > Opening the Internet Explorer (No Add ons) icon didn't stop the flashing.
> > The
> > icon says my add-ons are disabled. When I go to IE Tools, Manage Add-ons,
> > they are all listed as enabled. I'm afraid I'm still very confused. Do you
> > think the flashing Command Prompt box is caused by something within
> > Internet
> > Explorer? It flashes whether or not I'm online or using IE.
> >
> > "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
> >
> >> Open the Start/.../system tools/"Internet Explorer(No Add ons)" icon. If
> >> the
> >> flashing stops, use IE, tools menu "Manage Add-ons" to disable add ons
> >> till
> >> it stops in the regular IE.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
> >> interface.
> >> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales....htm#RateAPost
> >>
> >> Mark L. Ferguson
> >>
> >> .
> >>
> >> "Bookworm0383" <> wrote in message
> >> news:08EE0B78-32BD-4129-AE09-...
> >> > Please help. The little black Command Prompt box is flashing on my
> >> > screen
> >> > very quickly. There's also something flashing in the taskbar. Sometimes
> >> > I
> >> > can
> >> > open a window on top of the flashing, but other times I can't, and the
> >> > flashing window is on top. This prevents me from accessing the window
> >> > I'm
> >> > trying to work in. I don't know what caused this to happen. I first
> >> > noticed
> >> > it a couple of nights ago when I was trying to uninstall a toolbar I
> >> > had
> >> > accidentally downloaded with some other software. The flashing began
> >> > when
> >> > I
> >> > tried to uninstall and nearly prevented me from completing the
> >> > uninstall.
> >> > This makes me wonder if it's a virus, but my Nortan Security scan says
> >> > I'm
> >> > all clear. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.
> >>

I found the answer to this problem by contacting HP.
It is caused by corrupt USB Composite Device driver
To resolve
1. Open Device Manager. ie. Start>Run>devmgmt.msc >Enter Or clic
Properties on My Computer Context menu. Open Device Manager
2. Click on the + on Universal Serial Bus Controllers to expan
3. Uninstall USB Composite Devic
4. There may be 2 or more of them listed. Uninstall all befor
restarting
5. Restart Computer

Worked for me. Hope this helps other

--
Jercro