Windows Xp Issues . . .
BathroomMonkey
Feces-hurling Monkey Boy Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 78Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Feces-hurling Monkey Boy Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 78Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Ok computer nerds, pipe up.</div> So I run some watchdog software on my machine because sneaky things are always trying to either install themselves, or drop themselves in my startup directory.
So yesterday I'm doing my thing, and said software informs me that something is trying to install itself. I have no idea what it is, so I block it.
A few minutes later, two more things try to install themselves, but these are from microsoft, so I figure it's some sort of OS thing, and allow it. It makes me think that the previous request was part of this whole bundle.
So after a few minutes, IE (6) suddenly just craps out on me. I click on a link which attempts to open an new IE window, and IE freezes up and crashes. I go to open it again, double click the shortcut, and nothing. I pop open a dos window and try it through there and nothing.
However, if I go to explore my computer and just type a a web url in the field, it will swap over to IE no problem. Unless, of course, the site attempts to open a new window or I click a link which does the same. It freezes and has a fit.
I've installed the lates IE sp, run adware and spybot over my entire machine, and searched Microsoft's site for any info. Short of reinstalling the OS, which I <b>really</b> don't want to do, I'm out of ideas.
Any suggestions?
So yesterday I'm doing my thing, and said software informs me that something is trying to install itself. I have no idea what it is, so I block it.
A few minutes later, two more things try to install themselves, but these are from microsoft, so I figure it's some sort of OS thing, and allow it. It makes me think that the previous request was part of this whole bundle.
So after a few minutes, IE (6) suddenly just craps out on me. I click on a link which attempts to open an new IE window, and IE freezes up and crashes. I go to open it again, double click the shortcut, and nothing. I pop open a dos window and try it through there and nothing.
However, if I go to explore my computer and just type a a web url in the field, it will swap over to IE no problem. Unless, of course, the site attempts to open a new window or I click a link which does the same. It freezes and has a fit.
I've installed the lates IE sp, run adware and spybot over my entire machine, and searched Microsoft's site for any info. Short of reinstalling the OS, which I <b>really</b> don't want to do, I'm out of ideas.
Any suggestions?
Comments
<a href='http://www.opera.com' target='_blank'>http://www.opera.com</a>
<a href='http://www.mozilla.com' target='_blank'>http://www.mozilla.com</a>
<a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/start/' target='_blank'>http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/start/</a>
Hope you'll manage <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Personally, me <3 my Linux.
That'll remove any dodgy programs/reg entries.
<span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'><b>Some of these sites may only run in Internet Explorer!</b></span>
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<span style='font-size:11pt;line-height:100%'><b>Anti-Spyware</b></span>
<b>Spyware removal tools</b>
<a href='http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/' target='_blank'>Ad-Aware</a>
<a href='http://www.safer-networking.org/' target='_blank'>Spybot Search & Destroy</a>
(this one includes spyware blocking and a register watching program)
<b>Online scanners</b>
<a href='http://www.pestscan.com/' target='_blank'>Pestscan</a>
<a href='http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php' target='_blank'>Spywareinfo</a>
<b>Other handy tools to check startup programs</b>
<a href='http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml' target='_blank'>Autoruns</a>
<a href='http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/' target='_blank'>Highjackthis</a>
<b>Spyware blocking</b>
<a href='http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html' target='_blank'>Spywareblaster</a>
=====================================================
<b>Online virus scan</b>
<a href='http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/' target='_blank'>Bitdefender</a>
<a href='http://housecall.trendmicro.com/' target='_blank'>Housecall Trend Micro</a>
<a href='http://www.kaspersky.com/remoteviruschk.html' target='_blank'>Kaspersky</a>
<a href='http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp' target='_blank'>McAfee</a>
<a href='http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/indexn.php' target='_blank'>RAV AntiVirus</a>
<a href='http://security.symantec.com/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym' target='_blank'>Symantec</a>
<a href='http://www.pcpitstop.com/antivirus/AV.asp' target='_blank'>PC Pitstop</a>
<a href='http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/' target='_blank'>Panda</a>
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<b>Alternative Internet Browsers</b>
<a href='http://www.opera.com/' target='_blank'>Opera Web Browser</a>
<a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox' target='_blank'>Mozilla Firefox</a>
(both mozilla & firefox have the ability to use extensions!)
<a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/' target='_blank'>Mozilla</a>
=====================================================
number 2, clean your computer.
number 3 << its not winxp, someone or something is hacking your computer, and dropping things in there. get a firewall.
First rule od Linux, those who play in root (linux admin) break tree. The same goes for windows, those who play with admin rights, ask for spy/adware.
First rule od Linux, those who play in root (linux admin) break tree. The same goes for windows, those who play with admin rights, ask for spy/adware. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Except those who use admin get spyware/adware because windows is holes around a piece of cheese.
Linux really isnt a alternative for many people, including myself as alot of my hardware wont work properly under linux.
Stupid via chipset mobo....
The best way to prevent things like this from happening is to grab a firewall, and watch your running processes. If a new process appears that has a name that isnt obvious, google it! It works for me.
Use Mandrake, it's uber compatable or some junk, or somthing...
Of course, what with Windows being the way it is, nothing amiss was identified no matter what I ran against it, so I installed mozilla as a stop gap until I got the time to reinstall the friggin' whole OS.
Apparently, that made IE super jealous, because today while I was clicking on a link, I accidentally let IE handle it instead of cutting and pasting it into mozilla. It opened just fine, and handled the pop ups, too. I clicked the shortcut and that's working again as well.
*shrug*. Ah IE, you jealous little skank of a broswer . . .