Try doing a windows update through IE and make sure you have the required updates installed. If even after restarting, it still pops up you can disable automatic updates and manually do it every so often.

-N.K

Hello Isti80:

follow the advice here and it takes just a couple of clicks.

Let me know if it works. I know it does on mine because I just tried it.

Good luck.

stay safe

babybear

Customize the Internet Explorer toolbars

Internet Explorer has several toolbars, the menus bar, the links toolbar, and the Command bar. The Command bar is located at the top right side of the Internet Explorer window (it contains the Home icon, among others) and it offers easy access to almost any setting or feature in Internet Explorer. You can customize the Command bar buttons to suit your preferences and add website links to the Links bar.

To change buttons on the Command bar

1. In Internet Explorer, right-click the Command bar, point to Customize Command Bar, and then click Add or Remove Commands.
2. Make one or more of the following changes:
• To add a button, click the button you want to add in the Available toolbar buttons list, and then click Add.
• To remove a button, click the button you want to remove in the Current toolbar buttons list, then click Remove.
• To change the order in which buttons are displayed, click a button in the Current toolbar buttons list, and then click either Move Up or Move Down.
• To restore the Command bar buttons to their default settings, click Reset.
3. When you're done, click Close. You should see your changes immediately. If you've added a lot of buttons, you might need to resize the Command bar to see them all.

Thanks Guys,

Last night I turned off the auto update feature after the first reader recommended it and ran avg virus due to something funny was going on.

I do not know what exactly helped because I did not check this morning after I also reset the command line, as you suggested, and there's no more nasties. The constant prompt on the 'turn off' symbol, every time I tried to switch it off, is gone too.

Thanx for the help.

Right click on the task bar. Make sure that Lock the task Bar is not checked. Drag the icon from the taskbar onto the desktop. Right ckick the icon and select delete. This will remove the icon but leave the program. To remove the program use the add/remove programs facility in the control panel.

Hello Isti80:

To show or hide tool-bars:

1) In IE, right click the Command bar to view the list of tool-bars. It will appear in a small drop-down menu.

2) Do one of the following:

A) To show a tool-bar, click the name of the bar to select it(a check mark is displayed beside it).

B) To hide a tool-bar, click the name of the tool-bar to clear the check mark.

stay safe

babybear

Hi babybear,

I forgot to mention that as soon as I update AVG then the icon goes black (inactive) and it tells me to reboot. After that it goes back to normal and it says AVG is 'up to date' and this is still happening. It still gets me, what is going on?

Hello Isti80:

do you mean the icon you say goes black, does so after you have run an update for the AVG and done a scan? Because this often happens. Where after a Scan you clear whatever rubbish turns up and it then tell you to reboot. That is not a fault!

Not sure what you mean when you say it turns 'black'. It usually but not always just 'greys out'.

How is your computer and configuration now, as you want or what?

No insult intended OK?

stay safe

babybear

Hi babybear,

Yeahhh! I meant that periodically AVG used to go black after update and suggested to reboot (previously only went black if it was well out of date and prompted to update). But it's over now because I updated it to version 8.0.

I have also got rid of all windows security programmes in control-panel and restricted it to let me know if there's anything new to download, rather than do it automatically.

It was so annoying to see that install-shield stuck to the turn off icon permanently and telling me to install new updates over and over. I started to beleive it was one of Bill Gates final revenge as he's about to get rid of his software empire. (Didn't someone say that last week on the blog?)

Yep, - I do believe that humble free version of AVG does a lot better job than many of those fancy, over priced anti-virus programmes on the market. Not to mention one of them let me down once when it suddenly went red saying - you are not protected please update to full version. The sales man said to me, when I bought it, it is a full version at a specially reduced price.

Microsoft does seem to have all their own security features, at extra cost of course, and they can be very persevere.

The other nasty ones, I know of, is from PC-World. Once you let them to check your computer they just never wanna let go of it but rather say that how vulnerable is your computer and should update to all sorts of rubbish they have to offer.

Hello Isti80:

sounds like you are trying hard to clean out and, try to get your machine working right?

I think the free versions have all the anti virus protection you need. It is just if you want other stuff in addition then you go for a paid for version.

I have been thinking about getting the MS anti virus. Still not made my mind up. I have AVAST! at the moment. Got it when, what I thought was a brilliant package 'Kerspasky', and it was brilliant for a couple of years. Then a Trojan came along and it did not know it so did not stop it. That was when I changed to AVAST!. It updates automatically with no need to configure.

I have not used AVG but, have heard it was pretty good................They are all good until you get hit with a brand new virus it does not know, right?

But with regard to security I think it is best to either go with MS or a third party anti virus. Having both can screw things up, you know?

I use MS firewall, and third party virus and third party anti high-jack and ads, called Ad-Aware.

Do you mean the icon that annoyed you was touching the off button? Not heard of that. Sounds like another way of keeping the pressure on for you to stay with that anti virus? With me it would have the opposite effect! I would get rid of it straight away. It is my computer and I will run it my way..........you know?

I do not deal with any sales man! They would tell you pigs can fly, don't make it true! I find out what the item I want does and how it does it etc etc. So I probably know more about a particular product then any sales man. Not being a big head. But I am not going to pay money out for promises...............!!!

stay safe

babybear

Hi babybear,

I think what had happened was that I always let MS to install any new updates as they came along without trying to find out what it was. Whether it was important or not.

Until the security update shield started to stick to the switch off icon (the one prompts you to install download and it'll turn off by itself after).

Later not only that but, like I said, after AVG updated it went black and prompted to reboot in order to take effect.

After I raised this issue on this blog I went on my Microsoft website history to find out what I had been installing on and I found nothing but MS security features installed all the time for over a month and this is what made me suspicious.

I know that most anti-virus programs do not like one another's smell even including MS for that matter. For instance, it happened once that when the trial period of Macfee (came with my laptop as a promotion) ran out and went sleep. Later, as I started installing another anti-virus software, suddenly Macfee kicked in and halted the installation and tried to warn me there's a hostile program trying to get installed, and asked me if I want it to proceed. Having witnessed it with my very own eyes I nearly p...myself laughing.

I have found out a lot more since I had that story that none of the anti-virus softwares like each other's company on a same machine. And I think this is just what had happened in my case.

I was thinking that may be, when I have that spare money, I will try the full version of AVG because it is far cheaper than the others and I am almost confident that it cannot be bad. Even their free versions get tested twice a day prior to release but, who knows. May be their full version is not that good.

So, just check and get rid of any windows security installation (not the browser one though) as long as you have another program to protect your PC. This is my story anyway.

Ahhh! I have XP not vista.

cheers,

Hello Isti80:

It really depends on which 'version' you get of any particular anti virus. I think it is as much luck as anything. The anti virus has to do an almost impossible job. And because nasty people are making new viruses all the time, there will always be a time when your anti virus company is not going to know or recognise a brand new virus. And you find yourself with a Trojan.

I can't see what you can do to stop this happening, other than keep all your most important files. The ideal would be to have two hard disks. keeping a copy on your drive which is not the 'C' drive. I would also get a program to automatically back up your work but, make sure it does not back up to your 'C' drive.

When the inevitable Trojan hits you should be able to completely reformat the 'C' drive. Reinstall the OS etc.

That is what should happen in my opinion but, it often doesn't! Thats life right? Just a thought..............you could always try Firefox at this point. But I do not know how your saved MS stuff will mix and be used by Firefox?

good luck

stay safe

babybear

Hi,

I might be stating the obvious but, if you think there is an infection, virus, whatever............it makes sense to just pull the phone line out.

It stops any other nasties getting in......................or out! And you can sit back and do the job of cleaning the computer knowing at the very least, .......you are not going to export the virus to anyone. (Who may re-infect your machine if the phine line is still in). That is responsible computing.

I am a bit disappointed that you did not actually try and get rid of the problem button and, so cannot say how you did it.............. but, it has gone!

Is all fine now then?

stay safe

babybear

Hello Isti80:

it sounds to me like you have ticked a box as you were setting up AVG which allows this icon to be on the top tool bar.

You are saying it is on the tool bar at the top of the page right?

Go through the setup pages of AVG and see if there is a box ticked please.

babybear