Strange Software problem with IE

Sounds like a possible virus, but most likely spy-ware. To rule out virus ran a boot scan with your anti-virus. Then download a anti spy-ware program on your wife's PC and burn the install file to a disk and run it on your system. Spybot - Search & Destroy is a good one and its free. If you don't have a virus scanner or yours don't have a boot scanner option you can also download an anti virus program for free called Avast. Hopefully this will get up back up & running. Good Luck.

Thanks for the imput. My anti-virus software expired, I didn't purchase a renewal now it's expired. OK, so it doesn't have the latest up-dates, but did they need to program the darn thing to now work unless I pay up?

anyway, I did download the anti-spy and it found over 400 threats, mostly cookies, and 3 programs. it cleaned them out, but still had the same problem.

The first things I do when having issues with intermitent or limitted connections is to clear all cookies and temporary files. Windows and IE are bad about house keeping and need a little help from time to time.

Thanks, I'll try that. Let you know tomorrow..

Also download and install Mozilla Firefox and never use Internet Explorer again - download and install Lava soft AdawareSE, also a free spyware program - you can pay a small sum for the Professional version which, I think, gives Real Time protection against these spywares and spybots.

Spybot Search& Destroy also have a paid real time program.

Also keep them up to date - weekly house keep - run them every time you go to a strange or new site - many "reputable" companies always install tracking cookies etc when you visit them.

But use Mozilla, most important.

Firefox isn't much more secure than IE, if at all. You can disagree all day, but you are delusional if you think it's safe. The problem is the operating system itself. How safe is any building that sits atop a weak foundation. If you want the real answer, make the switch to linux. Ubuntu is a wonderful operating system, very compatible, and best of all, it's FREE! Not that this poster will do that obviously, he doesn't have an understanding of the importance of anti-virus and anti-spyware...

Also, check your firewall and make sure that those sites haven't been restricted.

Thank bhankiii, but I turned all my firewall off, just to be sure.

If you can find a way to get them on your machine you might try Opera and/or Firefox. I have not tried Firefox yet but Opera is a really user friendly browser. I still use IE out of habit but would switch if provoked as you are by IE. If switching doesn't help I recommend CA (Computer Associates) security suite. It's $29.95 on sale and is extremely effective. Plus the license is for not one but three computers.

Good luck,

Ted

I had the same problem last night. Repeated efforts did eventually load the site. Did Microsoft flip the "degrade performance to motivate migration to Vista" switch? I have a very tight firewall and virus software running (ZoneAlarm) but I am doubtful about any "antivirus" software. Anything malicious that gets in isn't going to wait to be detected before it screws things up. Firewalls seem to be the first line of defense or just use a computer that isn't programmed full of holes (Apple). Unfortunately I can't use my apple for everything.

I once had a similar problem. Sorry, but I never found the problem. I switched to Opera. It's free and to many, superior to IE. You might also try switching to IE7 which oddly enough has incorporated many of Opera's functions. You can get IE7 free at Microsoft. Un-install IE6 prior to the install or you might just import corrupted files to IE7. Download it via your wife's machine, burn it to a disc and load on yours.

I have not had good success un-installing IE and reinstalling the same revision from the original discs. Evidently, it leaves traces which are just picked up again. Someone told me to de-frag the drive to get around this but I never tried it. Opera was easier.

I have the same problem. However, it is not spyware, not a virus, my settings are good, and my ftp, netscape and IE don't work anymore. I was wondering about MS maybe degrading performance just to get me to upgrade too! Those conspiracy theories again! grin!

Once in a long while, it actually connects just fine. So I figured it was a software fault. On the other hand, just maybe.....the cable is faulty.

I suspect a hardware fault.

I will let you know when I find it.

"HELP! What is wrong? did I get attacked by some virus?? does anybody know a way to fix this?"

Online banking is the problem. A cheque account would solve it.

I had a similar problem being denied access to certain sites some time ago which turned out to be a virus even though I had up to date Norton anti-virus. I eventually fixed it with the help of the tech heads at TechSupportGuy http://www.techguy.org/

Strange: my father in law had the same problem: after switching to IE 7.

First it worked, later it failed.

Mail download was no problem, so there was a connection.

I could install Firefox 2.0 and it worked.

I told my wife not to accept IE 7 when he asked to install it. (I'm on Fedora)

I found the problem!!

It was my Norton Anti-virus. Norton takes update automatically and the last set of up-dates didn't take. A message came up that said I had to un-install and re-install my anti-virus. So, figuring that might be the problem as it has a built in firewall, I un-installed. Bang. Not my 'puter works. I can get to any site, just like before.

To All:

Thanks for the help, and I hope this post helps those with the same problem

See you all later as I'm a big CR4 fan and I'm on here 5 to 10 times a day.

I did not dare to say but I had to solve also some issues with Norton antivirus: I did not pay the update and it started to block ports.

Now Norton is removed and I installed Avast, things are back to normal on that PC.

Again, none of this happens with Fedora. Only in Windows I have to repair issues.

Gwen,

That is exactly the case, I didn't pay for the updates and before long, I couldn't even get to the internet at all.

I use to like Nortons because of the easy to use interface and it did it's job without interfferring with other programs. Now if asked I would recommend just about anything else. Even the corperate addition of Symantec AV is having problems. I have a remote admin program that I like to use because it will work from behind most of my clients firewalls with no problems, the client only has to click on a link from my web site to request assistance .....very easy to use. The problem is Symantec AV refuses to leave the program alone on my end now matter how many times I tell it to exclude/ignore during scans. I installed Mcaffee AV and no longer have any problems.

I had experienced a fairly similar situation, I presume that you are using Explorer Version 7.

MSN Advice:

Now, every time that you log in to the Internet, cookies are stored in your computer's temporary Internet files or cache. Sometimes, instead of accessing the website directly from the server, your browser detects the website content from the cache. This will cause you to have difficulty in viewing some pages. Other probable reasons include incorrect browser settings and Internet filtering browser functions interfering with the operation of Hotmail. To resolve the problem, please do the following troubleshooting steps:

Try the following:

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- On "General" tab Click "Delete" Button and then click "Delete All" Button at the bottom, then put a tick mark on "Also delete files and settings stored by add-ons" and then click Yes. Click Close Button.
- Click the "Security" tab, and then click Reset all Zones to Default Level.
- Click the "Advanced" Tab, and then click Restore Advanced settings.

To reset all settings to Internet Explorer default settings:

Warning: The Following Steps should be used Only when your Internet Explorer is in an unusable state. This resets all Internet Explorer options to their original settings, history information, cookies and temporary files will be removed and add-ons will be disabled.

3. Close all the Applications (All the Open Windows and the Programs).
4. Click the Tools menu followed by Internet Options
5. Click the "Advanced" tab
6. Click "Reset" Button.

B. Verify that Active Scripting, ActiveX, and Java are not blocked.
Verify that Internet Explorer or another program on your computer such as an anti-virus program or a firewall is not configured to block scripts, ActiveX controls, or Java applets. Active Scripting, ActiveX controls, and Java applets are turned off at the High security level in Internet Explorer. To reset the Internet Explorer security settings for the current Web page, follow these steps:
1. On the "Tools" menu, click "Internet Options"
2. In the "Internet Options" dialog box, click "Security"
3. Click "Default Level"
4. Click "OK."
Please refer to the documentation for the anti-virus program or firewall that you are using to determine how to turn on scripting, ActiveX and Java applets.
C. Install the latest version of the Java Virtual Machine:
1. To download the latest version of the Java Virtual Machine, visit the following Sun Microsystems Web site: http://www.java.com
2. Restart Internet Explorer.
3. On the "Tools" menu, click "Internet Options."
4. Click the "Advanced" tab.
5. Under "Browsing," clear the "Enable third-party browser extensions (requires restart)" check box.
6. Restart Internet Explorer.
7. On the "Tools" menu, click "Internet Options."
8. Click the "Advanced" tab.
9. Under "Browsing," select the "Disable Script Debugging (Internet Explorer)" check box, and then click "OK."
D. Reregister the files that you must have to run scripts on the page
1. Click "Start," point to "All Programs," point to "Accessories," and then click "Command Prompt."
2. At the command prompt, "regsvr32 softpub.dll", and then press "ENTER"
3. Click "OK" when you receive the message that states that the command ran successfully.
4. At the command prompt, type "regsvr32 wintrust.dll", and then press ENTER
5. Click "OK" when you receive the message that states that the command ran successfully.
6. At the command prompt, type "regsvr32 initpki.dll", and then press ENTER
7. Click "OK" when you receive the message that states that the command ran successfully
8. At the command prompt, type "exit," and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.

E. For Windows operating system, you may have to upgrade the scripting engine.

If you are using Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, contact Windows technical support for instructions on how to update your script engine. To contact Windows technical support, visit the following Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com
F. Clear the Domain Name System (DNS) cache.
This is required to clear the cached address information that is used when you connect to the Hotmail service:
1. Click "Start", click "Run", type "cmd", and then click "OK"
2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press "Enter" on your keyboard:
ipconfig /flushdns
This command deletes all the DNS entries that have been cached.
G. Add "passport.com", "hotmail.com", "live.com", and "msn.com" to the lists of safe domains in your firewall, pop-up blocker, and antivirus software. To learn how to do this, see the documentation for your firewall, pop-up blocker, and antivirus software.
To learn how to configure Microsoft Windows Firewall in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, visit the following Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;875356
H. Repair or reinstall your Internet browser.
If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, visit the following sites to learn how to reinstall or repair Internet Explorer:
For Internet Explorer 6:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318378

For addition Internet Explorer 7:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/support/default.mspx

I. If you recently installed any software or made any change to your computer before this issue occurred, consider reversing the change that you made, at least temporarily, to determine whether that change is the source of the problem.
J. Download Windows Defender Beta 2
Windows Defender (Beta 2) is a free program that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. For more information, please visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

I stick with Fedora.

Wow, all this to make something work? Long live Mr Gates.

However, does Windows Defender work with other Browser such as Mozilla and Fedora or does one have to use IE as well?

Thanks

Also, consider downloading and using AVAST! anti-virus. It has a free personal edition that works fantastic and the thing I love about it is that it is only an anti-virus, it doesn't do anything else.

To all,

Online banking can be very unsafe. Although I use it, I always take precautions beforehand. Always run your Spyware (I use Spybot and Ad-aware) before logging on to your bank website and ALWAYS type in the bank's website address manually (no shortcut). The "bad" guys can push a trojan on your PC that will change your shortcut's destination to their own fake bank website and access your password when typed in. This has been seen recently in Canada and the fake website looks really really real (emphasis on real...)

It is a little longer process but well worth it. This would be true for any site that contains personal info (government sites, income taxes, etc)

regards,

R.

I had Norton some years ago, I will not have it again as I suffered from exactly the same problem you had, when it was still "in-date" so to say.

After reading many test reports Kasperski would appear to be the best, its also cheaper and here in Germany you can get a full version for free and use if for a year before paying.

It leaves Norton cold.

In a test recently in a Germany Computer magazine, Kasperski was first and I think Norton made 5th or 6th place......Norton was the best in 2003 and before, today it is just not good enough, but a lot of people, with little computer knowledge like it. Kasperski is even simpler to use.

Just a thought.

By the way, Zone alarm can on some computers with XP SP2, do the same thing..... I never found out why though, a re-install fixes it for a short time....

I figured out my problem....it was a combination of three things, two software and one hardware. Each intermittent.

a. Expired Norton throwing up a firewall

b. Corrupted Win 98.

c. Intermittent ethernet to usb adaptor.

Very nearly became the axe head buried in the hard drive...

grin!

Win98 that speaks volumes. Even XP with SP2 is leaky but Win98 is just like a sponge when it comes to spyware and viruses. There is no more support now and less and less software is written to function with Win98. All is made clear.

Ah well, its not like this Pentium 4 can run on anything else. Maybe if I download a linux op system. Shouldn't take me more than an evening to learn how to use it, after all, it only took me an evening to learn to use Windows.

(thats a dig against people who are too arrogant to use windows!)

But you are right about win 98 being a sponge for viruses and redirectors, seems every body with this fashionable grudge against MicroSoft has it in for me. Makes me want to stand up on a hill and yell to all the hackers, "Hey, its a good system as long as YOU don't keep fucking with it!"

I shall leave Win 98 on that 'puter, and use it for my taxes, my business spread sheets, and everything that doesn't involve getting "on line".

If it is just for spread sheets and word formatted text I would not keep the WIN 98.

Just do it from within Linux, OpenOffice is getting seriously powerful.

Win98 has it's place . I run XP for anything on-line and have a separate computer for mundane stuff running ME . When the bloated XP beast is updating ,running scans etc I can do stuff on the lonely ME computer - it never lets me down , just fires up and gets on with working for me. I've wasted hours with XP , being a slave to the machine rather than vv. Granted that's the penalty of the internet , but keeping a tatty old computer saves huge amount of time/worry.The ultimate firewall is a physical one.

There is also another reason to keep older machines going. I have software and some hardware based tools that go back as far as DOS. They work perfectly for what they do. Why spend thousands of dollars to "upgrade" for older tools that may only be used occasionally? The ugly truth is that I could get a lot more done with computers if it weren't for computers.

ain't that the truth ! I still run Qbasic that I've migrated up from WWG for the unashamed reason I like doing things slow and rudimentary on occasion. Up your schnozzle Bill Gates - at least my way I can still figure how to think. One day you'll want the computers in my attic 'Co's your so busy getting people to upgrade for this months 'must-have' you'll loose your footing. Well said rcapper.