Explorer Problem

HandyAl · 3 Mar 2005

I would appreciate some help please. Recently Norton Anti Virus quarantined a couple of trojans on my pc. Since then when I boot up, although I get the usual desktop, none of the icons respond apart from Norton which then triggers the dial-up which I can use to get into the net. Clicking on any icon apart from Norton has no effect and when I do a control alt delete to restart I get a message to say Explorer not responding. Going into Tools, Settings shows that my default browser has been changed to "blank". I can reset it to Freeserve, but after switching the pc off it changes back. Also, since this problem started I keep getting pop ups in the form of "warnings" about my pc being infected and inviting me to download software to effect a cure. Although some of these look legit, some are clearly fakes from the dreadful spelling etc.

Any assistance would be very gratefully received.

Igorian · 4 Mar 2005

You have a spyware infection and probably not just one, although what you have said suggests at least 'about blank' is present. Search the net for Adaware, Spybot Search & Destroy or Pestpatrol and download one of these packages. There are many others. Search google for spyware removal for an endless list.

Another tool is Hijack This, also available on the net for free. This will produce a report of everything that gets started when your machine boots up. Running a scan and posting the results will help us see what else you have.

You can get Spybot and Hijack This from my ftp server.

If you are very badly infected, you may not be able to successfully remove all of it and an O/S re-install may be on the cards.

WabbitPoo · 4 Mar 2005

....but you MAY find that a de-install and re-install of Windows is needed. (Hope not).

I have found that doing a fresh install of XP, then its serivice pack 2, has eliminated totally the problems of popups and adware. Recommend it if you have the install disk and the heart. Just make sure you back up anything important first.

paulh53 · 4 Mar 2005

I Too Had This Same Problem,

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17989

But Got Rid Of It With "ZoneAlarm"

Igorian · 4 Mar 2005

Zone alarm is a firewall. It might help prevent infections, but won't help if you already have one.

pipme · 5 Mar 2005

Useful place to peruse :- http://www.thespykiller.co.uk/

More :-
Learn / talk about 'Spybot S&D', forum, tutorial etc at 'Net-integration' ... Things we need to know about / of

...Net-Integration is the official location for support on Spybot - Search & Destroy by PepiMK Software ...

More stuff than you could shake a stick at

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php?

And the man himself :- HiJack This Author's site Latest version 1.99.1
The prog has a neat 'Host's file manager' and a 'Process file manager' - what is running on your PC and the .Dll files used -- All buried a little deeper, beyond the first page .... Very useful.

"The longest journey begins with a single step!"

paulh53 · 7 Mar 2005

Igorian said:
Zone alarm is a firewall. It might help prevent infections, but won't help if you already have one.

Well that's strange

Because I no longer have "Zone Alarm", And I no longer have the "CWS_NS3" Infection

paulh53 · 7 Mar 2005

paulh53 said:
Igorian said:

Zone alarm is a firewall. It might help prevent infections, but won't help if you already have one.

Click to expand...

Well that's strange Because I no longer have "Zone Alarm", And I no longer have the "CWS_NS3" Infection

I won't mention that i also had "Spysweeper" From "Webroot"

Ian84 · 7 Mar 2005

I too am having some weird things happening on my pc, norton antivirus keeps on saying that it has repaired a file called se.dll and it pops up when I open outlook express or open web pages instead of getting the web page a search directory pops up and about:blank appears in the address bar, and this happens while norton internet security is running! powerful firewall or what? b u l l

pipme · 8 Mar 2005

Firewall doesn't stop you opening unknown email attachments or downloading infected stuff .... You let it in to your PC, hopefully the firewall prevents it sending anything out ...
All you have to do is get rid ... maybe easier said than done !! One step is needed to begin the longest journey.