Strange IE6 problems

I

Ian84

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Over the last few days whilst accessing different sites, rather than getting the site i`m trying to access, some stupid search directory pops up instead and about:blank appears in the address bar. Then this morning dozens of pop ups appeared while searching the net and norton antivirus said it had repaired a file called se.dll, then I got the old blue screen of death! Could this be caused by some spyware or adware lurking somewhere or summat more serious?
 
Thanks pipme, very helpful but norton antivirus picked up 23 items of spyware! and it deleted every bit spyware but this problem still exists.

:?
 
NAV is not much good at spyware. Try Spybot, Adaware, Pestpatrol or one of the other mainstream anti-spyware tools. Also, Hi-jack this will list the various bits and bobs that run at startup. Posting the output from this is useful for us to help diagnose.

The other alternative, as Pips link mentions, is to use a browser other than the MS offering.
 
Ian84 I have exactly the same problem and to begin with the infection on my pc even prevented me downloading Spybot or similar. Thanks to Igorian (a big thankyou to you), I obtained Spybot which fixed the 107 problems it revealed and enabled me to get Adaware which is dealing in stages with loads more. I still get diverted to another browser (about blank), but I'm hoping to sort the problem.

The answer appears to be to run some specific programmes for spyware and adware and use them as firewalls in addition to Norton Anti-Virus or whatever. Yopu can get a free download of Adaware from www.Lavasoft.de, or plenty of other sites. Best of luck.
 
Ian84 said:
Thanks pipme, very helpful but norton antivirus picked up 23 items of spyware! and it deleted every bit spyware but this problem still exists.

:?
Click to expand...

You did try this did you ? Get the FREE standalone version of 'CWshredder' from http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html originally written by the 'Hijack this' author Merijn Bellekom
Apparently a tricky problem to resolve.
From 'the CWS chronicles'
....The CoolWebSearch Chronicles detail the variants of the browser hijacker known as CoolWebSearch (CWS). CoolWebSearch is known to be one of the most difficult spyware infections to detect and remove.... Variant 35: CWS.Aboutblank
Approx date first sighted: March 2, 2004
Log reference: Reconstruction
Symptoms: IE pages changed to about-blank.ws , hijack returning on system restart. ....
Click to expand...
You gonna have to try out some of these progs - you'll learn a fair bit - cause if you take no action - it'll all be back again !!
:wink:
 
I`d love to find the ducker that started this, i`d certainly be up for murder, i`ve taken the easy option and re-installed ME! a bit OTT but i`m very impatient.
 
There are loads of spyware programs on the internet, however not all are what they seem!!

I would recommend Ad-Aware SE Personal edition and SpyBot Search and Destroy. Both are available FREE from www.download.com (just type the title in the search box).

Another really useful program is HijackThis and can be downloaded from http://216.180.233.162/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe This program gives you a list of processes, start up files and Active X components. These can be removed with a simple 'tick'. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING !!!

You can always post your logfile back here and I will have a look.

Steve
Excellent Solutions, Ipswich.
:twisted: Viruses & Spyware removed this year - 190,667 items. :twisted:

Found this site by accident my daughter decided that the bed sheets would make a wonderful canvas for her work of art - titled
Shades of Lipstick - Thanks for the info - payback time...
 
ExcellentSolutions said:
.............Another really useful program is HijackThis and can be downloaded from http://216.180.233.162/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe This program gives you a list of processes, start up files and Active X components. These can be removed with a simple 'tick'. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING !!!...........
Click to expand...

Also if you drill down via 'other stuff..' 'Config...' then 'Misc Tools' you will find a neat little 'Process Manager' ... Like Task Manager shows running processes and by ticking 'Show Dll's' above window right corner one can not only see the Dynamic Link Libraries in use by each selected process, but double click on any file to bring up stnd windows properties info window.
Also a 'Host's File Manager' another useful little prog.
And still more ...

One needs to learn what to do with these tools... but as Big All would say hereabouts ..'We are all still learning' .... well, trying anyway !!
:D :) :(
 
Can I also suggest, over and above Search and Destroy, Adaware and Hijack This which are IMO essential for getting rid of Spyware a really good wee utility called Crap Cleaner, can be downloaded from www.ccleaner.com

Cleans your temporary internet files and registry (getting rid of the horrible spyware that adds itself to the startup in there). It helped me get rid of some nice shortcuts that kept adding themselves to my bookmarks..gambling and p*rn! Neither of which I'm interested in!

Mandy
 
c*** cleaner isntit ?
I can only say, using Opera and / or FireFox browsers SEEMs to attract very few problems ... NortonAV and ZAP (Zone Alarm Pro firewall).
Ok, easy to become paranoid ... If banking / buying / selling online tis all a bit of a concern.
Since installing ZAP and learning via the ZA forum how to configure it, I have gone almost a full year with ZAP and NAV ... No viruses detected, Adaware SE personal ... SBS&D running tea timer etc ... Cr apCleaner ... Swatit ... TDS-3 (anti-trojan) All updated as soon as available and regularly run .. have found nothing !!
All M$ updates are installed as they become available.

I think the M$ updating, ZAP, Opera / Firefox browsing, and opening, in the first instance, mail as text only are the cornerstones of my pleasant experience during the year.
BTW on Win98se, the browsers mentioned install without 'upsetting' IE6 or anything else .. all run happily together,have run all 3 at the same time without problem.

:D
 
For those running WinXP, a clean install and SP2 will solve all and prevent further attacks. I did it (it was a tough decision!) but its great now. Much more secure and pain-free, not to mention quicker.
 
WabbitPoo said:
For those running WinXP, a clean install and SP2 will solve all and prevent further attacks. I did it (it was a tough decision!) but its great now. Much more secure and pain-free, not to mention quicker.
Click to expand...

As long as SP2 doesn't muck up your system, as it did with mine.

I re-install every 3-4 months now to ensure a clean system. I used Norton Ghost to image my hard drive to CD-Rom, if I have to reinstall my system now it only takes 12 minutes. (WinXP, Internet settings, Office, Publisher, Norton Internet Security, Firefox, All drivers and Windows activation settings) My documents are saved to my secondry hard drive and burnt to disk as required, so if my main drive goes down their safe.

I have stopped using IE and now use Firefox as there is too many problems with IE, and if Firefox won't work with a site I use Netscape. I've used Firefox for nearly a year now with no problems and although its a bit slow to kick in, once started its a lot better and faster than most browsers.


Salem.
 
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