IE problem on XP mean Re-install!

[Capt_Picard 0]

Over the last few days IE has been messing up on my computer and on Friday it went really bad when Mal-wear got on the system. Mal-wear is really bad AdWear, or SpyWear. It can bring up IE and go to a ad site with out me having the programe running. All it needs is to be able to see that I am connect to the internet. Furthermore, it cannot be removed for add and remove prgrames, SpyBot cannot find it, Avg cannot find it, and I can find no files that shows who it is from, how it go on my computer, or even know that it's there at all.

 

My dad told me to uninstall and then re-install IE... Well, I did uninstall it, but the computer still thinks it is there and will not let me re-install IE. For some reason I can use the explorer windows to use the net also, and I did check... iexplore.exe is not on the computer. I went to Microsoft's website for info and they say that I have to use the registry editor to fix the problem, but also since that IE 6 is built into XP that if it doesn't work I'll have to re-install. I did what they told me and I still cannot re-intall IE...

 

... I think I have reached the end of something. Before I got into all the work I told myself that I should just get either my OS CD back from my dad (he is making a copy for some testing stuff), or find the pass code to the XP Por copy I have (got at the end of high school for computer teach... it pays to be nice). Want to take a hack of what happened to make it where I couldn't just do that? Well, my dad said that if I need it or if I want him to take a look at my computer I should go up to his place, which is a near five hour trip via bus, bike, and ferry, for it is cheaper... *instert groan here* ... And as for the pass code I can't find it and I will most likely spend all day tomorrow going to my dad's place and back, or looking for that pass code.

 

The little good news is that I finally went out and got a new 40 gigabit USB hard drive and a new Belkin's Wireless Pre-N PCI card. What that means is that I can back up all my files (twice seeing the USB HD is twice the size of my laptop's), and get the fastest wireless speed out there with greater coverage. That is little good news for that no matter what I will be spending the next week get my computer back up, run, updated, reload, and set to how I like it...

 

So, yeah... again my luck comes to bite me where the sun does not shine, but at least this time the problem wasn't hardwear. My warranty is out on my laptop and that would mean at least two-hundred dollars for a fix of anything. Again, my luck...

[KIMIMELA 1]

Take my advice- we had problems like that in the past and I have fixed it and I have fixed others too.

 

1) Get rid of IE. Totally uninstall it. It's trash. Virus and Spyware inventors know the inside of that now.

2) How long has this been going on? Do a system restore.

3) Download Firefox

4) If this doesn't work, backup your hard- drive and re-install your OS.

[Tal 0]

Theres no point in backing up your harddrive at this point due to the fact Virus genrally spread themselves out, So any backup you do will most liky contain the virus. IE is not as bad as most people say aslong as you keep it updated. Would recomend getting Firefox though (I have IE and FF and use IE for certain sites that dont accept FF) System restore wont work either cause the clever virus implant themselves in there as well.

[KIMIMELA 1]

*Scratches head*

 

Well it worked for me.

[Tal 0]

The System Restore? If so then it all depends on the Virus. It might work on some but not all. The more nasty they are the more difficult they are to get rid of. At which point it would be easyer just to Format and start again.

[KIMIMELA 1]

I had it so bad that as soon as we logged on we had porn pop ups before we opened a browser (we're on broadband), so I started it up in Safe Mode and performed a System Restore back for a month.

 

If you don't act now your whole hard-drive will be invaded. Viruses spread like butter on bread.

[Kor37 9]

I suggest you take a sledgehammer to the computer. It won't fix your problem but you will feel a whole lot better!

[Indy 8]

I'm the last person that should be giving computer advice but a while back I had a massive spyware infection which basically shut me down and included a ridiculous 'Morwill Search Page' which would pop up everytime I tried to do a google search. Basically, I couldn't get to google at all. I also had massive pop-ups, something called Winfixer and other unsavory stuff.

 

I finally found this site. After perusing it for about three days, cause I'm dumb like that, and trying a whole bunch of different things, which slowly got rid of some of the offending programs, I finally got rid of all my problems. I looked in that site's latest topics to find my specific problem and did whatever their experts recommended. I never did have to actually post on the site, but that's always an option, but I did run a ton of free scans, ran a Vundo fix, and a HiJack This scan. I had already done the System Restore and other things mentioned on this thread, to no avail.

 

My computer is now running smoother than it ever has, and any problems I've had since have been minor and easily fixable. So, I don't know if any of this will help, but good luck. I know how frustrating these things are.

 

Also, I had, and still have, IE.

[Capt_Picard 0]

OK the check list...

1. Scaned for viruses with AVG... none found.
   
2. Scaned for spywear and adwear with Spy Bot... none found.
   
3. Looked for system restore... none found.
   
4. Looked for sledgehammer... none found.
   

Whatever it is turned of my system restore. So, right now I either have to get the OS disk from my dad for XP Home, or look for the pass cade for my copy of XP Pro... this is going to be a long day...

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

Theres no way that something can "turn off" your system restore.

Open start menu, go to "run..." and enter %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

in the box. This will start up system restore. Then go from there. If i was you, i would go back about 2 weeks from last restore point.

[Capt_Picard 0]

I already did that and there are no restore points up until yesterday. I found the pass code for XP Por and I'm going to try one thing before I format this system... wish me luck!

[Angela 1]

I have had these problems I have tried the same thing as EVERYONE and it hasn't worked. I am about to throw in the towel especially as yahoo mail beta doesn't even recognise my OS. I am getting in contact with someone monday and getting a new computer

 

I have run virus stuff, I have had firewalls and spy-blockers and all the stuff reccommended so now what

[Capt_Picard 0]

In the middle of updates right now... Should be fully updated by 1900...

[APW 0]

I'm not sure what to say. Just good luck, I guess.

[stvoyagerfan 1]

that sounds like the problem we had with my mom's computer last year. i forgot what my friend did to fix it. he told me and i can't remember. there was one thing he said was to put the computer into safe mode and run your anti virus and spyware and if that didnt' work i don't remember what else there was .that's all i can think of right now.

 

tm

[TrekkieMage 0]

In response to what someone said earlier: You can NOT fully uninstall IE. It's an intregral part of Windows. Without it you can't navigate your files or update the OS.

 

My solution (not to the whole thing, just once you've gotten the machine working again):

1. Install FF. Much safer. This site is much better at explaining why than I am. Basically since IE is so integrated into your system it is in and of itself a security gap.

 

2. Delete all icons and shortcuts to IE. Replace them with FF shortcuts. This will prevent accidentally accessing IE.

 

3. Make sure that you've got all the right protection, it sounds like you already do, but anyways: AVG, Spybot S&D, Adaware, and Spyware Blaster are what I've got on this computer.

 

4. Defrag your computer on a regular basis. Doesn't do anything for security, but it'll help keep your computer up to speed. If you don't know where it is go to Start:Programs:Acessories:System Tools and it should be there.

 

Good luck