Califan007 The Constipated Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Or can I??...lol Somehow, my Internet Explorer ended up getting either a virus or some adware--something--attachted to it, and it won't let me set my homepage...no matter what I try to set my homepage to, it always reverts to this generic ad page...usually looks something like this: Furthermore, I can't type in any website address and go to it, it only comes up a blank page as if the IE browser will no longer recognize any site address I type into it...for instance, when I type in www.yahoo.com and then push "Go", this is all that will come up: And to top it all off, I can't write emails while using IE anymore...the composition text box fills up with that same homepage, making it impossible to type an email in there... So, I downloaded Mozilla and use that browzer now...it works great, no problems. However, there are certain sites that don't seem to be compatible with Mozilla, including Verizon, which I have my internet service with. I can't use Mozilla to update my website, the site ends up showing up in html only...IE seems to be the only browzer I can use to enter my website and make changes...and that's just one of the sites that seem incompatible with Mozilla (and before you suggest it, I also downloaded Netscape...it works the same a Mozilla, which means it works fine except I have the same problems with the same types of websites).. Anyway (for those of you still reading at thit point), I thought I'd just uninstall IE and then re-install it....but I can't find IE on my control panel (in the "Add/Remove Program" section)...so I just downloaded IE again, but when I try to install the latest version, I get an error message saying I have a version already installed that's newer than the one I'm trying to install, so it can't install the version I just downloaded. And when I just go to the IE folder on my harddrive to delete it that way, it says that the "program is in use", and that I need to end the program before I can delete it...but I'm not using it..!! Anyway..if any of this makes any sense to anyone here, a bit of help would be fantastic...because I can't figure out what to do. Thanks in advance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjunkies Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html [spybot] http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ [adaware] These are your friends No nee to delete IE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFunky1 Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 If you are running XP you might want to try restoring to an older restore point. I have seen a couple of computers lately that when folks run the spyware cleaning programs they have lost their ability to connect to the internet, so take care in what you delete. I run Spybot and AdAware and am pretty much clean 99.9% of the time. Spybot seems to be more thorough than the others, but I really haven't used it to clean out after a major infestation. I used AdAware on a friends PC and they can't get online anymore. My boss used AdAware and she can't get online anymore either. So if you are running XP you might want to make a restore point now, just incase it messes up your ability to get online. Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 You might want to try CWshreader, along with adaware,spybot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 I already had SpyBot, but AdAware was a new one for me...it seemed to work, I had something like 447 files after it was done...some of them (when I checked the TAC list) seemed to be THE exact cause of my problems, at least from what they described...(some of these things were said to "change browser search results" or "won't allow search in Internet Explorer") So, at least as of right now, my IE seems to be working...I was able to reset my homepage without it automatically going back to that freakin' generic page...and I can once again write an email. Whoohoo..lol Thanks for the links and all the help and advice, you guys...soooooo appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 And just to say "thank you" again, here...lol :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjunkies Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Originally posted by Califan007 And just to say "thank you" again, here...lol :thumbsup: That's why you got all of that spyware in the first place :laugh: :jk: I'm glad you fixed your problem dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 Originally posted by spjunkies That's why you got all of that spyware in the first place :laugh: :jk: I'm glad you fixed your problem dude. :laugh: :laugh:....Well, almost...I actually know her. But I got the photo from her site cuz it's way too late to get out the photos I have of her and scan them in..(or would that be early?..I haven't been to bed yet) .. Thanks again for the help...I about fell out of my chair when I was actually able to set my homepage. You saved me from having to delete and reinstall IE, only to see it continue to ph*ck up on me afterwards..lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjunkies Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Originally posted by Califan007 :laugh: :laugh:....Well, almost...I actually know her. But I got the photo from her site cuz it's way too late to get out the photos I have of her and scan them in..(or would that be early?..I haven't been to bed yet) .. Thanks again for the help...I about fell out of my chair when I was actually able to set my homepage. You saved me from having to delete and reinstall IE, only to see it continue to ph*ck up on me afterwards..lol You know her? hook me up man I hope your IE doesn't **** again. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 you can't delete if you have XP since it is built in the OS now you can turn off the regestry key for it but I wouldn't recommend it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 You have a spyware infected machine. 3 things you must do.... 1 -- Use the adaware and spybot utilities someone else in this thread already pointed out. 2 -- Go to the windows update while running IE and update your system. Get all the updates you can not just the critical ones. 3 -- Download FireFox and never use IE to surf the net. Use it to update your windows (step2) and for sites that demand it. Nothing else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 Originally posted by jbooma you can't delete if you have XP since it is built in the OS now you can turn off the regestry key for it but I wouldn't recommend it That's what I was starting to assume, that it was part of the OS and couldn't be uninstalled...glad to get some varification on that. Thanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 Originally posted by Destino You have a spyware infected machine. 3 things you must do.... 1 -- Use the adaware and spybot utilities someone else in this thread already pointed out. 2 -- Go to the windows update while running IE and update your system. Get all the updates you can not just the critical ones. 3 -- Download FireFox and never use IE to surf the net. Use it to update your windows (step2) and for sites that demand it. Nothing else. Yep... and I'm running Firefox now. I'll only use IE for building my website (as I said above, Firefox isn't compatible with the site I use...but I LOVE the Firefox browser other than that...:notworthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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