Emails with video links

Dear Person:…. Another glitch for you Super Techs at WTT:. Now for my prob…. It has to do with my Message Center…. I have a Dell GX280 SFF with Windows XP Pro SP-3 & 1 GB RAM…. Netzero is my ISP on dialup with IE-7…NO, I repeat, NO viruses,trojans or malware of ANY kind…. I clear temp files & web history before I logoff EVERY time… Then I use a cleaner before I turn my computer off EVERY time… I get from 25 to 50 emails daily… When I open certain emails oftentimes there's a link to another page included… I'll click on that link to check it out… That part works perfect everytime… Now when I click on the red "X" in the upper right corner to close the page & return to my messages ,I get a white page that stays & stays & stays…. Down in the lower left corner above the "Start" icon is where I see:..Waiting for "http" etc with NO movement…. The little "data meter"(??) that Netzero provides shows NO data coming down the pipe… I've noticed that when the link goes to a page that has a video is when this happens about 75% of the time…. Often without viewing the video…. The other 25% is when there's NO video….Still does it…. I'm looking into an online bussiness & these videos are sales pitches…. I've waited 2,3,4,5 & sometimes 6 minutes for it to cycle thru… Now ,when I see it's going to take awhile , I just go offline & re-login,it's a LOT faster…BUT a pain in the @$$…. A friend suggested upgrading to IE-8…I downloaded & installed IE-8… While the email problem seemed to improve,the webpage loading ,etc, got dramatically worse… SOooo I got rid of IE-8 & went back to IE-7 & the problem returned…. This started about 2 months ago & is getting steadily worse…. Any ideas???…. Your help WILL be GREATLY appreciated…… THANK you VERY MUCH in advance of your anticipated help…. ..

Hi Ron, I don't remember. Are you using a third-party download manager?

Doug:..

Good to see ya again & THANK YOU for your reply….

I don't remember.
Are you using a third-party download manager?

I don't remember either…. <_<
I have no clue as to what a " third-party download manager" is ….

A bit more info I forgot to add:…
Up on top of the screen ,next to the address line there are 2 click on items…
One is to refresh the page ( 2 little green arrows ) & the other is a red "X" to stop loading the page(?)…
When I have the problem I click on the red "X" & it does nothing….
Normally it works fine….
It's like the webpage is refuseing to let me go….


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Later…..Ron.M…..

Dear People;…. As I post this 60 people have viewed this thread…. The only reply I got is from good guy Doug…. Its been 5 days since a reply…. I KNOW that there's other folks that can at least try to help me out…. I'm NOT upset OR PO'd in ANY way….. Just getting a bit impatient….. So IF you are reading this & can offer ANY advice, I surely WOULD APPRECIATE it…. It's NOT getting ANY better on it's own….. MANY THANKS & have a GREAT day…. Later…Ron.M….

Ron, I posted to an resource forum to get additional information and maybe some good advice. I have not received any replies yet. I'm not even sure I'm on the right track yet for your question. No promises, except I won't give up.

OK, Doug:…
I will be more patient…
THANK you for what you're doing for me….


Best Regards….Ron.M….. ….. ….

Most problems with Internet Explorer can be resolved simply by disabling third party add-ons and toolbars. With IE7 or newer installed you can open control panel -> internet options. Click the Advanced tab and click the RESET button. Allow internet explorer to reset to default settings and disable all those annoying and problematic toolbars and add-ons. When finished, restart IE. If all goes well you'll be on your way to functioning normally again. If the problem is still not resolved, you may want to try updating your Flashplayer and Java runtime. Go to adobe.com and download the latest flashplayer. Go to java.com and download the latest Java runtime.

appleoddity;…

Sorry about the reply time response….
I somewhere,somehow picked up a VERY nasty virus….
NOT my computer,ME!!! ….I've been sicker than s%#t for 3 days…
Went in to the "VA" for an appointment…
Got some meds & now I have to wait it out…
Extreme sore throat,can not swallow properly,every bone & muscle aches…
Had nothing to eat for 3 days , & did NOT sleep well at all….
So much for the "Good News"…..

Now in reply to your post;==>

Most problems with Internet Explorer can be resolved simply by disabling third party add-ons and toolbars.

I only have 1 toolbar…..I'm still sick as I write this , so please bear with me…Third party add-ons escape my memory at the moment…Sorry….
I had already tried IE-7 "Reset' & "Return" to default settings…..NO help….

Last wednesday while I was helping someone with a TV problem at another websitwe,my computer went ABSOLUTELY BONKERS,whacko,etc….Now this happened while I was typeing up a PM….
I lost the blinking "|" where you type at….Then copy & paste dissappeared…..BUMMER!!!
Since I was getting whacked by a virus,I decided to logoff & call it a night…..
Then the "SHOCKER"!!!!
There are 2 attachments below…The1st is my desktop normally & the 2nd is what I saw when I went offline….
Looks like something from outer space invaded my computer….
Now I have NEVER seen that graphic before EVER,& it's NOT part of ANY file OR program…
System restore was gone also,so I used Erunt to get rid of that "Alien"…
Wednesday evening I ran a DEEP scan with Avast…..Perfectly CLEAN…
Thursday AM ,I ran SpyBot……Full scan,Perfectly CLEAN….
So that pretty much ruled out my computer having any trojans,viruses ,etc….
I opened up a few of my desktop files & waddyaknow???..They worked perfectly….
Copy & paste returned & so did this thing >>"|"….
What I did next was to remove IE-7 & re-install it…..Waddyaknow ?? It fixed the prob!!!
What I don't know is IF this "Glitch" is related to my "Email with Video Probs" OR not….
SOOOooo, you'll need to give me some time to see if that is fixed also….


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MANY,MANY THANKS for your inputs,fellas…

I have to go lay down & try to heal….

Later,,,Ron.M….

Dear People:……

Good news!!!…..
Removing & then Re-installing IE-7 apparently solved my problem….
Emails etc are working fine…..
Now the question of the day is:..
WHAT caused it ???
WHERE did that Space Alien on my desktop come from ???
See attachment again….
[attachment removed]

I'm fairly confident that the two symptoms ARE related…
I would like to avoid this problem in the future….
Problem is: Don't know how I got it…
SOOOooooo , IF , anyone knows ANYTHING about this , PLEASE speak up….
Maybe someone from the HJT thread,a malware specialist ???

THANK you VERY,VERY MUCH in advance of your anticipated help….


Later….Ron.M….. ….

Ron…

You know the drill:

Read here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/Welcome_New_…ers_t34502.html
Post here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/HijackThis_L…emoval_f27.html

Doug:…

Ron…
You know the drill:
Read here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/Welcome_New_…ers_t34502.html
Post here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/HijackThis_L…emoval_f27.html

That's a BIG help , isn't it ????… <_<
I ran SpyBot,MBAM & Avast…ALL updated & came up with NO infections…..
The problem , IMHO, appears to have somehow corrupted IE-7….
& Then put that wierd graphic on my desktop….
The problem appears to be corrected now that I have removed & re-installed IE-7…
So sending me to the Malware Removal Forum seems like a waste of time & effort on everyones behalf….
Whatever was there is now gone , I would think….
I SERIOUSLY doubt that ANYTHING would show up at this time !!!
BUT, IF you insist, I will go there….

Thanks…..

Hi Ron, I don't "insist". It's your machine, and you are the man on site, with hands on the machine. Since you posted the picture with the red-alien character, I took that to mean the the image was still appearing as your Desktop and that it was unwanted, placed there against your will. If it is now gone and you have no problems with re-directs, and other symptoms, then you can decide for yourself about getting a checkup. Let us know how we can best help. Doug

Doug;….

You have been a great help to me in the past, With ALL due respect,see below:…

From post #8;…

There are 2 attachments below…The1st is my desktop normally & the 2nd is what I saw when I went offline….
Looks like something from outer space invaded my computer….
Now I have NEVER seen that graphic before EVER,& it's NOT part of ANY file OR program…
System restore was gone also,so I used Erunt to get rid of that "Alien"…<<
Wednesday evening I ran a DEEP scan with Avast…..Perfectly CLEAN…
Thursday AM ,I ran SpyBot……Full scan,Perfectly CLEAN….
So that pretty much ruled out my computer having any trojans,viruses ,etc….
I opened up a few of my desktop files & waddyaknow???..They worked perfectly….
Copy & paste returned & so did this thing >>"|"….
What I did next was to remove IE-7 & re-install it…..Waddyaknow ?? It fixed the prob!!!
What I don't know is IF this "Glitch" is related to my "Email with Video Probs" OR not….

From post #9;…

Removing & then Re-installing IE-7 apparently solved my problem….
Emails etc are working fine…..
Now the question of the day is:..
WHAT caused it ???I would like to avoid this problem in the future….
Problem is: Don't know how I got it…
SOOOooooo , IF , anyone knows ANYTHING about this , PLEASE speak up….
Maybe someone from the HJT thread,a malware specialist ??? <<<

WHERE did that Space Alien on my desktop come from ???

I was thinking that maybe someone from the Malware/Virus Removal Forum would drop by & take a look at that "Alien" & may be of some help….Rather than me going in there , starting a new thread ,posting the pix ,etc

Since you posted the picture with the red-alien character, I took that to mean the the image was still appearing as your Desktop and that it was unwanted, placed there against your will.

I was smart enough to capture a picture of that "Alien" before I used Erunt to back up to an earlier date & to show you OR anyone else who may know what that's all about…THAT ALIEN IS a LOGO of the problem & I'm CERTAIN that somebody somewhere has seen it & knows exactly what it represents….
My questions are listed above & I would REALLY like answers to them IF anyone here knows…..This has to do with keeping my computer healthy & virus etc free….
The fact that the "Alien" was put on my computer as a desktop display bothers me to no end…
Needless to say I'm upset…
Someone somehow got past a Firewall & Avast to change my desktop against my will….

If it is now gone and you have no problems with re-directs, and other symptoms, then you can decide for yourself about getting a checkup.

As you can tell , the "Alien" IS gone….
I will pass for now on a check-up….
My computer seems to be working fine at this time…..

Let us know how we can best help.

Identifying the culprit would be a BIG help…..


Thanks for your anticipated help…..Later….Ron.M….

Ron,

Of course you are right, that some experienced Malware Fighter may happen along and recognize the culprit's identity.
Unhappily, that would not likely give you any additional clues of "where and how" it came your way, even though if might identify "what" it was.


"how" is generally "clickety-click" on email attachments, banner ads, and embedded links at websites.
"where" is generally unsolicited email and third-party advertisements spots on otherwise innocent websites.

It's an exciting and interesting internet world out there, but dangerous too.

I'm sure you've made use of many of the suggestions offered here:
http://forums.whatthetech.com/Security_Bes…ntion_f166.html

Be careful out there my friend.

Doug

Doug:…

FYI:…I'm VERY paranoid about where I go on the web….
I also NEVER in a blue moon open ANY attachments in my emails UNLESS I KNOW who they're from…
I run Avast , updated SpyBot & MBAM on a regular basis…..Avast IS active when I'm online….
Something somehow someway corrupted IE-7 , installed an "Alien" for my desktop, & removed copy & paste, & Windows "Restore" functions…..
Since I'm VERY careful with where I go online & what I click on ,that p.i.s.s.e.d me off…
(We have a censor here….p.i.s.s.e.d. without the periods changes to "mad" )
So, it appears I'll never know how it happened….

THANK you VERY MUCH for your efforts…..
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT…..


Later….Ron.M…..