After a quick search I have found some threads reporting that this is a conflict with IE8 and Mcafee: it is said that reverting to IE7 corrects the issue. I use Firefox for internet so i have no issue with reverting to IE7 assuming you think this could be a valid course of action.
Ok, ignore the last two posts. I was able to Uninstall and Reinstall Mcafee with the help of their tech support and that has fixed the issue.
Items of note, incase they have repercussions to the process here
They had me install a chat client which also allowed them control of my mouse keyboard (remote assistant)
they appeared to run a reg repair script targeted towards IE
Ultimately they ended up running the product removel tool you suggested minus the Add/Remove part (which im sure you would have suggested next)
The system appears to be running normal.. I did notice single (only happened once) strange redirect when clicking on a Mcafee.com link; it instead went to a seemingly unrelated AV product site. After clicking back I clicked the link again and this time went to the mcafee site.
Other notes:
There have been window updates, while probably nothing the timing is ominous (everything is making my nervous )
After a reboot and before I was able to disable WinPatrol, it mentioned a start up file simply called HOSTS, i took no action and simply shut down Winpatrol
Mcafee Firewall: Currently it is on and windows firewall is off, In the past I have relied on windows default firewall; however with this fresh install of Mcafee I'm more incline to keep this setup. what would you recommend?
Close all other programs apart from OTL as this step will require a reboot
On the OTL main screen, press the CLEANUP button
Say Yes to the prompt and then allow the program to reboot your computer.
Clean out your temp files.
Download Attribune's ATF Cleaner and save to your desktop.
Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main "Select Files to Delete" choose: Select All.
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you use Firefox or Opera browser click that browser at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.
[external image: Posted Image] Your Java is out of date. Older versions have vulnerabilities that malware can use to infect your system. Please follow these steps to remove older version Java components and update.
Download the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 24 and save it to your desktop.
Scroll down to where it says JDK 6 Update 24 (JDK or JRE)
Click the Download JRE button to the right
Select the Windows platform from the dropdown menu.
Read the License Agreement and then check the box that says: "I agree to the Java SE Runtime Environment 6u24 with JavaFX 1 License Agreement". Click on Continue.The page will refresh.
Click on the link to download Windows Offline Installation and save the file to your desktop.
Close any programs you may have running - especially your web browser.
Go to Start > Control Panel, double-click on Add or Remove Programs and remove all older versions of Java.
Check (highlight) any item with Java Runtime Environment (JRE or J2SE or Javaâ„¢ 6) in the name.
Click the Remove or Change/Remove button.
Repeat as many times as necessary to remove each Java versions.
Reboot your computer once all Java components are removed.
Then from your desktop double-click on jre-6u24-windows-i586-p.exe to install the newest version.
After the install is complete, go into the Control Panel (using Classic View) and double-click the Java Icon. (looks like a coffee cup)
On the General tab, under Temporary Internet Files, click the Settings button.
Next, click on the Delete Files button
There are two options in the window to clear the cache - Leave BOTH CheckedApplications and Applets
Trace and Log Files
Click OK on Delete Temporary Files Window Note: This deletes ALL the Downloaded Applications and Applets from the CACHE.
Click OK to leave the Temporary Files Window
Click OK to leave the Java Control Panel.
Here are some recommendations to help you stay clean.
Update your Antivirus programs and other security products regularly to avoid new threats that could infect your system.
Make sure you are running a FIREWALL.The windows firewall is not sufficient to protect your system. It doesn't monitor outgoing traffic and this is a must. Please read this article 'Safe Computing Practices'. So how did I get infected in the first place.
Preventing Infections in the Future
Please also have a look at the following links, giving some advice and Tips to protect yourself against malware and reduce the potential for re-infection:
Avoid gaming sites, underground web pages, pirated software sites, and peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing programs. They are a security risk which can make your computer susceptible to asmörgåsbord of malware infections, remote attacks, exposure of personal information, and identity theft. Many malicious worms and Trojans spread across P2P file sharing networks, gaming and underground sites. Users visiting such pages may see innocuous-looking banner ads containing code which can trigger pop-up ads and Flash ads that install viruses, Trojans and spyware. Ads are a target for hackers because they offer a stealthy way to distribute malware to a wide range of Internet users. The best way to reduce the risk of infection is to avoid these types of web sites and not use any P2P applications. Read P2P Software User Advisories and Risks of File-Sharing Technology.
Update Non-Microsoft Programs
It is also a good idea to check for the latest versions of commonly installed applications that are regularly patched to fix vulnerabilities. You can check these by visiting Secunia Software Inspector and Calendar of Updates.
Thank you very much for you help with this issue. As always I will continue to direct anyone with malware related problems to this site. What you all do here is invaluable to people like myself and I hope that one day I am in a position where I am able to return the favor
Thanks again
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