13 replies to this topic

[bulldogger]

After running a non-destructive system recovery on my XP system things ran good for a couple of days, but now after you click on IE it will load the original page, but when you try to go to another website it will just keep on loading hundreds of IE pages until I am out of memory. I have run three different virus scans and nothing is found on any of them. I have also run the scans in safe mode but still nothing is found. I have to set a system restore point to be able to get back on line but within a day or so the problem comes back. Any suggestions?

[shelf life]

non-destructive system recovery

is that a reinstall of windows without a format? you might try using system file checker:

start>run type in sfc /scannow (space after sfc)

see link:
http://www.updatexp....cannow-sfc.html

[bulldogger]

I have run that program and it found nothing wrong!

[Doug]

Possibly useful information, Here:

http://inetexplorer....answers/29.html
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812942

[bulldogger]

Everything is correct according to those websites. One thing I have noticed is that auotomatic updates goes through a session of downloads about the same time the problems start. Is it possible that one of them is corrupt. I have shut updates off to see if it makes a difference because sometime today the problems should start to happen!!

[Doug]

Hi bulldogger, It "might" help to make sure that you have the most recent update for JAVA (build 6), and that you have installed DirectX 9.0c from the Microsoft Update site. These are "just suggestions", no guarantee. Please keep us posted with your progress, as others will no doubt learn from your success. Best Regards

[GaryOR-LFC]

Download Spybot S&D, get the latest updates and then run the programme, post your results back.

[bulldogger]

WildTangent: Program directory (Directory, nothing done) C:\WINDOWS\wt\ WildTangent: Program directory (Directory, nothing done) C:\WINDOWS\wt\updater\ Microsoft.WindowsSecurityCenter.AntiVirusDisableNotify: Settings (Registry change, nothing done) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\AntiVirusDisableNotify!=dword:0 HitBox: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) Advertising.com: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) HitBox: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) HitBox: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) HitBox: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) Zedo: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) FastClick: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) Avenue A, Inc.: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) LinkSynergy: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) WebTrends live: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) HitBox: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) AdRevolver: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) MediaPlex: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) BFast: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) DoubleClick: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) TagASaurus: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Owner) (Cookie, nothing done) --- Spybot - Search & Destroy version: 1.4 (build: 20050523) --- 2005-05-31 blindman.exe (1.0.0.1) 2005-05-31 SpybotSD.exe (1.4.0.3) 2005-05-31 TeaTimer.exe (1.4.0.2) 2007-03-26 unins000.exe (51.41.0.0) 2005-05-31 Update.exe (1.4.0.0) 2007-01-15 advcheck.dll (1.2.1.0) 2005-05-31 aports.dll (2.1.0.0) 2005-05-31 borlndmm.dll (7.0.4.453) 2005-05-31 delphimm.dll (7.0.4.453) 2005-05-31 SDHelper.dll (1.4.0.0) 2007-01-02 Tools.dll (2.0.1.0) 2005-05-31 UnzDll.dll (1.73.1.1) 2005-05-31 ZipDll.dll (1.73.2.0) 2007-03-13 Includes\Cookies.sbi (*) 2006-12-08 Includes\Dialer.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\DialerC.sbi (*) 2007-03-21 Includes\Hijackers.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\HijackersC.sbi (*) 2006-10-27 Includes\Keyloggers.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\KeyloggersC.sbi (*) 2004-11-29 Includes\LSP.sbi (*) 2007-03-21 Includes\Malware.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\MalwareC.sbi (*) 2007-03-21 Includes\PUPS.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\PUPSC.sbi (*) 2003-11-12 Includes\QA Tests.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\Revision.sbi (*) 2006-12-08 Includes\Security.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\SecurityC.sbi (*) 2007-03-21 Includes\Spybots.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\SpybotsC.sbi (*) 2005-02-17 Includes\Tracks.uti 2007-03-21 Includes\Trojans.sbi (*) 2007-03-13 Includes\TrojansC.sbi (*) Here is the results of the scan, I would also like to let you know that on 3/22/07 I turned off automatic updates and the system has been working OK! But i'm sure that there will be updates that I will need!

[Doug]

Hey Bulldogger,

Please let us know how your machine is running at this time, and especially if you are still having the difficulty with multiple instances of IE opening.

As to your Spybot Search & Destroy results...

WildTangent is an online gaming console, that used to be riddled with spyware and now still has "some" unwanted items bundled with it, enough to make it "undesireable". Still, it has lots of fun game stuff that many users like. If it were my machine, I'd uninstall WildTangent via Add/Remove.

If you do decide to Uninstall WildTangent, it is necessary to Uninstall all the sub-games first, before Uninstalling the main WildTangent game controller/console.
__________

Regarding the Cookies......

It's a good idea to clear out your cookies every now and then, maybe weekly, or more often if you are on the internet alot.

GoTo:
Control Panel - Internet Options <--- Double-Click on Internet Options to open the Interne Properties Panel

Click on both Delete Cookies and Delete Files (allow offline files to be deleted also)
___________

Next:
Run your Spybot Search & Destroy again.

All of the Cookie items should be gone, per the Delete Cookies function you performed above.

That will leave you with only....
Microsoft.WindowsSecurityCenter.AntiVirusDisableNotify: Settings (Registry change, nothing done)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\AntiVirusDisableNotify!=dword:0

It is just an information.
Spybot-S&D only wants to bring to your attention that "someone" disabled one or more notifications in the Windows Security Center, e.g. the notifications that your virus protection is not active or not up-to-date. If you changed the settings yourself you can safely tell Spybot-S&D to exclude those detections from further scans.
In order to do so please right-click each in turn, then click "exclude this detection from future scans". That way, should any other part of security center settings change, Spybot-S&D will still detect those.
The same is true if you have another security solution installed (like McAfee Security Center or Norton Internet Security). These programs do also disable the Windows Security Center in order to take care of things themselves.
The reason why the changes are flagged by Spybot-S&D is that there are also malware programs that disable the notifications so the user doesn't take note of his security tools not being effective.

Some more information is also available at the following forum:
http://forums.spybot...thread.php?t=87

AntiVirusOverride <--- is a whole other matter and would indicate possible malware activity.

Best Regards

[bulldogger]

Spybot found nothing!!! My system is running pretty good for the moment. What do you suggest as far as turning automatic updates back on, do you think it was just a coincidence or maybe something hostile could be getting downloaded during these updates.

[GaryOR-LFC]

Did you download the updates for Spybot S&D?

Download and install AVG Anti-Spyware, Download the updates and Scan.

P.S: Did you post a HJT Log in the Log area? More experienced people could help you out there.
Also:

do you think it was just a coincidence or maybe something hostile could be getting downloaded during these updates.

What do you mean by that? Sorry if I have missed anything, I'm busy today.

Edited by GaryOR-LFC, 26 March 2007 - 01:49 PM.

[bulldogger]

There must be a mix up. I said earlier that my system would screw up when automatic updates would come and download about 20 updates. I turned updates off and my system is running fine. It has been a week nowm should I turn them back on?

[Doug]

Hi Bulldogger, MS occasionally causes mischief with their Updates, but there are no currently corrupt downloads that I am aware of..... this month at least. I hear you loud and clear that your machine is running well, with no problems in current function. "except" that with automatic updates disabled, you will fall behind with important critical patches and updates. ......... and that's not good. There is a high probability that your problem with updates could be related to malware. Therefore the recommendations from GaryOR-LFC, are sensible. ____________ Separate from possible Malware infections, is that your Operating System "should" be capable of utilizing auto updates. I would "recommend" that you complete any necessary Malware Removal, "before" attempting repair of the Operating System. Therefore, please do run at least one online scan from this list: Panda Online Scan HouseCall Trendmicro Kaspersky Then Post a HJT over in our Malware Removal Forum. Please do not Post a HJT Log into this same thread, but I would like you to notify us that you have posted HJT in the Malware Forum. There is important information that we may be able to derive, plus it will be useful to follow any procedures you are directed to accomplish in Malware removal. So just give us the "link". After Malware Removal gives you an "all clear", we can proceed to Disk and File scans or repairs. Please keep us posted with your progress. Best Regards

[bulldogger]

It has been two weeks and my system has run pretty good without downloading any updates from microsoft. I thought it might be a good idea to see how many updates i've been missing. There were 25 updates waiting for me, so I decided to download all of them except IE 7, I don't care for that browser. After the updates were done and I rebooted I imediately had problems with multiple IE windows trying to open. I did a system restore back two days and I am working fine again. I guess the solution will be to download these updates one at a time until I find the one that is screwing things up. I will let you know if I'm successfull.