Blank Web Pages with Vista

[Peter_Plus]

I run Vista on both a laptop and desktop. This problem occurs with both
computers. When I turn them on and they have been running for a short time,
a blank web page pops up and takes over the whole screen, no buttons are
visible. I have to Alt/Control/Delete to get rid of them. How do I stop this
from happening? These blank web pages just appear, I don't even have to click
on anything to get them to start.

 

[Don Varnau]

Hi,
May be helpful when diagnosing... in task manager, does the page have a
name?

What (legitimate) programs would be connecting to the Internet
automatically?

You may have a troublesome browser add-on.
See: http://www.enhanceie.com/ie/troubleshoot.asp
for troubleshooting information.
More at:
IEBlog Troubleshooting and Internet Explorer’s (No Add-ons) Mode:

If not caused by a legitimate program, this may be a malware problem-
adware, spyware, hijacker, trojan, etc.
See these sites for help:
The Parasite Fight http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Malware Removal and Prevention Overview - CastleCopsWiki:
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Overview
Bugs, Glitches & Stuffups: http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.html
Removing Malware:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
827315- Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=827315
What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/spywarewhat.mspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/07/25/678113.aspx

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

 

[AlexB]

My policy is not to use any 3-rd party anti-malware except Spybot S&D.
Windows Vista offers sufficient protection against malicious software
writers some of them I am sure watch this forum very carefully.

Download Microsoft Windows Baseline Security Analyzer. It is Beta 2.1 for
Vista and I think it is safe to download. Run it.

<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...AF-9DBE-4DCE-889E-ECF997EB18E9&displaylang=en>

It will give you all your vulnerabilities, especially in your firewall
settings. You should read the report and if it suggests any changes, you
should consider them.
Your Windows firewall setting will be analyzed.

Download Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool (KB890830). It
will want to run upon install. Choose the FULL scan although it may give you
a threatening message that it might take a few hours. It will scan your
entire computer in about half an hour or less if you do not have a lot of
stuff in it.
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...e0-e72d-4f54-9ab3-75b8eb148356&displaylang=en>

Some reassuring information: Malicious Software Removal Tool
<http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx>
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific,
prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows Vista,
Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=890830

You can also go to Protection Center (Microsoft)
<http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/center/howsafe.htm?s_cid=mscom_msrt>
and click "Protection Scan." There will be a dropdown menu and a button:
"Launch Full Scan or Vista." You can do it if you wish.

Download and install Spybot Search & Destroy, a marvelous piece of software
which is free for individuals but corporations pay fees. You may be asked
for donations but it is up to you. It is very up to date and every week you
will have to download new updates, sometimes even more often. You should
check for updates every time you run it. It will give you all su*kers
leached into your registry and ask you if you wanted to remove them. Many of
them have masqueraded themselves under MS Windows names like
Windows.something. Do not hesitate to kill them all. You can trust SB S&D.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

It also allows you to IMMUNIZE your system. It means that when you go to a
website and they try to download some kind of a Trojan to you SB S&D will
either kill it silently, or ask you if you want to do it or will kill it and
give you a notice. It is better to let it kill them all in silence.

Listen to Mark Russinovich's (MS) webcast: Advanced Malware Cleaning

<http://www.microsoft.com/emea/spotlight/sessionh.aspx?videoid=359>