Internet Explorer loads extremely SLOW, PC makes distinct sound

[beto]

Hi,

Last night I left my PC idle for a few minutes. I came back and clicked on
a minimized IE page. The page began to remanifest itself and the PC began
making this loading noise but it never stopped so I turned off and turned
back on the PC. When I inputted my password to log in to my administrator
profile I get a little window saying it may not be available because of
networking security issues or the profile is corrupt. It also tells me I will
log in using a temporary profile and when it loads the desktop is different
and all my files are gone. I perform a system restore to a couple days back
and I'm able to load my profile and all the files are there.

But when I try to go online again by opening IE, the Yahoo page doesn't
load. What happens is that the page is blank and the PC makes this distinct
sound while the page is trying to load. The noise is sort of a clicking sound
and goes sort of like this " click click click, SLIGHT pause, click click
click, SLIGHT PAUSE, and then many clicks that sound sort of like a machine
gun basically. So it's click click click, SLIGHT PAUSE, click click click,
SLIGHT PAUSE, click click click click click click click click click click
click. And the slight pauses are very brief, less than a second. If I let it
doing all that loading and the noise it can take more than 5 minutes to load
and even when it loads it doesn't stop the noise. I try to close the loading
page and it wont close. I have to get a 'program is not responding' window
before it can close.

So then I downloaded Norton 2010 and it removed 12 viruses, 285 tracking
cookies, and 1 adware. I thought this was the problem but when I tried to go
online again, nope. Same slow loading and same clicking noises. And it's not
just Internet Explorer that loads slow. Trying to open a Windows Media PLayer
video also loads very slow and makes the same sound. My PC has Windows XP SP2
and Internet Explorer 6.0. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Windows XP SP2 and Internet Explorer 6.0.

Why isn't SP3 installed yet? Is the computer otherwise fully-patched at
Windows Update?

So then I downloaded Norton 2010 and...

What anti-virus application was installed before you installed "Norton 2010"
(whatever that is)? Have you purchased "Norton 2010"?

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

So then I downloaded Norton 2010 and it removed 12 viruses,

The real purpose of an AV is virus *prevention* not removal.

Also, how do you know that whatever it is that was/is in there
didn't compromise the install of your AV too?

I would suspect there is still corruption in your machine
and that you should probably cut your losses by saving your data,
reformatting and reinstalling.


; }


---

 

[beto]

I didn't know SP3 was out. The previous antivirus I had was Norton 2006. I
haven't purchased Norton 2010 yet because they give you a month to try it
first.

 

[beto]

Yeah I know its about prevention, but I had to try Norton 2010 because the
system restore to a couple days back still didn't fix it. Yeah who knows if
it affected the install. I probably will save all my stuff and reformat if
nothing happens soon.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

WinXP SP3 was released in early 2008.

What is the name of these Norton applications (e.g., Norton Internet
Security; Norton AntiVirus, Norton 260)?

Was your "Norton 2006" subscription still current when you installed the
"Norton 2010" free-trial?

 

[beto]

It's just Norton Antivirus that I use. Every Norton antivirus gives you a
year of updates so the 2006 version was good for a year after.

I checked on Event Viewer and it says application hang for iexplore.exe and
I downloaded some security updates including for IE. There was an update for
a malicious ware removal tool and I checked that one too. It said it would
perform a check after restart but I didn't see any application running. I
can't find it in programs or control panel. I was thinking about possibly
reinstalling IE that came with PC by creating the backup DVDs the PC asks me
to make from time to time, or if theres a download for it from Microsoft but
I'm not sure if this would work.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

If you had a one-year subscription to NAV 2006, it expired in 2007. What
anti-virus application has been installed since your NAV subscription
expired 2 years ago and before you installed the NAV (?) 2010 free-trial a
few days ago?

Backup your personal data, then do a format & clean install of Windows.
Please note that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT fix this!

cf. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/spyware/prevent.mspx

Rogue Security Software - Microsoft Security:
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/rogue.mspx

 

[beto]

I never bought another antivirus ware until a couple days ago. I may have
found the problem. Last night Norton performed a routine check and found 1
adware of medium risk. This same adware was one of the problems found by the
scan the previous night when I first installed the antivirus. It's called
"Adware.Aureate" and if removed may disable other programs.

According to Symantec I need to follow a few steps to remove it.

Updated: 13 February 2007 11:39:35 AM
Type: Adware
Version: 1.5.0.22
Publisher: Aureate Media Corporation
Risk Impact: Medium
File Names: advert.dll,advertcontrolxcontrol.ocx
Systems Affected: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows
NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP


The following instructions pertain to all Symantec antivirus products that
support Security Risk detection.

Update the definitions.
Unregister the dll files.
Run a full system scan.
Delete the keys that were added to the registry.

For specific details on each of these steps, read the following instructions.

1. To update the definitions
To obtain the most recent definitions, start your Symantec program and run
LiveUpdate.

2. To unregister the dll files

Click Start > Run.
Type, or copy and paste, the following text:

regsvr32 /u "%System%\advert.dll"

then click OK.


If a dialog box confirming this action appears, click OK.
Click Start > Run.
Type, or copy and paste, the following text:

regsvr32 /u "%System%\advertcontrolxcontrol.ocx"

then click OK.


If a dialog box confirming this action appears, click OK.


3. To run the scan
Start your Symantec antivirus program, and then run a full system scan.

If any files are detected as Adware.Aureate and depending on which software
version you are using, you may see one or more of the following options:

Note: This applies only to versions of Norton AntiVirus that support
Security Risk detection. If you are running a version of Symantec AntiVirus
Corporate Edition that supports Security Risk detection, and Security Risk
detection has been enabled, you will only see a message box that gives the
results of the scan. If you have questions in this situation, contact your
network administrator.

Exclude (Not recommended): If you click this button, it will set the threat
so that it is no longer detectable. That is, the antivirus program will keep
the security risk on your computer and will no longer detect it to remove
from your computer.


Ignore or Skip: This option tells the scanner to ignore the threat for this
scan only. It will be detected again the next time that you run a scan.


Cancel: This option is new to Norton Antivirus 2005. It is used when Norton
Antivirus 2005 has determined that it cannot delete a security risk. This
Cancel option tells the scanner to ignore the threat for this scan only, and
thus, the threat will be detected again the next time that you run a scan.

To actually delete the security risk:
Click its file name (under the Filename column).
In the Item Information box that displays, write down the full path and file
name.
Then use Windows Explorer to locate and delete the file.

If Windows reports that it cannot delete the file, this indicates that the
file is in use. In this situation, complete the rest of the instructions on
this page, restart the computer in Safe mode, and then delete the file using
Windows Explorer.


Delete: This option will attempt to delete the detected files. In some
cases, the scanner will not be able to do this.
If you see a message, "Delete Failed" (or similar message), manually delete
the file.
Click the file name of the threat that is under the Filename column.
In the Item Information box that displays, write down the full path and file
name.
Then use Windows Explorer to locate and delete the file.

If Windows reports that it cannot delete the file, this indicates that the
file is in use. In this situation, complete the rest of the instructions on
this page, restart the computer in Safe mode, and then delete the file using
Windows Explorer.


4. To delete the keys from the registry


Important: Symantec strongly recommends that you back up the registry before
making any changes to it. Incorrect changes to the registry can result in
permanent data loss or corrupted files. Modify the specified keys only. Read
the document, "How to make a backup of the Windows registry," for
instructions.


Note: This is done to make sure that all the keys are removed. They may not
be there if regsvr32 removed them.

-------

I'm going to try this and see if it works.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You've been running without any anti-virus protection for 2+ years. There's
no way in h*** that NIS 2010 installed properly or is working properly!

Back up your personal data then format your HDD & do a clean install of
Windows NOW!

I never bought another antivirus ware until a couple days ago. I may have
found the problem. Last night Norton performed a routine check and found 1
adware of medium risk. This same adware was one of the problems found by
the
scan the previous night when I first installed the antivirus. It's called
"Adware.Aureate" and if removed may disable other programs.