No longer loading!

[JT]

My explorer is no longer loading! When I click on the
icon, it gives me the usual 1 second hourglass, and then
nothing. Then 2-4 minutes later, it opens. However, when
it opens it doesn't open my home site, it just gives me an
error page about network settings. I am on a network, but
I am 98% sure there is nothing wrong with the network. It
has never done this before when there is a problem with
the network. AND, I used it just last night, and just
went about my usual routine, and everything was fine.
This morning, it didn't load, and still wont! The only
thing I can think of is A) a virus, but I scanned to find
nothing. Although how can I update my virus scanner if I
can't get on the interenet?! or B) a program I downloaded
to detect "spybots" has taken away a file I needed. But I
doubt that... Any thoughts?

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

My explorer is no longer loading! When I click on the
icon, it gives me the usual 1 second hourglass, and then
nothing. Then 2-4 minutes later, it opens. However, when
it opens it doesn't open my home site, it just gives me an
error page about network settings. I am on a network, but
I am 98% sure there is nothing wrong with the network. It
has never done this before when there is a problem with
the network. AND, I used it just last night, and just
went about my usual routine, and everything was fine.
This morning, it didn't load, and still wont! The only
thing I can think of is A) a virus, but I scanned to find
nothing. Although how can I update my virus scanner if I
can't get on the interenet?! or B) a program I downloaded
to detect "spybots" has taken away a file I needed. But I
doubt that... Any thoughts?

First eliminate any scumware.
See
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm