Possible virus

[Ray]

WindowsXP Pro Sp3 IE8 OE6

When I access my ISP I get the home page with six tabs with the ISP address. When I try to
close any one of them the home page closes. I have done a virus check with AVG and
Malware. Neither of them show any virus but I'm sure that must be the problem. Before I
try, is it possible that a restore would remove the problem?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

WindowsXP Pro Sp3 IE8 OE6

When I access my ISP I get the home page with six tabs with the ISP address. When I try to
close any one of them the home page closes. I have done a virus check with AVG and
Malware.

"Malware" is short for "malicious software." A virus is a kind of
malware. I'm sure you don't mean you did a "virus check with Malware,"
but please tell us exactly what you did.

Also note that AVG is not one of the better anti-virus programs these
days.

Neither of them show any virus but I'm sure that must be the problem.

Likely.


Before I
try, is it possible that a restore would remove the problem?

*Highly* unlikely.

 

[Daave]

AVG is a program we are all familiar with, but "Malware" tells us
nothing. I will assume you ran an anti-malware (perhaps anti-spyware)
program, but what is its name? Do you perhaps mean MalwareBytes'
Anti-Malware? If so, referring to it as MBAM is sufficient. If not,
please do what Ken asked: "please tell us exactly what you did."

Also, you say "when I try to delete it." What is this "it" you are
referring to? The box? If so, you must mean "close", correct? FWIW,
those characters are funny looking...

Are you able to change your home page? I'm curious to know if you open
up six completely different tabs of Web pages and ou close one of them,
if the same thing happens (weird box appearing).

Scanning for malware can be labor-intensive, but it is still necesary.
This page has lots of helpful information:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

You will note that MBAM is recommended (among many other things).

 

[Anteaus]

I think the question here is whether this happens with all websites or only
your ISP's. If the latter then the browser is not likely to be at fault, more
likely a stored cookie is causing it,or a fault in the webpage's javascript.

Avira and Eset are arguably better than AVG, but AVG is at least a competent
product whereas some others are not. That said, the major threat these days
is from non self-replicating malware, which not all antivirus software
detects. Malwarebytes' offerings are IMHO the best at detecting that kind of
problem.

 

[Ray]

I downloaded Spyware Doctor from the link but it doesn't run. The web page opens but
nothing happens.