I found this response to your question in the Windows XP Basics newsgroup. It's from Shenan Stanley, dated 5/11
You are INFECTED
Do all of this, step by step
Please Notice that if you use AOL, you should at least upgrade to 9.0 o
greater before doing any of the fixes. I know you can get AOL 9.0 at almos
any convenience store, gas station, super market or other retail outlet i
the world, so this should not be a problem. Also, if you are using AOL 9.0
you will not be able to perform the first step in this list. You shoul
look into another solution, such as ZoneAlarm, for a firewall
Turn on that firewall..
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.as
Make sure you have all the updates (critical) installed from
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
(Scan for updates, Review and Install
Get rid of the spy/ad/mal-ware.
(Yes - using MORE than one of these.
I recommend at least the first three. Also.
UPDATE the definitions for them before using.
Spybot Search and Destro
http://www.safer-networking.net
Lavasoft AdAwar
http://www.lavasoft.d
CWSShredde
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.htm
Hijack This
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt
I also like "The Cleaner" and "SpywareBlaster" and "SpywareGuard"
-
http://www.moosoft.com
-
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com
The first is a PAY product, but useable for 30 days - it has found an
eliminated problems in the past the others did not. The latter two ar
prevention mechanisms. SpywareBlaster is a FANTASTIC free product,
suggest getting this after you cleanup and keeping it updated as well
Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!
http://kephyr.sureshot.xaviermedia.net/spywarescanner
ToolbarCop (Free!
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/toolbarcop.ht
Browser Security Test
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity
And Assortment of Others
http://spywareinfo.com
ALSO - Be sure to IMMUNIZE after you clean up. SpywareBlaster and Spybo
Search and destroy both have these features - use both
After you cleanup your PC somewhat of spy/ad/mal-ware, verify your antiviru
software is updated and run a full scan of your computer. If you have n
antivirus software - get one NOW! Grisoft AntiVirus
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.ph
Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to abou
80 to 120MB (seems to be an optimal size for the normal user
- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section
do the following
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK
- Click on "Settings" and change th
"Amount of disk space to use:" to something between 80M
and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.
- Click OK
- Click on "Delete Files" and select t
"Delete all offline contents" (the checkbox) and clic
OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes o
more.
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explore
- Re-open Internet Explorer
Uninstall any software you do not use often/ever. (If you have somethin
installed but never use it, uninstall it.) If you go through Contro
Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and see things you seldom if ever use, it is t
your advantage to remove it
Also, if you are tired of Web Page Pop-Ups/Unders.. You could try th
Google Toolbar
http://toolbar.google.com
Stop loading applications at logon.. run MSCONFIG and look under the startu
tab for things you DON'T want to startup! Search the Internet with Googl
to discover what things are safe to remove and what things may even b
malware infecting your computer
Better control your email and lessen the amount of time you spend dealin
with SPAM
SpamBaye
http://spambayes.sourceforge.net
o
Spamihilator
http://www.spamihilator.co
--
<- Shenan -
--
----- Drew wrote: ----
Hello all
When i open IE my homepage is gone. It instead always defaults to the ABOUT:BLANK page and some search page comes up. How do i get rid of this? I have tried changing the Internet options numerious times, and also tried spybot, Ad-aware, CW shreader and related programs, they all run but don't seem to get this bug..... Any advice????
