Bizarre looping issue

[Guest]

I am helping someone with an IE6 SP1 issue using Win ME and using DIAL UP
internet services. I ran into something I've not seen and am looking for
suggestions.

Using dial-up, I can log on to the internet and use MSN Messenger freely and
easily. The home page comes up - MSN.com - no problem. However, navigating
to other websites or links on the page produces a variety of odd looping
issues that are not consistently the same, but with the same general problem:
The webpage will be found, a load will commence, and then one of two things
usually occurs: the page will stick in this find/load loop and never display
anything, or it will stick in the loop AND load the page at some sites, but
require a manual X (stop) to end the continual reloading of the page. After
some investigating and tweaking, I also have a couple pages that act normally
- provided you don't navigate off of them. Oddly enough, they are MSN.com,
the Symantec Home page, and the home page for STOPSIGN, a worthless virus
scanner/spydropper program.

I'm speculating that the drive had a virus that has damaged IE6 at one
point. I'm seeking second opinions and an action plan for resolution. Here
is what I have done / know so far:

1. There could easily have been one or more viruses at one point, but the
hard drive is currently clean of viruses.
2. All Malware/Spyware has been removed using SPYBOT v1.4
3. All TEMP files and cookies have been dumped.
4. IE6 settings have all been clicked to DEFAULT status.
5. No matter which webpage is visited, the browser shows a 'restricted'
symbol in the bottom right corner of the page - and sometimes says
"Restrictred" or "Internet" next to the symbol - but no pages were listed as
restricted until I added several using the "Immunize" function of SPYBOT.
6. IE6 and the Browser Addons were REINSTALLED despite the system stating
the most current versions were already installed.
7. An attempt to have the drive scanned by the free Symantec AV service
will result in the response "You must have IE v 5.5 or above to use the scan"
- yet this is supposed to be v6.0 SP1 (according to the ABOUT section)
8. These steps resulted in regaining some control over internet navigation
and the ability to download updated files for the removal utilities, but not
all.

It seems odd that a couple pages are perfectly stable in their load and
operation, where others start a frenzy of reloading activity. Is anyone
familiar with a virus that causes this type of activity? I am debating
trying to un-install IE6 and re-install it from scratch. Suggestions?

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

I am helping someone with an IE6 SP1 issue using Win ME and using DIAL UP
internet services. I ran into something I've not seen and am looking for
suggestions.

Using dial-up, I can log on to the internet and use MSN Messenger freely and
easily. The home page comes up - MSN.com - no problem. However, navigating
to other websites or links on the page produces a variety of odd looping
issues that are not consistently the same, but with the same general problem:
The webpage will be found, a load will commence, and then one of two things
usually occurs: the page will stick in this find/load loop and never display
anything, or it will stick in the loop AND load the page at some sites, but
require a manual X (stop) to end the continual reloading of the page. After
some investigating and tweaking, I also have a couple pages that act normally
- provided you don't navigate off of them. Oddly enough, they are MSN.com,
the Symantec Home page, and the home page for STOPSIGN, a worthless virus
scanner/spydropper program.

I'm speculating that the drive had a virus that has damaged IE6 at one
point. I'm seeking second opinions and an action plan for resolution. Here
is what I have done / know so far:

1. There could easily have been one or more viruses at one point, but the
hard drive is currently clean of viruses.
2. All Malware/Spyware has been removed using SPYBOT v1.4
3. All TEMP files and cookies have been dumped.
4. IE6 settings have all been clicked to DEFAULT status.

5. No matter which webpage is visited, the browser shows a 'restricted'
symbol in the bottom right corner of the page - and sometimes says
"Restrictred" or "Internet" next to the symbol - but no pages were listed as
restricted until I added several using the "Immunize" function of SPYBOT.

The icon means that your Cookie control is too high.
It would also explain why you were unable to logon to some sites.
If the site didn't have a specific message about Cookies
you might be correct interpreting the ones you see as
error messages prompted because the site was not *receiving*
a Cookie with the browser's next request.

6. IE6 and the Browser Addons were REINSTALLED despite the system stating
the most current versions were already installed.

Make sure that your third-party programs aren't causing your symptoms.
With your OS you don't have as much control but you can toggle the

Enable third-party browser extensions (requires restart)

to disable *all* such programs (ref. KB298931)

and to disable them selectively you may still be able to find BHODemon
(from DefinitiveSolutions)

7. An attempt to have the drive scanned by the free Symantec AV service
will result in the response "You must have IE v 5.5 or above to use the scan"
- yet this is supposed to be v6.0 SP1 (according to the ABOUT section)

If the Cookie idea doesn't fix this symptom
check the User-Agent string. E.g. open:

http://www.fiddlertool.com/useragent.aspx

and do a Ctrl-f find for User-Agent: (with the colon.)
Also scroll down from there and check the the browser settings
being detected are as expected.

8. These steps resulted in regaining some control over internet navigation
and the ability to download updated files for the removal utilities, but not
all.

It seems odd that a couple pages are perfectly stable in their load and
operation, where others start a frenzy of reloading activity. Is anyone
familiar with a virus that causes this type of activity? I am debating
trying to un-install IE6 and re-install it from scratch. Suggestions?

Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
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