Mary said:
When I go onto Internet Explorer I cannot open up a site that up
untill now I have used regularly.I have tried going straight into it
by using the address bar and also using search engines such as google
and MSN but Ikeep getting "Page Cannot Be Displayed". I am using
broadband my service provider said the problem is with the web site,
but the company who own the site say there is no problem with it . Can
someone please help,I am new to all this so please keep the language
simple so that an idiot like me can understand.
Please do not call yourself an idiot. Just because you don't know this
area of Life doesn't make you an idiot.
The first thing you need to do is determine if your computer is 100%
spyware and virus-free, since malware can cause the symptoms you are
experiencing. Here are malware removal steps:
1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version (not earlier than 2003)
antivirus using updated definitions.
2) Remove spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-aware. These
programs are free, so use them both since they complement each other.
There is a new version of CWShredder from Intermute. I would not
install the other Intermute programs, however. Alternately, there are
CoolWebSearch malware removal steps at SilentRunners.
Be sure to update these programs before running, and it is a good idea
to do virus/spyware scans in Safe Mode. Make sure you are able to see
all hidden files and extensions (View tab in Folder Options).
If Spybot and Ad-aware don't fix the issue, you can progress to other
tools. HijackThis is an excellent tool to discover and disable
hijackers, but it requires expert skill. See below for HijackThis
links. A combination of HijackThis and About:Buster works well in
removing the About:Blank homepage hijacker. Again, this is an expert
tool and novices should get help with it.
3) If you are running Windows ME or XP, you should disable/enable System
Restore because malware will be in the Restore Points. With ME, you
must disable System Restore completely. With XP, you can delete all but
the most recent (presumably clean) System Restore point from the More
Options section of Disk Cleanup (Run>cleanmgr).
4) Make sure you've visited Windows Update and applied all security
patches. Do not install driver updates from Windows Update.
5) Run a firewall.
Links to help with malware:
Software/Methods:
http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware
http://www.majorgeeks.com - good download site
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners
HijackThis:
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Jim
Eshelman
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis
forum
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
General:
http://forum.aumha.org/ - look under "Security" for various forums
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
If all of this sounds like too much work, don't beat yourself up over
it. Call a local professional and have them take a look.
Malke
