Do I have a virus

[Casey]

I'm running IE 6 which, up until now, I love. I have the start page set to
blank yet today when I opened IE 6 it came up on some Microsoft Download
page. I immediately thought some hijack program had altered my start page
but when I checked it still showed the start page as being the "blank" page.
Before I change browsers I would like to know if anyone else has noticed
this unusual behavior and, if so, how they were able to stop it. Thanks for
any info.

Casey McCullough

 

[Charlie Tame]

I'm running IE 6 which, up until now, I love. I have the start page set to
blank yet today when I opened IE 6 it came up on some Microsoft Download
page. I immediately thought some hijack program had altered my start page
but when I checked it still showed the start page as being the "blank"

page.

What Operating system do you have and are you sure this isn't the optional
automatic update tool doing it's job? Have you ever visited windows update?
Was it that?

Before I change browsers I would like to know if anyone else has noticed
this unusual behavior and, if so, how they were able to stop it. Thanks for
any info.

Casey McCullough

I don't know what changing browsers would achieve if you have been hijacked
(unlikely to take you to an MS page though) or have acquired some spyware or
adware. Similarly it won't sure a virus.

I suggest that if you have no Antivirus Software you try www.grisoft.com and
get their free AVG system and allow it to get it's own updates every two or
three days. To help avoid hijacking and ad / spyware see this page.
http://www.tames.net/security/activexsettings.htm

This is not likely anything to do with IE6.

Using IE Security Zones
http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource6.htm

Charlie

 

[Casey]

Thanks for your reply. I should have been more specific I know now.
Anyway, I am running both Adaware and spybot S&D and neither has detected
anything unusual. The page that came up appeared to actually be a download
page from Microsoft's own website. Of course I've closed an reopened my
browser about 30 times trying to duplicate what happened and so far it has
always come up on the normal blank page like it should. If this happens
again I will save the page and put the URL on this newsgroup and maybe
someone can tell me what is happening. I really hate when unexpected things
like that start happening.
Casey

I'm running IE 6 which, up until now, I love. I have the start page set to
blank yet today when I opened IE 6 it came up on some Microsoft Download
page. I immediately thought some hijack program had altered my start page
but when I checked it still showed the start page as being the "blank" page.
Before I change browsers I would like to know if anyone else has noticed
this unusual behavior and, if so, how they were able to stop it. Thanks for
any info.

Casey McCullough

If you want to know if you have a virus the best answer would come from
running a good anti-virus progam with current definitions. If you fear some
other sort of malware, running Spybot Search & Destroy and/or Lavasoft
AdAware is always a good idea. As for your symptom, can you define what you
mean by "some Microsoft Download page"? The page itself is probably the best
piece of evidence available.
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]

Return address will not work. Please
reply in group or through my website:
http://johnmcgaw.com

 

[Casey]

Thanks for your reply. I am running Norton AV and it hasn't detected
anything strange lately. My last full scan was on 5/24/03 so I'm going to
do another full scan tonight and see what turns up. This has never happened
before to me.
Casey

 

[H Leboeuf]

Can this be the issue?

Description of the Windows Critical Update Notification Utility
This article describes the Microsoft Windows Critical Update Notification
utility that is included with Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and
Windows 2000.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=224420 (Oct. 25, 2002)

Thanks for your reply. I should have been more specific I know now.
Anyway, I am running both Adaware and spybot S&D and neither has detected
anything unusual. The page that came up appeared to actually be a download
page from Microsoft's own website. Of course I've closed an reopened my
browser about 30 times trying to duplicate what happened and so far it has
always come up on the normal blank page like it should. If this happens
again I will save the page and put the URL on this newsgroup and maybe
someone can tell me what is happening. I really hate when unexpected things
like that start happening.
Casey

I'm running IE 6 which, up until now, I love. I have the start page

set
to

blank yet today when I opened IE 6 it came up on some Microsoft Download
page. I immediately thought some hijack program had altered my start page
but when I checked it still showed the start page as being the "blank" page.
Before I change browsers I would like to know if anyone else has noticed
this unusual behavior and, if so, how they were able to stop it.

Thanks
for

any info.

Casey McCullough

If you want to know if you have a virus the best answer would come from
running a good anti-virus progam with current definitions. If you fear some
other sort of malware, running Spybot Search & Destroy and/or Lavasoft
AdAware is always a good idea. As for your symptom, can you define what you
mean by "some Microsoft Download page"? The page itself is probably the best
piece of evidence available.
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]

Return address will not work. Please
reply in group or through my website:
http://johnmcgaw.com