get BLANK screens: 1) search + for files or folders, 2) system res

[Grateful for help]

hi, my first time on this venue... i would be so grateful for help.
same problem in many places:
get BLANK screen for many things.
e.g. hit start + search + for files or folders --- get BLANK screen with
dog and no words
e.g. hit start + programs + accessories + system tools + system restore
--- get BLANK screen with no words
e.g. in TaxCut software, want to pull up help topics --- get BLANK screen
e.g. in Internet Explorer... i open comcast home page and the advertisements
don't show up on right side, neither does my "assistant" in top right corner
(continually says it is loading)
PLEASE HELP. Thanks so much.

 

[Ron Badour]

Have you run scans with up to date anti virus and spyware (SpyBot for one)
programs? Are you able to pinpoint when this problem started to occur and
what changed on your computer immediately prior?

 

[Grateful for help]

RON, I AM GOING CRAZY!!! Thank you for your interest. I know exactly when
it happened. It was about a week ago and in the same day this happened:
i was trying to download McAfee security suite from comcast website with
internet explorer. i couldn't get the virus part of it to download
completely so i started messing around with the pop-up blockers... from there
everything got messed up. i thot i would add mozilla firefox browser and use
that to download. on the same day then i downloaded the explorer security
updates... there is a problem with the windows and explorer -- i think. the
mozilla firefox browser, when on my comcast home page, pulls up the ads and
my "assistant" whereas the explorer does not. still, i can't get words on
BLANK screens when i try to pull up things like search... I THINK I COULD
FIX ALL THIS BY DOING A SYSTEM RESTORE but that page is BLANK so i can't do a
system restore. I have my post replies going to my e-mail address and when i
saw your reply, internet explorer opened a BLANK page so i had to get mozilla
firefox going to even look at your reply... so sorry for the long note, but i
am wasted. ! thanks!

 

[nass]

hi, my first time on this venue... i would be so grateful for help.
same problem in many places:
get BLANK screen for many things.
e.g. hit start + search + for files or folders --- get BLANK screen with
dog and no words
e.g. hit start + programs + accessories + system tools + system restore
--- get BLANK screen with no words
e.g. in TaxCut software, want to pull up help topics --- get BLANK screen
e.g. in Internet Explorer... i open comcast home page and the advertisements
don't show up on right side, neither does my "assistant" in top right corner
(continually says it is loading)
PLEASE HELP. Thanks so much.

Unexplained computer behaviour may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

Go through these Cleaning steps:
1... First, try to clean up your caches, Internet files and delete cookies
by doing this:
Click Start >> Control Panel >> Double click Network and Internet
Connections >> Double click Internet Options.
On the IE properties windows you will see these Tabs:
General | Security | Privacy | Content | Connections | Programs |
Advanced
Under General Tab clear your History, Internet Files and Cookies.
Then click on Advanced tab and scroll down to under the Browsing Option:
[&] Browsing
[ ] Enable Third-Party browser extensions (Req Rest) uncheck this box.
Then click on Programs Tab and click Manage Add-Ons and Disable all non
Verified Add-Ons (You should Renable them later one-by-one and see the
culprit and update it or remove it.
How to manage Add-Ons:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883256
Scan for malware from here:
SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html


Run a scan from here on-line:
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
Download Avast Cleaner (offline scanner) from here:
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html

If the above came out clean, then try to Restore your System to an earlier
date then try to isolate which software is the causer of your problem!.
Does this behaviour produce itself in safe Mode?.
What Anti-virus you have now installed and protecting your machine?.
HTH.
nass

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

How to perform a manual System Restore:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

 

[Grateful for help]

Hi Nass, thank you for the info. I am going to try everything on Sunday when
I have ALOT of time. I think I will be successful because of your help and
my first person who replied. I appreciate your time and I'll post the
results.

hi, my first time on this venue... i would be so grateful for help.
same problem in many places:
get BLANK screen for many things.
e.g. hit start + search + for files or folders --- get BLANK screen with
dog and no words
e.g. hit start + programs + accessories + system tools + system restore
--- get BLANK screen with no words
e.g. in TaxCut software, want to pull up help topics --- get BLANK screen
e.g. in Internet Explorer... i open comcast home page and the advertisements
don't show up on right side, neither does my "assistant" in top right corner
(continually says it is loading)
PLEASE HELP. Thanks so much.

Unexplained computer behaviour may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

Go through these Cleaning steps:
1... First, try to clean up your caches, Internet files and delete cookies
by doing this:
Click Start >> Control Panel >> Double click Network and Internet
Connections >> Double click Internet Options.
On the IE properties windows you will see these Tabs:
General | Security | Privacy | Content | Connections | Programs |
Advanced
Under General Tab clear your History, Internet Files and Cookies.
Then click on Advanced tab and scroll down to under the Browsing Option:
[&] Browsing
[ ] Enable Third-Party browser extensions (Req Rest) uncheck this box.
Then click on Programs Tab and click Manage Add-Ons and Disable all non
Verified Add-Ons (You should Renable them later one-by-one and see the
culprit and update it or remove it.
How to manage Add-Ons:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883256
Scan for malware from here:
SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html


Run a scan from here on-line:
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
Download Avast Cleaner (offline scanner) from here:
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html

If the above came out clean, then try to Restore your System to an earlier
date then try to isolate which software is the causer of your problem!.
Does this behaviour produce itself in safe Mode?.
What Anti-virus you have now installed and protecting your machine?.
HTH.
nass