How to clear the Address bar COMPLETELY?

[Tosca]

Hi Everyone

I have XP Pro SP1 and IE6. I have been able to clear the IE6 Address bar
drop down list of the web sites that I have visited but there are still
entries that I cannot clear. I normally use the drop down list when
visiting sites, for instance, if I start typing Google, the list give me
what I am looking for after typing just the <G> but there remain in the drop
down list several files on my laptop that also begin with <G>. How do I
clear them?

I've turned off Autocomplete (that stops the problem but it is merely
inactivated as the rogue entries return when I turn Autocomplete on once
again) and I've cleared the Temporary Internet Files, Cookies and History
from Tools>Internet Options. I've even searched the registry to see if the
files are listed there anywhere but to no avail. I guess that these files
must be listed somewhere in a file that's not being cleared or there is
another setting that I haven't examined. It's almost as if the IE Address
bar drop down list is retaining some other MRU entries or Search entries but
how can that be?

Does anyone have any idea what I should do next? Needless to say, I've
closed down IE (and even turned the laptop off) after turning off all of the
IE6 options and clearing the Temp Files/Cookies etc. before turning
Autocomplete on once again but that didn't work either!

 

[Joe Black]

Hi,

Go to Tools, Internet Options, Content, Autocomplete and click on Clear
Forms and Clear Passwords.

This will clear out the address bar completely.

However if you wanna do this selectively then you will have do that from the
registry.

 

[Tosca]

Hi Joe

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm afraid that didn't work - I tried it
already! Where do I go in the registry? I've searched the registry for the
"rogue" files but can't find any of them.

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Tosca

Try the following steps and see if they help:

You might need to delete the damaged History folder- a new one will be
created on restart.
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm

Free History Eraser from
http://smartprotector.com/eraser/free-history-eraser.htm will delete the
History folder in Windows 9x,2K, XP.

or.......

Courtesy of LuckyStrike -

Sometimes things don't work as they should. Re-create a new History Folder;
perhaps it's become corrupt.
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/answers_8.htm#deltree
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm (XP systems)
Or try installing TweakUI.
http://www.aumha.org/freeware/freeware.php#tweakui

or......

157729 - How to Clear the History Entries in Internet Explorer:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q157729

Or, either of these freeware programs will help you safely and easily remove
selected entries.
IE Address Bar Editor: http://www.freesoft.fsnet.co.uk/ieedit01.htm
EditURLs: http://www.aandrc.com/editurls/index.htm

also....

For XP follow the instructions at Mike Burgess' site as the process and
paths differ from W98:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm
To delete the History folder and index.dat (XP)

Log on as Administrator and delete the desired <username> folder and reboot.
(or log on as another user that has Administrator privileges)
Example: "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\HISTORY"

and.......

You may also have to go to Safe Mode to delete files/folders.

A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP
This article discusses the several Safe Boot options that Windows supports.
These options load a minimal set of drivers. You can use these options to
start Windows so that you can modify the registry or load or remove drivers.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315222 (XP 11/5/2003)


If these steps do not resolve your problem, or you need help with the above,
please post back to this thread with the details and any error messages.

Hope this helps

Jan
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

Replies are posted only to the newsgroup for the benefit or other readers.
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Tosca]

Hi Jan

I tried all of these tricks but the entries are still there! I logged on as
Administrator and deleted C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local
Settings\TIF (folder), History (folder) and C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Cookies.

Any other ideas? I'd prefer not to download additional software (although I
have TweakUI) as I'd like to make any necesary modifications myself so I
learn how things work.

 

[Tosca]

The IE Address Bar is picking up files/folders from the Desktop - even the
Recycle Bin!!!!! Whatever is causing this and, more importantly, how can I
stop it?

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Tosca

The IE Address Bar is picking up files/folders from the Desktop - even the
Recycle Bin!!!!! Whatever is causing this and, more importantly, how can I
stop it?

Hmmm....sounds as if you have a hijacker, malware, spyware or other scumware
on your system causing this problem. Thus, in addition to running your
updated anti-virus program, you should do the following to be sure none of
these are present on your system. Although you may have already run one or
more of the programs, please do so again according to the instructions
below. Be aware that, some very aggressive and damaging variants of malware
can replicate themselves repeatedly, or mutate, if not removed properly.
Please follow all instructions carefully to be sure your system is
thoroughly cleaned:

Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Be sure to run CWShredder (newest version 2.1 here),
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3019.html
AdAware and Spybot.
Download the newest version of HiJackThis here:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/files/hijackthis.php
(or Spybot - Search and Destroy DSO Exploit Fix 1.3.1 TX)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4392.html
Also be sure to use the HijackThis. Please DO NO post your log to this
newsgroup, but to one of the HiJackThis Support Forums below:
http://www.hijackthis.de/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10&guestlanguageid=4
the Aumha HiJackThis forums
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30
or Spyware Beware:
http://forums.maddoktor2.com/index.php?showforum=17
to allow the experts there to evaluate your log and advise you of the
necessary steps to clean your system.

Also this program searches for hidden .dlls that recreate the malware.
About Buster:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4289.html

CAUTION!!!!! Before you try to remove spyware using any of the programs
below, download a copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
(if your OS is Win2k or XP) The process of removing certain malware may kill
your internet connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will
enable you to regain your connection.

Also, get a copy of WINSOCKXPFIX available at:
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
and
WinsockXP Fix- WinXP
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
Also, with instructions, at
http://www.iup.edu/house/resnet/winfix.shtm
also
From LavaSoft- all versions of Windows-
http://digital-solutions.co.uk/lavasoft/whndnfix.zip
also ....
(NOTE: It is reported that in XP SP2, the command netsh winsock reset
will fix this problem without the need for these programs.)

or ........

Winsock Fix Utility
http://www.dfwonline.net/files/WinsockFix.zip

Also.........

Courtesy of Jim Byrd -

Download Sysclean.com, from Trend Micro, here:
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/dcs.asp along with the latest pattern
file, here:
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp
Be sure to read the "How-to" info here:
http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/tsc/readme.txt
You might also want to get Art's updater, SYS-UP.Zip, here for future
updating of these: http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg/.
(If you download and use the updater from the beginning, it will
automatically handle downloading the other files. Place them in a dedicated
folder after appropriate unzipping, and then run. This scan may take a long
time, as Sysclean is VERY extensive and thorough

and......

NOTE: If you can not download these programs from the Internet, if your PC
has CD read capabilities, go to another computer with CD-ROM burning
capabilities. Create a folder on the hard drive of the other computer called
HOLD, download the programs to that folder, then burn that folder to a CD.
Copy the HOLD folder to your HD and then install the programs from there
and run them. After you have IE access again, update all programs where
possible to get the latest definitions and run them again in Safe Mode to be
sure there are no lingering items on the system.

If these steps do not resolve your problem, or you need help with the above,
please post back to this thread with the details and any error messages.

Hope this helps

Jan
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

Replies are posted only to the newsgroup for the benefit or other readers.
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Tosca]

Wow - that's a lot to do!!!

I'd thought of malware and run AdAware/Spybot/HiJackThis regularly but you
have a lot more suggestions. It'll take a little while to get everything
done but I'll do as you've suggested. I'll post back with the results -
hopefully that things have been resolved!

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

The IE Address Bar is picking up files/folders from the Desktop - even the
Recycle Bin!!!!! Whatever is causing this and, more importantly, how can I
stop it?

Turn off the AutoComplete for Web Addresses feature
or stop worrying about it. (Options, Contents tab, AutoComplete...)
<G>


BTW after you deleted the History folder (more importantly
History.IE5\index.dat) and you restarted IE, History would
have been rebuilt. So far it has been thought that provided
you don't try to use the Clear History command again,
the URL entries corresponding to Forms and Password data
won't be regenerated there but perhaps your case is a counterexample
of that idea.

To test whether the entry is coming from History you need to use
a command window (e.g. Run... cmd) Then enter:

cd /d %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History\History.IE5
find /i "Visited:" index.dat


Realize that this has to be done after the History folder is regenerated.
If your Home Page is something other than About:Blank you could
minimize the effects on History from a first visit by just opening
About:Blank itself or (perhaps) by using the -nohome switch:

iexplore -nohome

(Note that you either have to Run... that command or execute it
from the directory the program resides in because that directory
(normally) isn't in the command window's Path environmental
variable.)


If there is anything there in the History.IE5\index.dat after clearing
via deleting the directory and before any other visit it would prove
our assumptions about that initialization are incorrect.

Please report your findings after using the above procedures.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
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