IE frozen, as well locked out from files and control panel in XP P

[Guest]

Hi,

After installing Firefox and Mozilla as alternative servers on Pentium 4
running XP Professional I experience a problem to open Internet Explorer.
Worse, suddenly I can't open files on my desktop anymore nor can I go into
the system control f.e. to add or remove software, or into administration or
go to network, etc.

Tried to repair the frozen IE with system CD of XP Professional and
installed even IE with Mozilla again, nothing works. Yes, when I click on IE
evidently there comes an error message but it disapears so quickly that I
have no chance to read it in order to to get a solution from the knowledge
base literature by myself...

Grateful for any advice to solve lock out and frozen IE,

copine

 

[Don Varnau]

Hi,
Try starting up in Safe Mode (hit F8 about once per second immediately after
hitting the power switch) If you can access Control panel, go to Internet
Options and disable all add-ons to IE. This might be a malware problem, but
I would first disable any legitimate third-party programs that might be
interacting with Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer.

If the cause is malware and if you can download Ad-aware, Spybot and
HijackThis, these sites will help:
The Parasite Fight http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Malware Removal and Prevention Overview - CastleCopsWiki:
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Overview
Bugs, Glitches & Stuffups: http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.html
Removing Malware:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
827315- Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=827315
What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/spywarewhat.mspx

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

 

[Guest]

HI again,

Thanks a lot for the tons of references about malware removal programs I
highly appreciate it and I am convinced everybody else will. I defintiely
could fix some problems.

I was as well able to go into Safe Mode and access the control panel.
Problem is: my interface is German and French (- maybe this language mix is
causing the problem??- ) so I don't know what "add-ons" are called there and
how and where to remove them. As last consequence I tried to repair in safe
mode IE in "software" but that doesn't help neither.

Hence, with this malware pain it may be much more better to reformat C and
then to install XP Professional again..?

Grateful for any suggestions,

copine

Hi,
Try starting up in Safe Mode (hit F8 about once per second immediately after
hitting the power switch) If you can access Control panel, go to Internet
Options and disable all add-ons to IE. This might be a malware problem, but
I would first disable any legitimate third-party programs that might be
interacting with Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer.

If the cause is malware and if you can download Ad-aware, Spybot and
HijackThis, these sites will help:
The Parasite Fight http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Malware Removal and Prevention Overview - CastleCopsWiki:
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Overview
Bugs, Glitches & Stuffups: http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.html
Removing Malware:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
827315- Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=827315
What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/spywarewhat.mspx

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

Hi,

After installing Firefox and Mozilla as alternative servers on Pentium 4
running XP Professional I experience a problem to open Internet Explorer.
Worse, suddenly I can't open files on my desktop anymore nor can I go into
the system control f.e. to add or remove software, or into administration or
go to network, etc.

Tried to repair the frozen IE with system CD of XP Professional and
installed even IE with Mozilla again, nothing works. Yes, when I click on IE
evidently there comes an error message but it disapears so quickly that I
have no chance to read it in order to to get a solution from the knowledge
base literature by myself...

Grateful for any advice to solve lock out and frozen IE,

copine

 

[Don Varnau]

Hi,
Before a clean reinstall of XP, try to rule out another program as the
cause. Run MSCONFIG (Start> Run> MSCONFIG) go to the Startup tab and disable
non-essential programs. You can identify unfamiliar programs by searching
with Google or another search engine.

Shell Extensions (right-click items) can cause problems like you're having.
ShellExView will help you safely disable these items. The language of
ShellExView can be changed. See the bottom of the page.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html

Don
[MS MVP- IE]