IE startup problem

[Richard Goh]

When IE opens, it is unable to find the home page.
The dialer start and works, and the connection is made (typically around
49000K)
Then it attempts to find the home page (www.msn.com) then it displays a
"page can not be found" and in the address bar it shows http://www.msn.com
Now if you click on the "go" button, the web page pops right up. From then
on it works just fine.
When it stops with the "page can not be found -click refresh, etc. I type
in www.google.com and it again goes to a generic search page and states it
can not find www.google.com.
But if I do the "GO" button right after the home page, then I can type in
www.google.com in the address bar and it works.

I have run an updated Ad-aware SE on it, found only some tracking cookies
and
I have run an updated Spybot and found only some minor tracking issues.
I have run an updated Norton Anti Virus on it and it came up clean.
This all started about 2 weeks ago.

Operating system is Windows XP SP1 on a new Sony computer.

Anyone with an idea why it can't load the home page on boot?

Also, even though the right boxes are checked, it does not offer to
disconnect when I finish with web pages/e-mail.

 

[PA Bear]

Dealing with Trojans & Hijackware

A. Trojans

1. Check in at Windows Update and install all critical updates & reboot.

2. Download and run Stinger (http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/); then...

3. Update your virus definitions, enable Show Hidden Files
(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2002092715262339)
and then run a full system scan in Safe Mode
(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406)
with nothing else running in background. Note the files identified and
removed then find the corresponding page for the file at your AV maker's
online support pages (e.g.,
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.winfavorites.html)
and follow *all* Removal steps, including editing the Registry if directed.

WinXP Only (WinME similar): If this scan finds anything, create a new
Restore Point then:

Disk Cleanup > More options > Delete all but the most recent Restore
Point.

B. Hijackware

Help with Hijackware (MS MVP sites all)
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/Darnit.htm
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm

CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

Run these tools in the following order with nothing else running in
background:

1. CWShredder v1.59.1 (no updates available currently; fix all found)

2. Ad-Aware SE (reconfigure per Post #2 in
http://aumha.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5877; fix all found)

3. Spybot (RTFM but generally fix everything in red)

Important: You must seek updates for Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc., before each and
every use, even "right out of the box". But even they can't catch
everything, 24/7. When all else fails, HijackThis
(http://forum.aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to
use. It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware.
**Post your files to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**

[Alternate download pages for many of the above tools may be found at
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.]

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957