Linking Problem

[Al]

I am using Windows ME and SBC DSL service. I recently updated the SBC Yahoo
Anti Spy software. Now when I click on a link in an IE page, the machine
just hangs up and I can't do anything. I also have a problem when I type an
address in the address bar and click Go. It doesn't work and the machine
hangs up. I have to use Ctrl/Alt/Del and close IE. Also, I can't click on
a link in an e-mail message in Hotmail or SBC Yahoo mail and go out to the
link. Again, the machine just hangs up. I have turned off the SBC Yahoo
Pop Up Blocker and held the Ctrl key down, but I still have the problem.
Everything worked correctly before I did the SBC Yahoo Anti Spy update. I
called SBC about my problem and they were of no help.

Any help you can give me to solve this problem would be appreciated.

Al

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

I am using Windows ME and SBC DSL service. I recently updated the
SBC Yahoo Anti Spy software. Now when I click on a link in an IE
page, the machine just hangs up and I can't do anything. I also have
a problem when I type an address in the address bar and click Go. It
doesn't work and the machine hangs up. I have to use Ctrl/Alt/Del
and close IE. Also, I can't click on a link in an e-mail message in
Hotmail or SBC Yahoo mail and go out to the link. Again, the machine
just hangs up. I have turned off the SBC Yahoo Pop Up Blocker and
held the Ctrl key down, but I still have the problem. Everything
worked correctly before I did the SBC Yahoo Anti Spy update. I
called SBC about my problem and they were of no help.

Any help you can give me to solve this problem would be appreciated.

Al

First eliminate any spyware.
What You Should Know About Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/devioussoftware.mspx

CAUTION!!!!! Removing some spyware can damage the Winsock stack. Before
you try to remove spyware, download a copy of LSP-Fix - a free program to
repair damaged Winsock 2 stacks (all Windows versions)
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
Winsockfix for W95, W98, ME, NT, 2000, XP
http://www.tacktech.com/pub/winsockfix/WinsockFix.zip
Directions here: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=257
WinXP:
Get WinSockxpFix
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
How to Reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357
In WinXP SP2: You can fix Winsock by going to Start | Run and typing
CMD
In the command window type
netsh winsock reset

See
Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/tshoot.htm
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/

 

[Al]

Frank,

Thank you so much for your help. I don't think that I have any spyware
because I ran AdAware, Norton AntiVirus 2004 and Spybot and didn't find any
problem. When I select an OE e-mail message and click on a link in it, I
can get there. But, if I try to read a message in Hotmail and click on a
link, the computer hangs up and I have to do a CTRL/ALT/DELETE. I get a
message that says "Hotmail message - IE not responding." I have to end the
task. When I run Mozilla Firefox, it works o.k. because I can click on a
link in a Hotmail message and get to the website.

I realize that I have had a difficult time describing my problem, but I
appreciate any help that you can give me. Thanks so much.

Al

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE]

Did you run HijackThis and post the log to one of the recommended sites?

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/

 

[Al]

No, I didn't run Hijack This, but I will run it and post back tomorrow.
Thanks so much for your help.

*******************************************************************

 

[Al]

I ran Hijackthis and went out to aumha.org, but they have a quick fix
protocol that requires several steps to be completed before they will read
the hijackthis log. I wonder if it would be better for me to just delete
Internet Explorer and reinstall it? If I did this, do you think that it
would just create more problems for me? Also, since Mozella Firefox seems
to be working o.k., how do I make it the browser I go to temporarily when I
click to get on the Internet until I can get Internet Explorer fixed?

Thanks once again for your help.

Al

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE]

I ran Hijackthis and went out to aumha.org, but they have a quick fix
protocol that requires several steps to be completed before they will
read the hijackthis log. I wonder if it would be better for me to
just delete Internet Explorer and reinstall it? If I did this, do
you think that it would just create more problems for me? Also,
since Mozella Firefox seems to be working o.k., how do I make it the
browser I go to temporarily when I click to get on the Internet until
I can get Internet Explorer fixed?

Thanks once again for your help.

Al

If it's spyware or hijackware, deleting and reinstalling IE will not fix it.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/

 

[PA Bear]

You shouldn't even be messing with HijackThis until you've completed the
preliminary cleaning with CWShredder, Ad-aware SE and your anti-virus
application, Al. Doing so will save you and the volunteers at Aumha Forums
a great deal of time.

Hijackware infects the Operating System (Windows) so reinstalling IE won't
help one bit if your problems caused by hijackware/Trojanware.

 

[PA Bear]

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/archive/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/

When all else fails, HijackThis v1.99.1
(http://aumha.net/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware. **Post
your log to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html or http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30
for expert analysis, not here.**