Temporary Windows when Linking

[Guest]

Since I installed SP2 every time I click on a link on some web sites a new
window opens momentarily and then closes all open browser windows. This also
happens when I click on a link within an email message from the same web
sites, a browser window opens for an instant then closes, specifically eBates
or BizRate. This happens in IE6 and Opera.

 

[Malke]

Since I installed SP2 every time I click on a link on some web sites a
new window opens momentarily and then closes all open browser windows.
This also happens when I click on a link within an email message from
the same web sites, a browser window opens for an instant then closes,
specifically eBates or BizRate. This happens in IE6 and Opera.

You have malware on your system. This has nothing to do with SP2,
although you are very lucky that your system is working since
installing SP2 on an infested machine can cause a lot of problems.
Clean up your computer:

1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version (not earlier than 2003)
antivirus using updated definitions;
2) remove spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy
(www.safer-networking.org) and Ad-aware (www.lavasoftusa.com). These
programs are free, so use them both since they complement each other.
You may also want to run CWShredder and HijackThis from
http://aumha.org/freeware.htm. Although CWShredder is no longer being
updated, it will still clean older variants of the CoolWebSearch
malware. If you do not have success with this, there are new removal
steps at http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. A combination
of HijackThis and About:Buster (http://www.majorgeeks.com) works well
in removing homepage hijackers. Always read the instructions before
running a spyware removal tool. Be sure to update these programs before
running, and it is a good idea to do virus/spyware scans in Safe Mode.
Make sure you are able to see all hidden files and extensions (View tab
in Folder Options);
3) If you are running Windows ME or XP, you should disable/enable System
Restore because malware will be in the Restore Points. With ME, you
must disable System Restore completely. With XP, you can delete all but
the most recent (presumably clean) System Restore point from the More
Options section of Disk Cleanup (Run>cleanmgr.msc).

Since you have SP2, you should have Automatic Updates and the Windows
Firewall on. Do not turn off the Windows Firewall unless you are using
a third-party firewall.

Malke

 

[Guest]

I have Spybot, AdWare SE Plus and Norton AntiVirus, along with Sygate
Personal Firewall on my PC. Although I have not run the virus and malware
programs in Safe Mode I ran them in Windows before installing SP2. As
instructed, I turned off the firewall to install SP2. I will run the malware
and virus checks in Safe Mode. I'll let you know the result. Thanks