hschmoec said:
My Internet Explorer will open seveal windows by itself and then try
to down a file from download3.payoutpal.com. The filename its trying
to download is access105.exe.
The blue pane at top of window says Connector Object Microsoft
Internet Explorer.
I've updated my virus definitions and scanned and no viruses are
present.
I've cleared cache and tempory files.
Any ideas?
Turn on that firewall...
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.asp
If you are getting "Messenger Service" popups - this will also remedy those.
(If you have AOL, you will have to get a third party firewall. IMHO -
another reason NOT to use AOL. Although, I suggest highly that if you want
to get better protection, you should get a third party Firewall anyway, it
still does nothing for my AOL dislike.)
Make sure you have all the updates (critical) installed from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(Scan for updates, Review and Install)
Get rid of the spy/ad/mal-ware..
(Yes - using MORE than one of these.. I recommend at least the first
three.)
Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/
Lavasoft AdAware
http://www.lavasoft.de
Hijack This!
(For browser Hijacks - also look into CWS Shredder)
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
And Assortment of Others:
http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html
After you cleanup your PC somewhat of spy/ad/mal-ware, verify your antivirus
software is updated and run a full scan of your computer. If you have no
antivirus software - get one NOW!
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about
80-120MB..
- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
something between 80MB and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
(the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes
or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
Explorer.
Uninstall any software you do not use often/ever. (If you have something
installed but never use it, uninstall it. If you go through Control
Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and see things you seldom if ever use, it is to
your advantage to remove it.)
Update all of your hardware drivers (find the manufacturers of your video
card, motherboard, sound card, modem, network card and so on - go to their
web pages, look for Windows XP drivers there and download/install the newest
ones.)
