Windows ME IE freezing up

[Starlight]

My husband's computer, with Windows ME, freezes up after IE opens.
His homepage does not completely open before everything freezes.

We've done the Spybot, Ad-Aware, and AVG scan . He doesn't have
another search engine downloaded, so we can't access any sites to
download ewido, CC, or any other programs.

Any ideas? Thank you.
Becky

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Starlight

First, clear out temporary files and delete cookies.
http://www.pchell.com/support/privacy.shtml

How To Update Video Driver

If you don't know the location of your Video driver, or how to find it:
Location for XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314854
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/updatingdrivers.mspx
or......
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314854
Find the information on your video driver. Then go to the website for mfg.
of the video driver and look for the update to download and install. There
may also be a Update Driver button on the dialog box you can use to go
direct to the update download site.

also........

Try reducing hardware acceleration:
Right click on the Desktop on an open area,
Properties>Settings>Advanced>Troubleshoot
Move the slider back to the left a little and test to see if that helps.
Try it at increments until you get all the way to the left end to see if
that helps.

and.....

Has he installed any 3rd party programs lately? Google or Yahoo tooblar? If
so, disable them and see if that helps. If he has Yahoo Companion,
uninstall it, it is known to cause various problems. Does he have a Restore
point to a date prior to when he started having this problem that he can do
a System Restore?

Did he run the SpyBot and AdAware in Safe Mode with Hidden Files enabled?
Many types of mayware variants can hide in Windows files while they are in
use, and can't be detected, or removed. That is why you need to run these
programs in the Safe Mode, with the Hidden files enabled.

Have him go to Control Panel> Internet Options> Advanced> uncheck "Enable
third
party browser extensions."
If this allows IE to work, then you still have some form of scumware on your
system.

If he can't access or download from the Internet from his computer for the
necessary information and cleaning toolss, then use the one you are sending
this message from, or another available one, and download and copy the
information and programs to that PC and then a floppy, or burn to a CD, then
copy it to his computer:

Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm


Hope this helps.

Jan
MS MVP - IE [DTS/AumHa]
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

Replies are posted only to the newsgroup for the benefit or other readers.
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Starlight]

How To Update Video Driver

If you don't know the location of your Video driver, or how to find it:
Location for XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314854
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/updatingdrivers.mspx
or......
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314854
Find the information on your video driver. Then go to the website for mfg.
of the video driver and look for the update to download and install. There
may also be a Update Driver button on the dialog box you can use to go
direct to the update download site.

Thanks, Jan. He has Windows ME, so those links don't help, but
I'll keep looking.

Has he installed any 3rd party programs lately? Google or Yahoo tooblar? If
so, disable them and see if that helps. If he has Yahoo Companion,
uninstall it, it is known to cause various problems. Does he have a Restore
point to a date prior to when he started having this problem that he can do
a System Restore?

I'm thinking we have a major problem. When I click on Control Panel,
so I can add/subtract programs, the Control Panel freezes up.
When I click on Internet Properties, uncheck "Enable Third Party
Extentions", Internet Properties freezes up...stops resonding.

I'll try running SpyBot and AdAware in Safe Mode if I can figure out
how to do that. I'm pretty sure last time I looked, we did have
Hidden Files enabled.

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Starlight

I'm thinking we have a major problem. When I click on Control Panel,
so I can add/subtract programs, the Control Panel freezes up.
When I click on Internet Properties, uncheck "Enable Third Party
Extentions", Internet Properties freezes up...stops resonding.

I'd say you have some serious malware. In addition to the Dealing with
Unwanted Spyware and Parasites information I provided in my previous reply,
download and run this program as well:
CWShredder: Free
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html
or
http://www.trendmicro.com/cwshredder/

I'll try running SpyBot and AdAware in Safe Mode if I can figure out
how to do that. I'm pretty sure last time I looked, we did have
Hidden Files enabled.

How to Restart in Safe Mode
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406
and in case:
How to Show Hidden Files
http://snipurl.com/6rl8

Hope this helps.

Jan
MS MVP - IE [DTS/AumHa]
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

Replies are posted only to the newsgroup for the benefit or other readers.
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Starlight]

Did he run the SpyBot and AdAware in Safe Mode with Hidden Files enabled?
Many types of mayware variants can hide in Windows files while they are in
use, and can't be detected, or removed. That is why you need to run these
programs in the Safe Mode, with the Hidden files enabled.

I did this. Also got rid of Yahoo toolbar and Google toolbar.

Have him go to Control Panel> Internet Options> Advanced> uncheck "Enable
third
party browser extensions."
If this allows IE to work, then you still have some form of scumware on your
system.

IE worked fine after I unchecked Enable third party browser
extensions.

I've posted the Hijack This log to TomCoyote, followed up with the log
after the above changes. Haven't gotten a response yet. They must
be very overwhelmed, as they use to respond more quickly.

I use my computer 10 times more than my husband does his, access many
more varied sites than he does, but he gets much more spyware than I
do. I've changed his security settings, and am watching carefully to
see if that will make a difference.

Thanks for your help, Jan!
Becky