P
ProblemCompCA
Hi everyone.
I have suddenly acquired multiple problems on my Dell and it has been going
on for 2 days now.
I have Windows XP w/ Service Pack 3. I have CCleaner, Windows Defender and
AVG Free Anti-Virus (have had this for YEARS).
At first, I thought it was a problem with my AOL software. I kept getting
kicked off wherever I tried to type in a field (email, AOL keyword, browser
bar...etc). Their tech support had me download the newest version, didn't
help. Same thing happens on Yahoo Messenger, I tried to send or repy to an IM
and Yahoo immediately shut down and removed itself from the taskbar as if I
had right-clicked on it and chose "exit Yahoo Messenger".
Then I started getting pop-up ads from IE although I do not use IE nor have
it on computer. I use Firefox when I'm not signed on AOL. These ads are
either for some anti-virus software or from something called fallensword.com.
I got one from another site today but it went away too quickly.
Also, on Yahoo or Google, when trying to view search results, I get taken to
some stupid website for travel or freestuff.com even though the link may have
been to Wikipedia pertaining to my search, etc.
I decided to go to the Security Center today and see if my firewall was
disabled, and to my surprise IT'S MISSING from the Control Panel. I mean it
is just GONE.
I have been scanning my computer constantly with AVG and it has found about
5 infections and says they have been successfully cleared. Today, it hasn't
found anymore and Windows Defender has not found any new Spyware either. I
have run CCleaner and fixed MULTIPLE registry file problems and cleared out
other things.
With the Security Center gone, I'm really worried. What has happened? I read
somewhere when pop-ups start to bombard your computer without control it's a
sign your computer is dying. How much is thing going to cost to fix? ANY help
would be great.
* Also, I am currently on a different computer and it is saying Windows
Updates has been disabled via a red shield icon alert in the taskbar. I go to
the Control Panel, then Security Center and it says the updates are indeed
turned off. I try to turn them back on and it says they cannot be turned on
and to try to do so by going to Control Panel > System Information >
Automatic Updates. The option to have updates turned on and downloaded every
day at 11pm is checked yet the Security Center isn't recognizing it. This
computer has Windows XP Professional SP3
I have suddenly acquired multiple problems on my Dell and it has been going
on for 2 days now.
I have Windows XP w/ Service Pack 3. I have CCleaner, Windows Defender and
AVG Free Anti-Virus (have had this for YEARS).
At first, I thought it was a problem with my AOL software. I kept getting
kicked off wherever I tried to type in a field (email, AOL keyword, browser
bar...etc). Their tech support had me download the newest version, didn't
help. Same thing happens on Yahoo Messenger, I tried to send or repy to an IM
and Yahoo immediately shut down and removed itself from the taskbar as if I
had right-clicked on it and chose "exit Yahoo Messenger".
Then I started getting pop-up ads from IE although I do not use IE nor have
it on computer. I use Firefox when I'm not signed on AOL. These ads are
either for some anti-virus software or from something called fallensword.com.
I got one from another site today but it went away too quickly.
Also, on Yahoo or Google, when trying to view search results, I get taken to
some stupid website for travel or freestuff.com even though the link may have
been to Wikipedia pertaining to my search, etc.
I decided to go to the Security Center today and see if my firewall was
disabled, and to my surprise IT'S MISSING from the Control Panel. I mean it
is just GONE.
I have been scanning my computer constantly with AVG and it has found about
5 infections and says they have been successfully cleared. Today, it hasn't
found anymore and Windows Defender has not found any new Spyware either. I
have run CCleaner and fixed MULTIPLE registry file problems and cleared out
other things.
With the Security Center gone, I'm really worried. What has happened? I read
somewhere when pop-ups start to bombard your computer without control it's a
sign your computer is dying. How much is thing going to cost to fix? ANY help
would be great.
* Also, I am currently on a different computer and it is saying Windows
Updates has been disabled via a red shield icon alert in the taskbar. I go to
the Control Panel, then Security Center and it says the updates are indeed
turned off. I try to turn them back on and it says they cannot be turned on
and to try to do so by going to Control Panel > System Information >
Automatic Updates. The option to have updates turned on and downloaded every
day at 11pm is checked yet the Security Center isn't recognizing it. This
computer has Windows XP Professional SP3