Need some PC help please

[JohnM]

I have a Sony Vaio 430g running Windows XP Home. I have a problem that is interfering with several programs and I can't find an answer. I am currently using Verizon DSL but the problem was present before I switched to DSL from Dial-up. I also have the Windows update but the problem was present long before I installed that.

Internet Explorer will not work. I get "page not found" error. Netscape Navigator works fine. I also am having problems running Norton updates. I get the new virus definitions just fine but no actual s/w updates - I get an error. I cannot download any video - I get a "problem with network" error using various different media software. Any program that uses IE in the background will not work (RealPlayer, etc.) My automatic Windows updates download but I cannot run the Windows update manually - I think it requires IE.

I have performed every IE "fix" I can find on the MS site and other sites. I have uninstalled and reinstalled, uninstalled in the registry, ordered a CD version, etc.

I have run every diagnostic I can find and everything checks out fine.

Help - this is frustrating!

[Redster]

you could have spware running,, that would prevent windows updates and anti virus updates from loading,, can you give us a list of processes that are running on the pc.

[BobMurdoch]

Run AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy to search for malware that has hijacked your browser. Most of these programs cause problems with IE and can even disable it (as dozens of sites try to steer you to their sites). Try running McAfee's "FreeScan" utility to make sure you don't have a virus active. This is free.

http://www.pcpitstop.com/freescan/default.asp

Also, check your add/remove programs for any programs you don't recognize and uninstall them (especially search engines, etc.). After that empty your Windows/temp file and empty your Temporary Internet Files folder INCLUDING any cookies. Wait a few minutes.... if an .exe file pops up in the Windows/Temp file again, it is probably a piece of malware (it detects your attempt to try and kill it and keeps replicating itself faster than you can delete it). Use Google to enter the name of the file to see if there are any special removal procedures.

Run MSCONFIG from the "Run" selection from the Start menu and disable any startup programs you don't recognize. Put each program name into Google to see if any of them come back as malware or whether they are legitimate startup programs. If you DO find any malware, disable them by checking the box to keep them from loading AND then START - "Run" - and type "REGEDIT" in the run window to bring up the Registry Editor. Use the Find function from the EDIT menu to search for the name of the file that you found to be misbehaving. Delete any registry keys that it finds associated with that file and then click FIND NEXT to keep searching through the registry until you find them all. Repeat the process for any other programs you found. You should also backup any critical files you may have before starting this or any major modification of the Registry.

If all else fails you may have to reinstall windows. Do a clean install, DO NOT just click setup and reinstall over the existing version as any bad habits your old program had will go to the new one as well. If you have a restoration disk (companies such as Gateway use these) use that instead as it will reformat your hard drive and reload all programs that came with the computer. Once again, this WILL wipe out all of your data so save anything that can not be replaced (you don't need to save MS Word system files as the Office discs will replace them, but you will need to save any office documents you created). This is the atom bomb approach, but it WILL solve the problem.

If this scares the bejesus out of you, find a pro (or a resident computer geek) in your area to try and repair it for you. He may be able to cure it while saving all of your data.

[SimpleSimon]

Bob has a reasonable set of steps (although not quite the ones we use in my shop - cleaning a dozen or so PCs a week).

I'd START with clearing the temps - and suspect anything that won't delete - if it has a timestamp earlier than your last bootup (there's usually a couple of 'good' temp files active).

HiJaackThis is an excellent program that will not only tell you more about what's going on, but also allows you to kill them (msconfig doesn't). Be careful, tho. You can just as easily kill good things.

Finally, CWShredder is important as it's about the only thing that can kill CoolWebSearch and similar trojans.

You may run into something that nothing can kill, but before wiping and reinstalling, write down the offender's name and location, and boot up into command mode and try deleting it - that usually works.

[BobMurdoch]

I forgot about CWShredder. That's another good one (and one that catches programs that SpyBot and AdAware miss.....)

Don't underestimate the power of Google. Putting ANY cryptic program name you don't recognize into the search engine will usually turn up whether or not it is malware, essential, or something unnecissarily gobbling up resources, but that it is part of a legit program (such as all the junk AOL and Microsoft put on people's computers)

[SimpleSimon]

"(such as all the junk AOL and Microsoft put on people's computers)"

Don't forget Earthlink, Netzero, PeoplePC, etc.

Rule 1: ANY ISP that requires you to install software should be forced to eat their broken CDs.

The dial-up networking software built into Windows is ALL that's necessary. UserID, password and phone number. Anything else is crap - and I include the so-called accelerators in that comment.

[djlong]

...and that's all I got for my Earthlink account that I needed while travelling last year.

Earthlink offers to 'help' with their own customized stuff, but all I wanted was a hookup and local numbers where I had to be and that's what I got.

[invaliduser88]

In IE goto Internet Options and then click the Connections tab. What is set in the Dial-up and VPN Network settings section?