GMail is not sending emails?

[OfficeAnimal]

For a week now I have been unable to send emails using GMail on IE8 (Dual-core pentium G33-G31 chipset - XP (SP3)). It was recommended that I remove Internet Add-ons which I have (largely) done. However, there are two I have been advised to disable - "The Bflix Class" and "ADDICT-THING Class" - that will not disable. The "Disable option is disabled!

I would greatly appreciate advice on how to deal with this.
Thanks

"Have you ever noticed that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster is a maniac?."
George Carlin

 

[goombawaho]

I'm sniffing a malware problem NOT an email problem. To confirm:

Run TDSSKiller, MalwareByte's Anti-mailware and GMER one at a time and in that order, with a reboot after each runs if something is removed (or directed to).

There are instructions on the internet for removing both of those items, BUT, I would see what these tools do for you first, automatically.

 

[rclarke250]

Does it only happen on the one computer? if so, it is a browser issue, not an email issue. What happens if you try using Firefox, you can use firefox portable if you can't install on the computer. I'm leaning towards Goom on this, sounds like malware.

 

[OfficeAnimal]

Hi folks
I found "The BFlix Class" and "ADDICT-THING Class" as very small programs and deleted them from my system. I then ran CClean including disc wiping. That was yesterday morning. As of about 1630GMT GMail has been working again.

I do not know if the two things are connected, but at least I can send emails. :-D

Thanks for the help. I'll come back if things go foul again.

"Have you ever noticed that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster is a maniac?."
George Carlin

 

[goombawaho]

I would not be comfortable until I had ran some scans as suggested. Don't take the approach of "no problems now, everything is ok".

Be proactive.

 

[58sniper]

Agreed. I'd be running multiple scans on that machine.

Do you have your Tek-Tips.com Swag? I've got mine!

Stop by the new Tek-Tips group at LinkedIn.

 

[cdogg]

I would not be comfortable until I had ran some scans

Actually, I wouldn't feel comfortable logging into financial institutions on that computer until I formatted and reinstalled Windows.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

I wouldn't feel comfortable logging into financial institutions on that computer until I formatted and reinstalled Windows

Your level of paranoia, like gas mileage, may vary. If you run enough different scanners and they all come back clean, how paranoid can you be?

Now you have me worried that I have a super stealth malware that gives no symptoms and is detected by no scanners and it's watching everything that I do. Boo hoo. <<< Kidding, but that's how paranoia works.

 

[cdogg]

If you run enough different scanners and they all come back clean, how paranoid can you be?

It has happened to me many times, where multiple scanners such as MalwareBytes appears to have cleaned the infection only for it to reappear again later. And once you realize you've had an infection, are you willing to take a financial risk on the back of a free product? Not me.

To some it may seem like paranoia, but when you've had an infection that attempts to hijack the browser, it's usually better to be safe than sorry. Just throwing my 2¢ out there, like it or not.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

Yeah well, respectfully, I don't like it - but no worries. From a technical perspective, a reload is just peachy. From a practical perspective, a reload is costly both in terms of time and stress and is out of range of many users. If they don't do it themselves, it's costly in a monetary way.

From what I've seen, if you actually get rid of the malware (as determined by restarting about 5 times without anything cropping up) and then kill all restore points, reboot and start system restore again, I really haven't had anything come back.

But we should stop bumping this old thread.

 

[cdogg]

But we should stop bumping this old thread.

I presume you mean after you have the last word!

From a practical perspective, a reload is costly both in terms of time and stress and is out of range of many users.

Well, apparently there's a problem with letting bygones be bygones. This forum is for professionals helping other professionals. If you agree with that, then you should also agree that the advice we give should be technical under the assumption the OP is a professional - otherwise the post should be red flagged. Simple as that.

Secondly, it's interesting you used the term "costly". There is nothing more direct about a stolen credit card number or bank account number in terms of cost! I am willing to give the OP credit for choosing the best option for their situation without making assumptions. Certainly, we shouldn't be suppressing others' opinions just because you think yours is more correct or "practical" than others. Let the OP decide.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

the assumption the OP is a professional

From what I see, the minority of question posters are professionals in IT but a majority of responders are professionals with varying degrees of knowledge/experience. NOT pointing to anyone in particular. I try to only respond to questions in which I've had experience and actually fixed things.

But let's just forget about it. 58sniper bumped the thread and now we're way off target and the OP has left the building. Too bad there's not an off-topic forum where everyone could tear into each other and much fun could be had.

 

[cdogg]

the minority of question posters are professionals in IT

Don't feed the trolls. When it's obvious you've run into one, red flag the thread.