startup questions

[8900200]

Hello - I've had a problem on a windows 2000 PC for about a year. Some how a virus got in and set something that makes the computer go look at a specific web sit "every" the sytem starts. It's my163.com or something(I'm not near it right now) Of course once that page is opened they have it loading a bunch of child windows... my question is: wherin the OS/Regsitry could they have set something to start a web page?

And XP aside - is this the same thing on XP? I have a program on a new XP machine that also starts automatically even though it's not in the start menu.

Thanks in advance!
Rich

 

[wolluf]

For XP you can use msconfig (start/run) to see what's being started when you boot. If you copy msconfig.exe to win2k (\winnt\system32) it will work there too. Alternatively I use Startup Manager (

http://www.lpacomputers.telinco.co.uk/SM.zip).

 

[Accessdabbler]

Go to Start > Run and type REGEDIT.

Do a search for RUN

You may have to search for it a couple times. Wherever you see RUN also look in RUNONCE. You can delete any suspicious entries (if you know what you are looking for).

For some reason, Win2K doesn't have the MSCONFIG utility for turning on/off programs that start up.

 

[CharlieJax]

You can also download ad aware (search google for it, I do not remember the exact location)

Once you download it, run it and it will find all the ad programs running on your machine and allow you to remove them. CJ
Don't listen to me, I wanted to be a forest ranger.

 

[8900200]

Thanks everyone. It did work on both systems. Soooo glad that nagging problem has gone away on the 2k box. Weird that I couldn't find the string in the registry before.

Cheers
Rich

 

[SANDMN]

A Temp. Fix is to delete all your uneeded 'cookies' and 'cache'files.

In some cases this works for awhile.

You need to take care not to delete a program or system files 'cookie'& 'cache'.

You can take a look at them .... you may see a link or URL that dosen't look ridht investigate it; if the investigation shows you that it is or could be 'bogas' cut and paste it to a 'disk' then delete the 'link or 'cache file listing'.

In the case you need the file back you copied the file to a nonresident disk, and can replace it from where it came. #-)




SANDMN (SANDMAN)

Dreams are composed of many things, my son. Of images and hopes, of fears and memories.
Memories of the past, and memories of the future ...