The Mother In Law's PC is having a bad time of it.

[DPlank]

It appears to have, anyway.

Internet Explorer cannot find any sites I've tried.

I can ping them fine from a command prompt, her (dialup) connection seems to be fine - she is still receiving her email OK through Outlook Express. The Internet Options have been reset to default, the HOSTS file is clean, I haven't seen anything looking odd in the startup.

Running a repair against IE failed though.

She's running WinME. My next thought is to install a different browser (Firefox) and see if that makes a difference. Since I can't get to any sites, I can't get any updates for her Norton AV either (it needs renewed).

Recent AdAware scan found 54 critical removals, and 22 Norton popups appeared during the scan to advise Norton had repaired a problem.

Over to the experts (ie not me) for any suggestions you may have?

Cheers,
Dave

Probably the only Test Analyst on Tek-Tips

animadverto vos in Abyssus!

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[LloydSev]

I would restore, if you can, what you removed with AdAware.

A lot of times, this stuff is caused by removing spyware and such, such as New Dot Net, etc.. which break networking when removed.

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[carrr]

Run the Winsock fix, probably damaged entries. This fits on a floppy, if I'm not mistaken:

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html

Tired of waiting for an answer? Try asking better questions. See: faq222-2244

 

[DPlank]

Lloyd - it was broken before I ran AdAware.

carrr - cheers, I'll have that in my arsenal when I vist her next weekend. I also plan to take a copy of HiJackThis and CWShredder.

Anyone suggest any further measures?

Cheers,
Dave

Probably the only Test Analyst on Tek-Tips

animadverto vos in Abyssus!

Take a look at Forum1393 & sign up if you'd like

 

[BadBigBen]

Yes, I've one...

SpyBot S&D V1.4... (the more the better, AdAware sometimes picks things up that SpyBot don't and vice versa)...

and a suggestion: Do all Adware/Spyware Scans and fixes in SafetyMode...

Ben


Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[ChrisRAnthony]

Try looking on the Microsoft website for "Microsoft Antispyware". I have recently installed this as a pilot for the company I work for. To date it has proved very succesful.

 

[karenannette]

The MS antispyware is only good for XP at this time.

Wish it would be backwards compatible.

K.

 

[carrr]

Microsoft's Antispywre Beta works on Win2k forward.
9x OS's are out of luck.

Tired of waiting for an answer? Try asking better questions. See: faq222-2244

 

[karenannette]

How dumb can I be today? Here I sit running 2000 and MS anti spyware....DUH. I win the dunce cap today....

Is it 5 p.m. yet?

My apologies.

 

[carrr]

No need for apoligies...it's 5 somewhere.
I had to go to the download dite to check the specs myself.

Tired of waiting for an answer? Try asking better questions. See: faq222-2244

 

[karenannette]

Thanks for being nice when you called me on it.

Can you tell I'm in the midst of a system wide conversion and have to upgrade my old software this week to be able to have the new??? It's crunch time.

Plus my backup system is giving me fits.

The good thing is, if it gets too bad, there's a bar across the street.

Have a great day!

 

[carrr]

Tired of waiting for an answer? Try asking better questions. See: faq222-2244

 

[aquias]

Good Luck Karen!! If it gets to bad, remember, lunch is easily extended to five...

 

[DPlank]

Thanks for all suggestions - I chucked Firefox and Thunderbird (just in case) on the machine and that worked.

I actually ran out of time and never got to install/run CWShredder, HiJackThis, MS Antispyware et al.

She doesn't care, as long as she can get online and receive her email.

Educating users. I have begun to believe it is not possible.

Clearly the problem was some infection or other of IE, and it's still on her machine. Still, she can't use it.

Since I removed the desktop shortcut, Start Menu entry and the icon on the Quick Launch bar, she doesn't know she could get to it from anywhere else...

[sigh]



Cheers,
Dave

Probably the only Test Analyst on Tek-Tips

animadverto vos in Abyssus!

Take a look at Forum1393 & sign up if you'd like