Possible virus or spyware.

[Kev]

I think our work PC may have some virus or spyware affecting it's performance.

As we type on the keyboard it keeps launching a page in AOL, doesn't matter what we do to the properties of the keyboard in the control panel it keeps doing it.

The keyboard has a series of buttons, that you can configure, the problem is coming from e-mail launch button, it should be set to default:

/uhttp://www.hp.com

But after doing this, shortly after with a few clicks of the keyboard buttons it changes to this below and launches the page:

/uhttp://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=38084/*http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

It's not even specific to a particular key, just after a while of typing it loads the page, if you change the default to say http://www.aol.com it loads that in firefox and you can even be typing in word or aol!!!

We use AVG and spybot and these removed some spyware, but it still keeps on doing it. The PC is performing better since removing these, but the keyboard problem still remains.

I think it maybe a problem in the registry, possibly a corrupt file that needs fixing, can anyone recommend a safe good registry scanner to use? Or does anyone know how to get rid of this problem?

thanks for any help

Kev

 

[rlees85]

Sounds like spyware, probably best checking add/remove programs, whats running on startup (my using start, run, 'msconfig'), and internet explorer installed add-ons.

Also if you have yahoo toolbar installed get rid of it...

 

[NeX]

odd, sounds like a bit of spam software. good old AOL have to resort to viruses to get people to visit lol

i would recommend using Avast (http://www.avast.com/)
and also Ad-aware (http://www.lavasoft.com/)

turn on the windows firewall, get all the updates you can, don't use limewire or Internet explorer, they are the quickest way to catch viruses

 

[Antony]

registry doctor is a good one. or remove the windll.32 file from the windows directory on that pc and download a fresh directory.

 

[Ed]

Kev, install windows defender:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...e7-da2b-4a6a-afa4-f7f14e605a0d&displaylang=en

Update it boot in safe mode and do a full system scan.

Ed

 

[Bash1989]

i had this problem aswell on xp but unfortunately it burnt out my hard drive and now im running vista :down:

 

[Kev]

Thanks guys, I'll see if I can sort it out tomorrow.

Kev

 

[wilsonian]

spyware is a nasty thing. I've used AVG & Zone Alarm to some success but it doesn't beat a good reinstall.

 

[Kev]

It's still doing it!!! grr Even when I'm typing in firefox such as this post it's loading the page in main AOL software program.

I've ran windows defender, spybot and AVG in safe mode which removed a fair bit of spyware, the PC on the whole is running a lot quicker now.

Ran a registry scan which has helped increase the PC's speed.

Once I have backed up our work's e-mail I'm going remove AOL from the system completely.

I always use firefox and I have been showing my mum how to use it to get familiar with the changes as we both share the PC at work.

Kev

 

[NeX]

It's still doing it!!! grr Even when I'm typing in firefox such as this post it's loading the page in main AOL software program.

I've ran windows defender, spybot and AVG in safe mode which removed a fair bit of spyware, the PC on the whole is running a lot quicker now.

Ran a registry scan which has helped increase the PC's speed.

Once I have backed up our work's e-mail I'm going remove AOL from the system completely.

I always use firefox and I have been showing my mum how to use it to get familiar with the changes as we both share the PC at work.

Kev

have you tried Ad-Aware yet? or Avast? because i have NEVER had problems with spyware using those two. and obviously firefox, make sure no one is using IE instead.

 

[richj]

there is the possibility that the problem hasn't been found by anti-virus or malware scanners because the problem may just be a configuration entry made by a malware program.

For example, check the hosts file:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial51.html

You should have a look at various other operating systems, to evaluate whether they are better suited to your needs than windows. For example, microsoft office will run perfectly in Linux or Mac.

You might also consider running windows in a virtual machine, so that you can 'one-click' restore your xp installation back to your default following a serious problem. This also gives you the freedom to make very simple backups.

 

[Ed]

Kev try this:

Follow these steps to use the Reset Internet Explorer Settings feature from Control Panel:

1. Close all programs.
2. If you use Windows XP, click Start, and then click Run. Copy and then paste (or type) the following command in the Open box, and then press ENTER:inetcpl.cpl
   If you use Windows Vista, click Start
   
3. Copy and then paste (or type) the following command in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER:inetcpl.cpl
   
   The Internet Options screen appears.
4. Click the Advanced tab.
5. Under Reset Internet Explorer settings, click Reset.
6. When Internet Explorer finishes resetting the settings, click Close in the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box.
7. When you are prompted to restart Internet Explorer, click OK to dismiss the dialog box, and then click OK in the Internet Options dialog box.
8. Close Internet Explorer, and then open Internet Explorer again. If you cannot open Internet Explorer, go to the "Next Steps" section.

ALSO, download c cleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/ and run that. Read the options carefully to make sure you remove all you need to.

Finally disable system restore and re-enable it (or leave it off) it will remove the restore points and any old files needed, usually restore doesn't help anyway.

Ed