How screens/windows are closing automatically on its own in windows98?

Have you checked to see if you have a virus or trojan with some AntiVirus software?

I have did virus check using Norton2000,  I didn't find anything, I don't have latest version of Norton.... I didn't understand TROJAN, what is that?

A trojan is like a virus, except it allows others to connect to your computer and basically do anything they want...  As long as you have the latest Norton definition files, then it should pick up any viruses or trojans.

Don't rely on Norton as several viruses disable your virus software so it won't be found.

Go to http://housecall.antivirus.com
Click on scan without registering

Let the applet load (takes awhile)
When the picture of your hard drive comes up - click the C drive and scan.

Housecall won't fix anything but will tell you what you have.

I found a Trojan Attack program that was doing the same thing that you describe.  It came over on a user's machine that was using Kazaa music network.  

Trojan Worms are downloads that pretend to be software, screensavers etc.  What they really are are destructive programs.  Some that cause system problems and some that compromise your privacy by sending contents of your hard drive out to the internet.

You should have a firewall as well as updated virus software.  But first, run the housecall scan and get back to us.

Sure, as soon as I go home I'll scan my computer and get back to you.

Thanks.

At least one of the POPUP killers has an option that limits the number of open
windows.  If an additional popup window opens up, things start collapsing.  It can
even the system completely out of the internet browser, and sometimes all the way
back to the DESKTOP.

Some newer POPUPS can get into a recursive mode that can lock the system into THEIR
controlled environment.  If enough of these called POPUPS come up they can take the
system out of your control.  With my POPUP killer I sometimes have the experience
of up to 10 or so of these things getting dumped, but all with the same URL.  Weird.

You can probably limit this experience by installing a good firewall program and
tailor it to reject advertising sites that you can identify by looking at their
COOKIES.  Look for domain names that include things like "ads" or "click".

Unfortunately, reputable news sites still dump popup ads in your lap.  Usually,
however, these sources won't try to take control of your computer.  However, if
you use a site like this to browse or search for stuff, you can get so many popup
ads repeating that the effect is the same as if the site is malicious.  The Social
Security Death Index is typical of that problem.

When I scanned my computer from http://housecall.antivirus.com I haven't found virus on my computer.

This problem is happenning even if I work with notepad/wordpad/MS wod....

I believe this is because of some virus....

-Srpandrangi

try this trojan remover
http://www.simplysup.com/tremover/

PC World has a couple of free downloads to determine if this is a Trojan

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,5463,00.asp

I have downloaded softwares from both the websites
for trojan remover..I ran the softwares....but none of them didn't find any trojan.....
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.simplysup.com/tremover/ 

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,5463,00.asp
--------------------------------------------------

Please let me know if there is any way to solve this problem... I really appreciate your help...

try this, go to start --> run and type msconfig, go to the startup tab, and uncheck all but systray and explorer, reboot and see if this fixes it. If wo, go back and recheck one at a time (reboot in between each) until it reappears

Stevenlewis,

I was trying to do that, but I haven't seen 'explorer' under startup tab...

Now I have cheked on Systemtray,Taskmonitor,Nortonautoprotect.

When I hit CRL-ALT-DEL I could see Explorer,Navapw32, Systray, Rnaapp. I don't know how I am able to see Explorer and Rnaapp. I don't have any idea what is Rnaapp.

I have uninstalled my norton antivirus and again installed but still no use...

-Srpandrangi

I was trying to do that, but I haven't seen 'explorer' under startup tab...
Then don't worry about explorer. uncheck everything else but systray and reboot

You didn't mention which Internet browser you are using, and all the answers so far
ASSUMED you are using Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), but even then nobody asked
you which version!

So, this is CRITICAL.  Are you, perhaps, using an Internet browser that has different
options than we are expecting?

For the record, Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer are TWO DIFFERENT ANIMALS, although
both are Microsoft products.  Windows Explorer faintly resembles "MY COMPUTER".

Hi,

I am using IE5. I have default settings for my browser.
Please let me now if you need any information.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks

Do you have "Enable page transitions" checked?

Yes, it is checked

Is "Reuse Windows for launching shortcuts" checked?

I haven't seen any option like "Reuse Windows for launching shortcuts" under tools/Internet Options/advanced.

Please let me know if I am looking at the wrong place.

Thanks for your help.

Does anybody agree If I install IE6 then this problem will be solved.

Well, I use IE Version 6.  It solved many problems, but I don't remember having the
problem of windows closing automatically.

Unfortunately, sometimes problems like this seem to go away by themselves, and we
never find out what was wrong. I think the main reason is that the authors of software
are so concerned about competitors finding a way to "reverse engineer" their
products that they don't provide basic information.  Instead, they supply
"cookbook", menu-driven solutions as the troubleshooting tools.

Back in the days when we used keypunch machines, I often asked an operator to show me
exactly what they had done that led to the error. That meant that I actually stood
behind them and observed what keys they pressed.

Applying that same strategy to your problem would mean that you would have to write
down EVERYTHING you did and EVERY response you got from the computer. Unfortunately,
that might mean that you would need to use a wider time interval than you expected,
so the process could get frustrating or even absurd.

Even then, you don't know everything that is going on, because the computer is doing
things in the background that you have no knowledge of.
Much of that activity involves
programs that were openend at startup that you don't even use! Thus the usual advice to
close down nearly all startup items and bring them back one at a time until the problem
occurs again.  I doubt that method would work for the windows closing problem, because
a direct tie to any particular program or support file would be nearly impossible to
identify.

Along that same vein, however, some startup programs are dumped on you by various
installations, and you NEVER NEED THEM!  Well, if you don't need them, you don't want
them.  To get rid of them you have to go through the list with a fine tooth comb and make
a value judgement about each one. But, would this approach solve the problem?  I doubt it.

I will install IE6 and will get back to you updates..

Thanks.

hi,

Be alert in this cases use a firewall, intenernet security app and Antivirus. I think Norton would be the best choice. This may be due to virus/worms or sombody may be accessing u r system.


Bye,
Anand

I have installed IE6 on my computer, but still I have the problem. I have also firewall on my computer. Looks like there is some virus in my 'C drive', may be that is the reason why I have this problem whether I am on internet or not.

Plese let me know if there is any possible way.

You can try plugging in the symptoms as a search argument in one of these encyclopedias
and see if anything turns up.

http://www.kaspersky.ch/avpve/findex.stm

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html

http://anti-virus.com/

http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm

However, at the moment I don't suspect a virus.

I scanned my computer for virus again from http://housecall.antivirus.com and I found there is a Trojan called REG_SEEKER.C, does anybody know how to remove this virus?

I was looking at mcafee, norton for instructions to remove the virus, but I haven't found anything.

Please let me know if anybody knows about instructions to remove this virus.

Thanks

http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=REG_SEEKER.C

Click Start>Run, type Regedit then hit the Enter key.
Double click the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Internet Explorer>Main
In the right panel, look for this registry entry and right click it:
Search Bar="http://www.<blocked>.com/search.htm"
Choose modify and then type the URL that you prefer for your IE search bar.
In the left panel, double click the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Internet Explorer>Main
In the right panel, look for this registry entry and right click it:
Default_Search_URL="http://www.<blocked>.com/search.htm"
Choose modify and then type the URL that you prefer for your IE search page.
Scan your system with Trend Micro antivirus and delete all files detected as REG_SEEKER.C. To do this, Trend Micro customers must download the latest pattern file and scan their system. Other email users may use HouseCall, Trend Micro's free online virus scanner.

I believe Reg_seeker is a variant of the JS/Seeker virus.

You might want to take a look at
http://www.europe.f-secure.com/v-descs/seeker.shtml

http://msn.mcafee.com/root/genericVIL.asp?genericURL=/VirusInfo/VIL/dispVirus.asp&virus_k=98882

At this point, I'd remove whatever virus software you have on this box.  Go to a CLEAN system and go to
http://www.trendmicro.com/pc-cillin/support/edisks.htm

You will need six floppies.  Download the rescue set file and create the floppies.  Print the directions.

You can then boot from the first disk on your infected system and these disks will clean your system in DOS.

Once clean, reboot and reload your virus software and update, reboot and scan again.

tituba2,

I did that. But I haven't seen any viruses when I booted with rescue set. It took 3 hours to finish scanning, but still didn't find anything.

I have deleted all C files too... but still I have this problem.

Supposedly the SEEKER virus changes Internet Explorer. Now that you are rid of the
virus, the changes probably remain.  So, maybe it would be a good idea to reinstall
Internet Explorer.

Fortunately, SEEKER is more of a "peeping tom" than a "serial killer".  If
what I read about it is true, it is more of an irritation than anything else.

Yes, it's very difficult to sit infront of the computer because the screens are minimizing, closing automatically, sometimes mouse is right clicking automatically....

 So you mean uninstall the IE then do a fresh install..!!!

I will do it and get back to you.

Thanks

Actually - if it was me, I'd get out my Windows 98 system disk and do a reinstall.

I was trying to run windows SCANDISK for finding any errors, it has aborted 10 times due some windows program/some other program is trying to write something to disk.

Earlier I could run this scan disk without any problems, but I don't know why I had this problem.

Does anybody agre due to some virus I could not be able to run this?

I have loaded Norton 2002 on my machine, I have created rescue disks and then ran using rescue disks(I also ran in windows)...but it didn't find any viruses.

I am wondering what happend to REG_SEEKER.C virus which I found from http://housecall.antivirus.com.

Please let me know if anybody has some clues.

Thanks.

SCANDISK has the same functions as Norton Disk Doctor, which you probably have.
Either one will run pretty well from Windows, as long as there is no problem.
However, if you have significant problems to be corrected, then they should be run
in DOS mode after you do a START - SHUTDOWN - RESTART IN DOS.

Note that SCANDISK and NDD are NOT tools for detecting or eliminating viruses.
Instead, these programs detect and cleanup lost sectors and cross-linked files.
So, I am dubious about running either tool if you still have a virus on your system.

It wasn't clear to me from previous posts above that you have actually cleared the
SEEKER virus from BOTH the registry and the other files in the root directory.

Unfortunately, not all of the anti-virus program vendors perceive all threats as
being equally important.  They tailor their software to reflect those threats that
their software programmers perceive as being the most serious.  Therefore, the
SEEKER virus and its variations must be deleted manually as far as SYMANTEC is concerned.
That is, there is no apparent software tool by SYMANTEC that will do the job for you.
You may want to browse through some of the other vendor's websites to see what they offer.

Now, from what you said above, HOUSECALL found a virus.  Just finding a virus and
removing it are two different animals.  HOUSECALL is the FREE version of a program
that the company sells, so I don't know how much help you will get from that source
without paying out some money.

boot to safe mode (press F8 or ctrl after it counts the RAM) and choose safe mode, shut of any screen savers, and run scan disk, or press ctrl+del+atl and end task on all but explorer, and run scandisk (make sure to shut off your screen saver)
Did you go thru the steps outlined above to remove REG_SEEKER.C? or check out the links posted about it? It is not the cause of your windows closing, nor the scan disk issue.

I  had tough time with my computer all these days, finally I formatted my hard disk and  loaded windows98 OS which I received from IBM's product recovery CD.

Right now my computer looks good to me, still I am testing my computer.

I will close this issue tomorrow and accept one of your comments.

Thanks for your help all these days. Thanks a lot.

I am accepting tituba2's comment as answer because I tried all the options suggested by each one of you, finally I had to format my disk which is closer to  tituba2's comment.

Thank you very much to  all you. I really appreciate your help.

Thanks
srpandrangi