Multiple copies of Internet Explorer popping up
A friend was given an old computer. It has Windows 2000. I cleaned it up and installed 500 MB of RAM.
When she initiates Yahoo Messenger, a LARGE number of Internet Explorer instances start up, as evidenced by the task bar. Like, 20 or 30 or more. At that point, the machine slows to a crawl. It gets so slow that it actually appears to stop dead. But the IE's keep coming and coming.
It occurred to me that the machine is possibly infected with a virus. There is an older version of Symantec installed, but when it gets around to it, it pops up a yellow message box stating "Virus protection is disabled", or something like that.
I can't seem to get to the Symantec "Main" window, to turn it on, or do a Scan.
I'm thinking to just purchase an up-to-date Symantec Virus package. But before I spend any money on this, I thought I would check here.
Question: Is this strange I.E. behavior possibly some kind of system malfunction? Or am I right in thinking it may be infected? If so, I would like an opinion on what virus protection to get. I'm not particularly in love with Symantec.
- - Norma Posy
When she initiates Yahoo Messenger, a LARGE number of Internet Explorer instances start up, as evidenced by the task bar. Like, 20 or 30 or more. At that point, the machine slows to a crawl. It gets so slow that it actually appears to stop dead. But the IE's keep coming and coming.
It occurred to me that the machine is possibly infected with a virus. There is an older version of Symantec installed, but when it gets around to it, it pops up a yellow message box stating "Virus protection is disabled", or something like that.
I can't seem to get to the Symantec "Main" window, to turn it on, or do a Scan.
I'm thinking to just purchase an up-to-date Symantec Virus package. But before I spend any money on this, I thought I would check here.
Question: Is this strange I.E. behavior possibly some kind of system malfunction? Or am I right in thinking it may be infected? If so, I would like an opinion on what virus protection to get. I'm not particularly in love with Symantec.
- - Norma Posy
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This will probably take a lot of time and energy to clean up, and the end result is unsure. In this case I'd backup the data, then reinstall the OS. Download the free Avast! anitvirus software, it is at least as good as symantec, if not better. Then update windows fully. Also look for a firewall software if the PC isn't behind a router that includes a firewall. After that reinstall all the software. Make sure that you browse using firefox which includes a good popup blocker and also doesn't use activeX like IE does. ActiveX can easily be used to do malicious things with your PC.
http://avast.com
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
http://avast.com
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
ASKER
Thank you. I appreciate your help.
It sounds like I have an extensive job on my hands here. Of course, she was given the machine without the original Windows 2000 CD.
We should decide if the machine is worth the effort. If so, maybe I will just wipe the hard disk clean and then install my copy of XP. I've never done this. What is the easiest way to wipe the hard disk clean?
- - Norma Posy
It sounds like I have an extensive job on my hands here. Of course, she was given the machine without the original Windows 2000 CD.
We should decide if the machine is worth the effort. If so, maybe I will just wipe the hard disk clean and then install my copy of XP. I've never done this. What is the easiest way to wipe the hard disk clean?
- - Norma Posy
If you install your copy of XP and that is used on your PC too, that would be breaching the copyright laws, and you would also have problems with activating the OS. It is better to either buy a new copy of XP, or install something like Ubuntu Linux which is free, better than XP, runs on most PC's, is easy to use, and it isn't as prone to attacks as M$ OS's are.
http://ubuntulinux.com
http://ubuntulinux.com
It's infected. A lot of people I know like AVG anti virus: http://avg.downloadzsoftware.com/?OVRAW=avg&OVKEY=avg&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=4009771522&OVKWID=35362031022
I recommend adding the infected drive as a slave to a fully protected and updated system and scanning it yntil it's clean. Doing it this way ensures that all files get scanned and cleaned as none (i.e. system files) will be in use.