Re: Active X problem?

From: Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE (franksaunders_at_mvps.org)
Date: 01/26/05 

Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 06:23:37 -0600

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:Ord84PZAFHA.1408@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> "Bill Pierce" <BillPierce@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:NASId.1020$xV2.410271@read2.cgocable.net...
>>I have an older computer (400 MHz Pentium II, 512 MB RAM) running Windows
>>98
>> SE, IE 6.0 and Windows Media Player 9.0. All of the latest patches and
>> updates are installed. So are the latest versions and updates of Norton
>> AntiVirus and LavaSoft AdAware SE. None of them reports any viruses or
>> spyware. I operate behind a hardware firewall and have Norton Internet
>> Security installed as well. The computer has been very stable for a long
>> time--until the past month or two.
>>
>> Periodically I am now receiving errors in both IE and Media Player,
>> enough
>> that it shuts them down (with the accompanying option to report the
>> errors
>> to Microsoft and restart the application) and I have to restart them, but
>> not so badly that I have to restart the computer (although I have also
>> tried
>> that). The errors appear somewhat randomly and repeatedly, but often
>> restarting the application and revisiting the offending site or reloading
>> the offending file the third or fourth time solves the problem?
>>
>> The only common thread I can see is that it seems to occur much more
>> often
>> when I visit sites with Active X controls. Sites with fewer graphics and
>> less embedded media content are far more stable. Also, I know that
>> Active X
>> technology is shared between IE and Media Player. I have tried
>> uninstalling
>> and reinstalling Active X on my computer, but this hasn't solved the
>> problem.
>>
>> The error messages are not sufficiently specific that they provide me
>> with
>> many clues for troubleshooting. I don't even really know if Active X is
>> the
>> source of the problem; it's merely my best guess at the moment.
>>
>> Any assistance or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
>
> Norton and Ad-Aware won't catch everything.
> What You Should Know About Spyware
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/devioussoftware.mspx
>
> CAUTION!!!!! Before you try to remove spyware using any of these programs
> , download a copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
> http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
> http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
> (if your OS is Win2k or XP) The process of removing certain malware may
> kill
> your internet connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will
> enable you to regain your connection.
>
> See
> Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
> http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>
> Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
> won't. Also, each needs to be updated with the program's update function
> before every use, even when just downloaded. There's also a lot more to
> do than just those two programs. CWShredder is also available here:
> http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder
> **Post your HijackThis log to
> http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
> http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
> http://castlecops.com/forum67.html
> http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ or the Spyware forum at
> http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**
> Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
> may be found on this page:
> http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.
>
> See this link for information about malware:
> http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/malware.ars
>
> If nothing there helps, please post back to this thread.
>
> --
> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
> Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
> http://www.fjsmjs.com
> Protect your PC
> http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
>
>

Go to: http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Download "Hijack This!" [freeware]

Unzip, double-click "HijackThis.exe" and Press "Scan".

When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log"
button.
Click: "Save Log" (generates: "hijackthis.log")

Next, go to the below location:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/

Sign in, go to the "Spyware and Hijackware Removal" section.
Press "New Topic" and post a description of your symptoms. If they need to
see your log they will ask for it. 

-- 
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only.  Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
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