What happened? How do I fix this?

Hi - you may remember me as MommySAIDno on here. I have not been on in quite some time. I would be here with that name but my PC has suddenly freaked out on me and so I can't log on with it. Obviously, I am able to get onto IE.

Last week, I turned on my PC and my normal background screen pic had been set back to the HP wallpaper. My screensaver had been turned off. My desktop link to AOL does not work now. I cannot get to my RR email, it comes up with a page saying the page cannot be displayed and something about network settings.

This also happens when I try to log into my bank account and when my H tries to log into his work site from here. I could not log on here at 4042 either.
My documents and pics seem to be all there and okay.

Something odd, I post on another site and when I post a response, it will post and say done at the bottom, but the page remains blank. I have to go up and get back to the entry page to get back to where my post is at ??

I tried many times to run HP recovery with the disks, it will let me get to the point to run it and then lock up.

I read about doing a reg fix on another thread and I went and did that and defragged and did a clean disk. I ran spybot and one other type cleaner too. Only good of it is that I freed up a boatload of memory by doing all that. THANKS for that!!

But H HAS to get to his work account and we do all banking online and I have important stuff through my email. What could have happened? What can I do?

 

Forgot to mention...

it rearranged my "favorites too - all alphabetically (wasn't that nice of it)

 

Anybody????

Any ideas? Tomorrow is Monday and I am already so behind because of this problem? Hoping for some ideas to try. I'm out of ideas of my own:?

 

Hi....what version of Windows are you using on this PC?

 

You need to use Firefox instead of IE.


Run/download the following


AVG
Malwarebytes
Adaware


Do you have a firewall?

 

Two additional things to try...

1) In Internet Explorer, go to the TOOLS menu, then INTERNET OPTIONS. On the ADVANCED tab, select the "Reset" button that says "reset Internet Explorer settings to their default", or something like that.

2) Click START, then RUN and type "CMD". When the command prompt comes up, type "sfc /scannow" (that's "sfc", a space, a slash, and "scannow")

 

Assuming you have XP -

Firefox is a good idea for the internet problems and definitely download the tools Wulfpack mentioned.

If Firefox works good and you want to fix IE you can do a Windows Update. IE8 is available now and installing it should fix whatever is ailing your current version.

CCleaner is also a real good tool that you can download and run regularly to keep your hard drive clean.

It sounds like your profile may be corrupt. Try creating a new Windows user account and see if it behaves better.

 

Actually, Windows 98SE. So, sadly, IE8 is not going to work for me. Yeah, I know, I need to upgrade to XP. I even have it, just have not had time to back ALL my stuff up before I install. I'm afraid of wiping something important out.

I'm trying out some of the suggestions made now. Maybe something will help.

 

Did this, got error message saying the command line parameters are not valid - does not recognize "scandisk".

I tried it 4 times - to be sure I typed in as you listed :?

 

I just noticed the icon in the bottom R corner for the SQL Service Service Manager.

I played around with it a bit but not sure what to do. Could tht help? I feel really dumb about all of this stuff.:?

 

Adding another browser doesn't help the problem it only adds another browser with the existing browser problem. Which could be affecting more than your browser.

Can you change the wallpaper? If the options for changing the wallpaper are blank then you've picked up a spyware. Because your browser favorites have been changed I would say you have a spyware problem.

If you can change the wallpaper then the the AOL software is possibly the fault. Remove the AOL Software. When it does its check for all aol software tell it to delete "ALL" the versions on your PC. Reboot after the uninstall.

Now run a registry cleaner and reboot.

If alls well load AOL, although if you don't need AOL leave it off your PC, its trash software.

 

I can change the wallpaper with no problem. :?

I've always used IE but just had AOL on here too. I used it a few times months back when IE had problems until I got it fixed. I still have the icon on my desktop for it, but since this problem started, it no longer works. I will do as you said ddrdan and go and remove it to see if that makes a difference.

Someone said I should use Firefox. If that's better I'll use it. But how do I get it. Remember, I'm computer stupid at some of this.

 

Does sound like you may have picked up some spyware/malware, due to the changes you reported and the way the browser is acting.

A favorite trick on spyware/malware is to reroute your browser in the background so they can monitor your activity. When their "tweak" isn't working properly, it causes the browser to act up.

This rerouting is normally done by placing entries in your HOSTS file. To check it, please look in your C:\WINDOWS folder for the file named HOSTS and post the contents here. (You should be able to open it up with Notepad, as it is a simple text file.) Once we can see the contents of this file, we can determine if that is part of the problem.

 

Okay,
I looked in C:\WINDOWS files but I see no HOSTS folder. Also ran a check & opened up with notepad. It only said it was samples.

Could it be under another name? :?

 

Would definitely be named HOSTS....and it will be a file, not a folder. If you searched and found a file named HOSTS, where was it located?

 

Though rarely used anymore you might have a rootkit. It runs silently and even evades the OS recognition. I've found Norman Malware Remover does a good job of killing rootkits and catching the spyware that other programs miss.

You can get it here: Norman-Malware-Cleaner

Don't neglect reading the help files completely before starting. Knowing how to run this software efficiently will increase your odds of it doing its best job.

If that fails uninstall your browser and reinstall IE 6.0 or the other browsers if you like them better. Just don't use 7.0 with 98SE, too many known problems.
Save your "Favorites" directory file by copying it to another directory out side the IE directory. Then drag it back after the reload.

 

That's because Win98SE does not have that IE repair tool. The IE Repair tool is not present in Add / Remove Programs (Control Panel) and is only available in the Uninstall Dialogue Box.

To repair IE in Win98SE:
Click Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Information
Click Tools (tool bar) -> Internet Explorer Repair Tool

 

if its xp look for the host file in C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc folder

 

Not XP - WIN98 second edition. :?

 

I get all the way to clicking tools on the tool bar, but nothing in there says
Internet Explorer Repair Tool :? Could it be under another name :?