Question regarding IE and Firefox

[GeorgeB]

Can anyone explain and help me solve this issue? When I click on a email link on a webpage, my ms outlook is supposed to open of course. However, when I click on a email link like 50 web browsers pop up for some reason. Anyone know how to stop it?

[Dynash]

What's in the browser popups? Perhaps installing a popup blocker? :p

[Decker]

You've got - an infection!

Recent one - http://www.malwarebytes.org

Install it - update it - run it.

[GeorgeB]

I do have pop ups installed.

Thanks Decker I will do that.

[GeorgeB]

I ran a malware scan and it found two infections and deleted them, but I am still having the same issue.

When I click on a email link, firefox and everything freezes. The computer is trying to open the iexplorer.exe file. I can stop it from happening as long as I use control+alt+del and click cancel for the process.

[Decker]

Try this - http://www.whatsrunning.net/whatsrunning/main.aspx

And look for a svchost.exe process, see what it's running and manually delete the file (probably a junk name or one similar to a real proggy), might need a file unlocker (think whatsrunning does that too) and use regedit to search for the file name svchost.exe is running.

Most likely that won't clean it entirely, but might at least give you a heads up, oh and check the browser add-ons in IE (tools - manage addons) and disable all that are not obviously needed, run a malware scan again as some are nasty little self replicators.

[GeorgeB]

It had some programs underneath of it in the svchost.exe that were running. the iexplorer.exe was one of them. I stopped its process plus the other two that were with it, and tried to do the email again, and it just redid the same thing.

I tried to delete what you were talking about, but it wouldnt let me.

[Decker]

Any chance you can screenshot the whatsrunning view?

[GeorgeB]

Decker, for some reason it wont let me upload the image. I will try it again, but if you want PM me your email, and I will email you the screen shot.

[GeorgeB]

Yeah I just tried it again, and it wont work..strange, never had a problem before.

[Decker]

PM'd email George :)

[GeorgeB]

Sent you the email with the image.

[Decker]

Got it (over 2M might be why you couldn't upload it here)

Nothing looks out of the ordinary George, try this one http://www.superantispyware.com/?tag=SUPERANTISPYWARE

Free edition does okay and also http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis

And maybe even this :D - http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html

If that lot don't do it your boned!

PS the bitdefender scan will take ages but it is pretty good.

[GeorgeB]

Cant hurt to try right? lol

[Decker]

Just give it a go :) I know a load of new malware variations are on the loose and causing probs.

All you can do is try :)

[GeorgeB]

Well both programs found things and got rid of it, but still have the issue. So idk. I will deal with it for now.

[GeorgeB]

Something new I just found out. After all the IE windows pop up, another little window pops up and says "windows cannot perform the following operation because the default mail client may not be properly installed. "

EDIT: I went into the options menu for IE and I choose for the default mail client to be Outlook Express, and then I tried it again and it worked. So then I tried it again to make the default client Microsoft Outlook and it is working now. Problem solved. Thanks for the help Decker.

[Decker]

No probs, glad you got sorted, looks as if it was a browser hijack after all, never thought about resetting the default mail client :)

[Skylar]

Thats a REALLY strange error. Sounds like you need a new virus scanner though, I'd definatally still scan your computer and see if it can find anything else.


I had a hijack a while back, and found it was McAffe's fault, so I switched to Trend Micro -- no issues since.

[Decker]

Sounds likely to be one of the newer vundo PITA's