Help!

For the last week or so I have been plagued by my pc opening 54 empty Internet Explorer Windows totally randomly.

It always stops at 54 and the only way to get rid of them, is to wait until they have all opened, click on the 'x' to close one of them, and then right click on the bar at the bottom and 'close group'.

Sometimes it happens every few minutes, sometimes with hours between.

It can be infuriating, especially if I am sitting with finger poised to bid a last 5p for a Matilda video or something on e-bay

Anyone else ever had anything else like it?

It's driving me craaazy.

Thanks.

Jo

Sorry, Jo. Sounds like you're infected. Be sure to run a virus-scan with the newest virus definitions NOW. It may very well be the Blaster worm (virus) or something else.. God forbid it's some NEW virus! YIKES! DO IT NOW!

You say it opens a new, EMPTY web browser window?? Surely it's not empty, is it? I mean, is there ANYTHING in the website address box? If so, what is it? Or does it say something like C:\something here ? Good luck!

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks MM

I've already run the virus scanner, but I'm doing it again.

No, it has nothing in at all. I'll double check next time it happens incase my memory isn't working correctly.

Should I be getting the newest virus definitions from somewhere other than my installed virus scanner which updates itself on-line regularly?

I know, not very clever am I?

Thanks.

Jo

OK - it's just happened again.

I was correct, the website address box is EMPTY.

When I look in History, it seems there are versions of windows I have previously had opened - but with a massive amount of prefix beforehand (They all seem to have this 'adopt' thing at the beginning, but they don't all have 'hotbar') e.g.

http://adopt.hotbar.com/adopt.jsp?l=2262&sz=pop&na=%b8%bd&pc=&g=&yb=&sys_id=0&r=j&bnum=778372&dom=news%2ebbc%2eco%2euk

Probably totally irrelevant, but thought I'd show you anyway.

Still scanning ...

Jo

Yep, it sounds like a virus, or even a trojan or worm virus.

Sometimes online free scans (assuming you're passing these) are not as good as they should be. Try others.

I need your photo back in your profile. The other sheep are alright but I miss the nicer one. Baaaaa.

Hotbar? Uhmmmm... no, it's not a virus. That kind of behaviour seems to me like spyware or a browser hijacker. Update your Sbybot S&D with the latest signature files and check if it can be removed with that.

Also have a look at Andrew Clover\'s Doxdesk page on "parasites".

If you can't removed it with Spybot or following the instructions at that web page, create a report with Spybot and send it to me by e-mail. I'll see what I can do.

I remember Hotbar from a couple years ago. It was all the fashion. You could use these Hotbar "skins" on your browser and backgrounds for emails. It was a pretty idea but never took off. Sounds like it installed something something on there - maybe without your knowledge. You'll need to UNinstall it.

I just went to HOTBAR.com and you really can't do ANYTHING once you're there EXCEPT click on the "I AGREE TO THE TERMS OF USE. CLICK HERE!". So you click there and it AUTOMATICALLY begins downloading and installing. You can't hit the STOP button either - you can just close the window. There are no obvious instructions on their front page about how to go about UNinstalling it either.

UPDATE: It wasn't obvious at all (no link whatsoever) but I snooped around and found their UNlisted UNinstall instructions page HERE

Here are the instructions:
Good luck, Jo. Keep us posted. Saludos, MadridMan

Here is the result from Andrew Clovers Doxdesk:

Sooooo - do I be brave and go ahead with the removal instructions provided by Andrew Clover?

I do have Zone Alarm firewally stuff installed - shouldn't this have protected me?

Thanks to everyone by the way

Ignacio - the picture? OK, I'll see what I can do - But you have to realise I have dyed my hair recently

Jo

I don't know that guy nor it's site, so, I can't give advice on following instructions or not. I suppose you should, but lets wait for other's comments.

About your firewall: Usually protects you but many times we OPEN the gates through downloading files, attachments to mail, or chat utilities. You need to open the "ports" to be able to run these. If you let pass into your PC some files, you are opening the gate of your wall (firewall) to do so. Pirates can also get through some of the usually open ports (mail, browser, mesenger, ..) if there is a safety failure in Windows (a lot, it seems)it can get in without you doing anything.

Wll, thats what I think, I am no computer people.

Jo, the free Zone Alarm firewall (NOTICE TO ALL WHO READ THIS!! GET ZONE ALARM FOR YOUR PC!! IT'S A NECESSITY THESE DAYS!!!!!) would help but not if you "contracted" this parasite BEFORE installing Zone Alarm and definitely not if you gave permission to download and install the program. Have you ever visited the HotBar.com website?

Saludos, MadridMan