[SOLVED] Intrusive Pop-ups

Louis126 · 06-15-2008, 11:16 AM

Hello,

Please let me know if I am positing this in the wrong place. I would appreciate any help at all from anyone who might know how to resolve this issue.

I do not normally use Internet Explorer, however it is IE which is giving problems nonetheless (I use Mozilla Firefox, but anyway.....). I think I may have clicked on an executable file recently which I obviously should not have. Now what's happening is from time to time, regardless of what I am doing online (in most instances this interrupts what I am doing using Firefox), Internet Explorer comes up automatically, with a small window which actually covers only about 1/4th of the screen. On that smaller screen I am being asked if I am at least 18 years old so that the porno site which is trying to open can legally present this garbage on my computer screen (these pop-ups are intrusive, and are coming on my screen without my permission, to say the least.). But, thankfully, so far no porn has actually loaded. This is because I actually have an option already in place on that smaller window. I can either click the "OK" button, which will display the porn, or I can click the "Cancel" button (which is the only one I have been clicking on thus far), which makes the smaller window go away for a little while).

Just before I posted this I went into my IE options, and upgraded my Pop-Up Blocker settings from Medium to High (to where it will hopefully now block ALL incoming pop-ups). But the fact of the matter is, that since I do not even use IE anyway, why am I having to deal with this ridiculous issue at all. I think that there may have been (or may indeed be) a connection between that dot exe file I clicked on the other day (possibly yesterday, I believe), and this crap that is happening on my laptop.

On a sidenote, I am going to ask another question (though I am most likely asking in the wrong place, but anyway, here goes.........). I use the free version of AVG. I also use Ad-Aware, Spy-Bot, and Windows Defender. I probably run scans using these right around once a month (yes, I know this is not often enough, but anyway........), and of course I receive regular Windows Updates. I ran scans using each of these tools last night, just to see if I could find anything specific to the issue I am now experiencing. In light of this, can someone please tell me, why AVG always tell me that I have the correct updates, despite the fact that I have not yet seen it do an update since I downloaded it to this laptop back in late December of last year. Also, if I am not mistaken I don't think AVG ever finds anything wrong with this laptop. I am wondering if this could be a virus, which may be disabling AVG from doing its job correctly. I have AVG on another laptop (one running XP Pro), and whenever you press "Update", it always runs that annoying update process which, though annoying, but yet at least you know that you're protected. But my Vista laptop never does this. Instead it always tells me that it is up to date. I believe I might have it set to automatically update, but even so, wouldn't I still see that process take place on the screen every once in awhile?

And lastly, another question on a similar note. As you already know I use those 3 well known anti-spyware/malware tools also to scan my computer from time to time. In light of this, can someone please tell me, why in the world do I always have both Ad-Aware and Spy-Bot finding stuff that needs to be removed after each and every scan, but Windows Defender never finds anything. I am honestly wondering if Defender is essentially a worthless and useless Microsoft invention.

Thanks for any help that you can provide. I appreciate it very much!

funkmunky · 06-15-2008, 11:23 AM

Go to http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner and do an online virus scan?

You can also disable IE from opening up... Click the orb, go to "set computer access defaults" or whatever it is (I'm on XP at the mo, can't be bthered rebooting), here you can set default programs and such, but you can also click on the radio button, "Allow access to this program" next to IE so that it's empty - this is not ideal though, as something has obviously infected your machine...

Watari · 06-15-2008, 11:33 AM

That used to happen all the time to me. Although this may not be an option to you, I'd buy SpySweeper. If you know what you're doing, you could go into safemode and get rid of all the .tmps. That's what I did. Here's what you do if you have the same problem as me.

When the pop-ups appear, open Task Manager.
Look for a file like ~2483.tmp (it will have a number and .tmp)
Search the file using the search tool in the start menu
Results should appear
Look at the directory where the .tmps are
Open it up and see if you can delete all of them
If not, go into safemode and delete the rest
Clear cookies, cache and any other information that could carry the pop-ups
Restart and it should work

If that doesn't work, I'd just get firefox. It's a lot better and it rarely gets the problems IE gets.

Louis126 · 06-15-2008, 12:44 PM

I really appreciate both of these very helpful replies (and others I might get after this). I appreciate your help very much.

I have used SpySweeper before in the past (it used to be on my other laptop), but at the moment, I really can't afford that option right now. I will look into those other options though.

Thanks again for all your help! I'll keep you posted.........

**Go The Power** · 06-17-2008, 04:01 AM

Hello Louis126 and welcome to TSF

please follow these instructions:

Hello and welcome to TSF

I would recommend that you go here; read and follow the instructions very carefully; then, post all the requested logs and information; as instructed, to here. (Just click on the coloured links.)

Once done, please be patient, as the Security Team Analysts are usually very busy; one of them will answer your request as soon as they can.

Good luck

Please also remember DO NOT post your logs in this thread, please start a new thread here. (Just click on the coloured link.) and post the logs.

If you follow the steps above you will get help from our expert analysts

Louis126 · 06-18-2008, 01:38 AM

OK, I appreciate this very much. Actually, to be honest I haven't seen this pop-up reappear since following the first 2 member's responses (more or less). One thing I did was disable IE from appearing. I wonder if this is why I haven't seen the pop-up, which only seems to infect IE (I personally only use Mozilla Firefox (v.3)). Also, I uninstalled the useless version of AVG, and downloaded the current one (version 8). I had also been using Avast for a couple of days, but since it is redundant to have more than one, I uninstalled it earlier today.

So, it sounds like you are recommending that I still post a HijackThis Log in that appropriate thread. I will certainly look into this.

Thanks for all of your advice. I appreciate it very much!

06-15-2008, 11:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
Louis126 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NW GA Posts: 3 OS: Vista Home Basic SP1	[SOLVED] Intrusive Pop-ups Hello, Please let me know if I am positing this in the wrong place. I would appreciate any help at all from anyone who might know how to resolve this issue. I do not normally use Internet Explorer, however it is IE which is giving problems nonetheless (I use Mozilla Firefox, but anyway.....). I think I may have clicked on an executable file recently which I obviously should not have. Now what's happening is from time to time, regardless of what I am doing online (in most instances this interrupts what I am doing using Firefox), Internet Explorer comes up automatically, with a small window which actually covers only about 1/4th of the screen. On that smaller screen I am being asked if I am at least 18 years old so that the porno site which is trying to open can legally present this garbage on my computer screen (these pop-ups are intrusive, and are coming on my screen without my permission, to say the least.). But, thankfully, so far no porn has actually loaded. This is because I actually have an option already in place on that smaller window. I can either click the "OK" button, which will display the porn, or I can click the "Cancel" button (which is the only one I have been clicking on thus far), which makes the smaller window go away for a little while). Just before I posted this I went into my IE options, and upgraded my Pop-Up Blocker settings from Medium to High (to where it will hopefully now block ALL incoming pop-ups). But the fact of the matter is, that since I do not even use IE anyway, why am I having to deal with this ridiculous issue at all. I think that there may have been (or may indeed be) a connection between that dot exe file I clicked on the other day (possibly yesterday, I believe), and this crap that is happening on my laptop. On a sidenote, I am going to ask another question (though I am most likely asking in the wrong place, but anyway, here goes.........). I use the free version of AVG. I also use Ad-Aware, Spy-Bot, and Windows Defender. I probably run scans using these right around once a month (yes, I know this is not often enough, but anyway........), and of course I receive regular Windows Updates. I ran scans using each of these tools last night, just to see if I could find anything specific to the issue I am now experiencing. In light of this, can someone please tell me, why AVG always tell me that I have the correct updates, despite the fact that I have not yet seen it do an update since I downloaded it to this laptop back in late December of last year. Also, if I am not mistaken I don't think AVG ever finds anything wrong with this laptop. I am wondering if this could be a virus, which may be disabling AVG from doing its job correctly. I have AVG on another laptop (one running XP Pro), and whenever you press "Update", it always runs that annoying update process which, though annoying, but yet at least you know that you're protected. But my Vista laptop never does this. Instead it always tells me that it is up to date. I believe I might have it set to automatically update, but even so, wouldn't I still see that process take place on the screen every once in awhile? And lastly, another question on a similar note. As you already know I use those 3 well known anti-spyware/malware tools also to scan my computer from time to time. In light of this, can someone please tell me, why in the world do I always have both Ad-Aware and Spy-Bot finding stuff that needs to be removed after each and every scan, but Windows Defender never finds anything. I am honestly wondering if Defender is essentially a worthless and useless Microsoft invention. Thanks for any help that you can provide. I appreciate it very much!

06-15-2008, 11:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
funkmunky Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northwest UK Posts: 86 OS: XP Pro SP3, Vista Ultimate SP1, Ubuntu Desktop 7.10 x64 My System	Re: Intrusive Pop-ups Go to http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner and do an online virus scan? You can also disable IE from opening up... Click the orb, go to "set computer access defaults" or whatever it is (I'm on XP at the mo, can't be bthered rebooting), here you can set default programs and such, but you can also click on the radio button, "Allow access to this program" next to IE so that it's empty - this is not ideal though, as something has obviously infected your machine...

06-15-2008, 11:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
Watari Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 69 OS: Windows Vista Home Premium	Re: Intrusive Pop-ups That used to happen all the time to me. Although this may not be an option to you, I'd buy SpySweeper. If you know what you're doing, you could go into safemode and get rid of all the .tmps. That's what I did. Here's what you do if you have the same problem as me. When the pop-ups appear, open Task Manager. Look for a file like ~2483.tmp (it will have a number and .tmp) Search the file using the search tool in the start menu Results should appear Look at the directory where the .tmps are Open it up and see if you can delete all of them If not, go into safemode and delete the rest Clear cookies, cache and any other information that could carry the pop-ups Restart and it should work If that doesn't work, I'd just get firefox. It's a lot better and it rarely gets the problems IE gets. __________________ ^I may accidentally mislead you^ :(

06-15-2008, 12:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
Louis126 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NW GA Posts: 3 OS: Vista Home Basic SP1	Re: Intrusive Pop-ups I really appreciate both of these very helpful replies (and others I might get after this). I appreciate your help very much. I have used SpySweeper before in the past (it used to be on my other laptop), but at the moment, I really can't afford that option right now. I will look into those other options though. Thanks again for all your help! I'll keep you posted.........

06-17-2008, 04:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
Go The Power Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Australia Posts: 10,981 OS: Windows XP Home SP2 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Intrusive Pop-ups Hello Louis126 and welcome to TSF please follow these instructions: Hello and welcome to TSF I would recommend that you go here; read and follow the instructions very carefully; then, post all the requested logs and information; as instructed, to here. (Just click on the coloured links.) Once done, please be patient, as the Security Team Analysts are usually very busy; one of them will answer your request as soon as they can. Good luck Please also remember DO NOT post your logs in this thread, please start a new thread here. (Just click on the coloured link.) and post the logs. If you follow the steps above you will get help from our expert analysts __________________

06-18-2008, 01:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
Louis126 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NW GA Posts: 3 OS: Vista Home Basic SP1	Re: Intrusive Pop-ups OK, I appreciate this very much. Actually, to be honest I haven't seen this pop-up reappear since following the first 2 member's responses (more or less). One thing I did was disable IE from appearing. I wonder if this is why I haven't seen the pop-up, which only seems to infect IE (I personally only use Mozilla Firefox (v.3)). Also, I uninstalled the useless version of AVG, and downloaded the current one (version 8). I had also been using Avast for a couple of days, but since it is redundant to have more than one, I uninstalled it earlier today. So, it sounds like you are recommending that I still post a HijackThis Log in that appropriate thread. I will certainly look into this. Thanks for all of your advice. I appreciate it very much!