IE opens a new window every several minutes even after it was remo

I must have gotten a virus of some kind.

IE7 started opening a new window to seemingly random web sites (nothing
suspicious - most of them are to charities) every several minutes. I ran a
full virus scan and removed several viruses but it still kept happening. I
upgraded to IE8, and it still kept happening.

I've now removed IE8 and restarted my computer, but it is still happening.

Since I can't seem to get rid of this virus I need to completely uninstall
IE. Removing it from the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs doesn't work,
though. The windows still keep popping up.

What do I have to do to completely get rid of IE?

Thanks.

Dean

Hi,
Windows XP or Vista?

You can't uninstall Internet Explorer from a Windows system newer that Win
98 and uninstalling IE won't cure this. There will be infected files in
Windows and other directories.

Work through these steps:
1. Scan with Windows Defender - already installed on Vista - free download
for XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...r/default.mspx

2. Run the Malicious Software Removal Tool.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
This is not a wide-spectrum tool, but is worth running.

3. Run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

4. If there is *any* reason to suspect that these tools didn't remove all
malware, visit one of these sites, register and follow the protocol.

Aumha:
http://www.aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30
Start at http://www.aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075

SpywareHammer:
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...5&boa rd=10.0
Read:
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...5&top ic=87.0
then
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...5&top ic=88.0

Bleeping Computer:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html

After the malware is removed:
Protect Your Computer - Latest Security Tools - Microsoft Security:
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...nced/xppc.mspx

Free antivirus programs:
Avast Home Edition http://www.avast.com/
Avira AntiVir http://www.free-av.com/
AVG http://free.avg.com/
-
Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

"Dean Schulze" <Dean Schulze@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0E94D9EA-1577-4A4D-B241-FC3BCFF0B7E8@microsoft.com...
> I must have gotten a virus of some kind.
>
> IE7 started opening a new window to seemingly random web sites (nothing
> suspicious - most of them are to charities) every several minutes. I ran
a
> full virus scan and removed several viruses but it still kept happening.
I
> upgraded to IE8, and it still kept happening.
>
> I've now removed IE8 and restarted my computer, but it is still happening.
>
> Since I can't seem to get rid of this virus I need to completely uninstall
> IE. Removing it from the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs doesn't work,
> though. The windows still keep popping up.
>
> What do I have to do to completely get rid of IE?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Dean

Very likely IE has absolutely _nothing_ to do with this. Some type of malware
is sending http protocol links through the system. Your default browser (IE)
does what it is supposed to do and opens the pages. Even if you _could_ remove
IE (you can't) and you made Firefox, Opera or Chrome your default browser they
would then open those pages.

If you had several viruses then you probably have several other threats that are
not "viruses" but can wreak similar havoc.

You can try Avira Anti-virus, ClamWin AV, SUPER Antispyware or Spybot S&D, as
well as the software and links suggested by Don Varnau in another post.

Not all malware writers are "evil", sort of like the animal rights advocates who
throw pig's blood on women wearing fur coats :-( Good cause, bad execution!

--
G. R. Woodring

Date: 7/26/2009 7:33 PM, Author: Dean Schulze Wrote:
> I must have gotten a virus of some kind.
>
> IE7 started opening a new window to seemingly random web sites (nothing
> suspicious - most of them are to charities) every several minutes. I ran a
> full virus scan and removed several viruses but it still kept happening. I
> upgraded to IE8, and it still kept happening.
>
> I've now removed IE8 and restarted my computer, but it is still happening.
>
> Since I can't seem to get rid of this virus I need to completely uninstall
> IE. Removing it from the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs doesn't work,
> though. The windows still keep popping up.
>
> What do I have to do to completely get rid of IE?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Dean
>

I was able to stop this behavior by removing the msa.exe malware. (Google
for msa.exe.) I also removed the b.exe malware, but it looks like it was
msa.exe that was causing it.

Incidentally, I had my default browser set to Firefox, but it was always IE
that got opened even after removing IE.

I'll re-install IE8 now and verify that it doesn't happen any longer.

And how can malware writers not be evil? I think it is time for prison
sentences for virus writers given the enormous amount of economic damage they
do.

If someone writes a program that gets installed on my computer without my
explicit knowledge, or by fraudulent representation of what it is, and if it
can't be completely removed in one step that person should find himself in
the dock facing prison time or a fine or both.



"Dean Schulze" wrote:

> I must have gotten a virus of some kind.
>
> IE7 started opening a new window to seemingly random web sites (nothing
> suspicious - most of them are to charities) every several minutes. I ran a
> full virus scan and removed several viruses but it still kept happening. I
> upgraded to IE8, and it still kept happening.
>
> I've now removed IE8 and restarted my computer, but it is still happening.
>
> Since I can't seem to get rid of this virus I need to completely uninstall
> IE. Removing it from the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs doesn't work,
> though. The windows still keep popping up.
>
> What do I have to do to completely get rid of IE?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Dean
>

[And you thought IE was causing the problem!]

Dean Schulze wrote:
> I was able to stop this behavior by removing the msa.exe malware. (Google
> for msa.exe.) I also removed the b.exe malware, but it looks like it was
> msa.exe that was causing it.
>
> Incidentally, I had my default browser set to Firefox, but it was always
> IE
> that got opened even after removing IE.
>
> I'll re-install IE8 now and verify that it doesn't happen any longer.
>
> And how can malware writers not be evil? I think it is time for prison
> sentences for virus writers given the enormous amount of economic damage
> they do.
>
> If someone writes a program that gets installed on my computer without my
> explicit knowledge, or by fraudulent representation of what it is, and if
> it
> can't be completely removed in one step that person should find himself in
> the dock facing prison time or a fine or both.
>
>
>
> "Dean Schulze" wrote:
>
>> I must have gotten a virus of some kind.
>>
>> IE7 started opening a new window to seemingly random web sites (nothing
>> suspicious - most of them are to charities) every several minutes. I ran
>> a
>> full virus scan and removed several viruses but it still kept happening.
>> I
>> upgraded to IE8, and it still kept happening.
>>
>> I've now removed IE8 and restarted my computer, but it is still
>> happening.
>>
>> Since I can't seem to get rid of this virus I need to completely
>> uninstall
>> IE. Removing it from the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs doesn't work,
>> though. The windows still keep popping up.
>>
>> What do I have to do to completely get rid of IE?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Dean

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> [And you thought IE was causing the problem!]

No. Go back and read my original question where I said I must have gotten a
virus.

How did you get to be a MS MVP with reading comprehension problems like that
:-).

<bite me>

Dean Schulze wrote:
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> [And you thought IE was causing the problem!]
>
> No. Go back and read my original question where I said I must have gotten
> a
> virus.
>
> How did you get to be a MS MVP with reading comprehension problems like
> that
> :-).