I can't surf the web! What's wrong?

[ozeman]

Last night my son clicked on a link in Google and as he reported the screen froze fror a few seconds.

Since then, everytime I want to surf the web, I receive a MS error page that says that I cannot be connected to the website in question. However, I have been able to connect to websites such as Poker Stars, by clicking on the Poker Stars icon.

What do you think is the problem? Can anyone help please?

 

[Spike]

First, folow the guide found HERE to check for and remove as much spyware/adware as possible

Secondly, Run HijackThis and use the guide found HERE to post your HJT log as a text attachment in this thread.

Once you've done that there'll be something to work with and hopefully someone else or myself (most likely someone else, if I'm honest! lol) will be able to solve your problem.

 

[ozeman]

Thanks Spike!

For a tech dummy like myself, this looks like a daunting task, but I shall download all the programs suggested onto a cd from my work computer and do my best to follow your instructions and report back asap.

 

[Spike]

It's not really hard. A little uncomfortable, yes, but not difficult.

I tell you what, it's late and I'm confused, so as a one off, post your HJT log first (without the spyware removal stuff) and we'll see how it is. For all I know, you have Aurora and nothing else, in which case I'll have just wasted your time for the most part

(note: I was going to infect my machine with aurora to see what it's like, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. haven't had the time. RBS - I'll get there! lol)

Just show us a HJT log (as a text attachment) and we'll see where you're at. You may have to follow those instructions anyway, or maybe not.

NOTE to others: - this isn't common practice. Don't all start ignoring advice and posting without checking. I'm acctually asking for this, and the OP here is clearly more than willing to do whatever needs doing anyway

 

[ozeman]

hI Spike! Apparently my son beat me to it. When I got home last night, he had already discovered that the virus in question was a trojan horse by running an anti virus program.

the trojan had apparently stolen the wininet.dll file and rendered some of the computer applications useless. we managed to copy the deleted file from an old windows floppy and apparently all is well again!

Thanks for all your help anyway. btw, do trojans simply eat up criticial files to make program applications useless?

 

[Vigilante]

Viruses do what they have to do in order to spread. Sometimes infecting your files, sometimes just creating its own files.

It would still be a good idea to download some of those programs and clean yourself up. And get a working, up to date antivirus program like Panda or AVG Free. And lastly, if you were using Firefox as your browser, this never would have happened

www.mozilla.org

 

[ozeman]

Thank you for your suggestions.

Many people have suggested that I should switch to Firefox too.