Author Topic: need help with computer problem (Read 528 times)

RTR · « **on:** November 14, 2003, 06:09:49 PM »

Hi folks, hoping someone can direct me a bit here.

Kid's computer..older 500mhz emachine.
Windows 98SE

Somehow the home page keeps resetting itself to something called fastwebfind (or very similar). Everytime the computer gets restarted it sets this to the home page. I have to go to internet options and reset it to what it is supposed to be. This fastwebfind is a search engine (at least looks like it).

Now the thing that's really pissing me off is this.
This thing leaves addresses to porn sites in the address bar at the top of the page.

When I reset the homepage I am also going ahead and deleting cookies and all temp files (that I know of). Also killing the history of web pages visited.

I can't find a program installed on the computer that I think would cause this and it is driving me crazy.

The only thing I saw as a program that I am not sure of is "mIRC",
which I think is a chat program?

Is there something downloaded that I haven't found?

The only thing I can think of is file sharing somehow?
The little bastards are always downloading music from who knows where etc. And...being typical teenagers in Dad's gunsights, they are all quite adamant that they know nothing about "file sharing Dad?"

Help me keep some peace in the house (and maybe save a teenager or two or three from certain death) please.

Norton is totally up to date and scans show no infected files.

Thanks folks,
RTR

JB73 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 14, 2003, 06:32:53 PM »

actually i got an acquaintance (friend of a friend) who's having the same problem (but on winME)

he had me come over for $25 and fix it.... i couldnt take his money because i couldnt find a thing!

i ran ad-aware AND spybot.. all clean.

deleted every *.tmp file i could.

cleared ALL objects in the temp folders (even hidden files)

we finally decided his wife in school is going to get a student discount on winXP ($35) and we are going to do a fresh format and install.

unfortunately the kids got soda in the CD burner and now we cant get ezcdcreator to recognize the new burner. (winME see's it as a cdR drive) but they are going to lose all their data with a clean install.

if anyone can figure this out and save the data it will save ALOT of headache.

RTR · « **Reply #2 on:** November 14, 2003, 06:50:32 PM »

Kids...hmmmm, common denominator here?
Maybe we are going about this the wrong way.

Maybe we oughta be reformatting the little bastages instead

Seriously though, if anyone has any ideas, I sure would be interested in hearing them.

Cheers,
RTR

214thCavalier · « **Reply #3 on:** November 14, 2003, 07:25:23 PM »

You have all the available patches etc from Windows update ?

I ask because i just assembled an old 200mhz system and installed Win98.

As soon as i connected to my network and tested internet connect was ok, had that crap change my home page.

I installed zone alarm pronto, changed the home page to my choice and updated win98 to all available patches.

Its gone, never reappeared.

From my experience if you are running an unpatched win98 system your gonna get trouble and fast.

The default version of internet explorer in win98 has so many security holes that are well exploited now, so much so that it was only minutes before it got into my old comp.

RTR · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2003, 11:24:26 AM »

good point. Hadn't thought of windows updates.
Will check thanks
I'll let you know how I make out.

Cheers, and thanks
RTR

RTR · « **Reply #5 on:** November 16, 2003, 02:29:24 PM »

Nope, still no joy.
Going to reformat the kids and then the computer.
cheers,
RTR

iikie · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2003, 04:09:38 AM »

Try this.
1. go to Start
2. Run
3. Type: regedit
4. Once the registry editor is open, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
5. Scroll down to where it says start page and replace what is there with "http://www.msn.com/"

Or what ever you want your home page to be

RTR · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2003, 09:13:15 AM »

well thanks for replies all.
Ended up reformatting and its been clear for a few days now.

(reformatted computer......wife wouldn't let me reformat kids hehe)

cheers,
RTR

Roscoroo · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2003, 01:06:49 PM »

whats probly happening is your kids are catching an older virus ...
probly a backdoor type/ ptsnoop or something like that

the virus programs dont have the old pattern files on them anymore for that peticular virus and thats why u cant find it .

you need to learn how to go thru regedit and check the microsoft /windows/system/run regestry for this type of bug.

if your kids are running Kazaa they have a 95% chance to catch a virus in 24 hours ... along with the fact if they are on your hi speed connection your bandwith is going to get cut in half of worse because your ip is on the kazaa file share network and thousands are gonna be pinging it ...

Also it takes up to 2 days after kazzaa is turned off for your network to settle back down ..

(This happened at my house )