Internet Explorer launches itself?

[DrScientist]

I'm not sure if this question is in the right area, but I thought I would ask it in the Avast forum, as I have found people here to be helpful in the past.

Yesterday, I did a scan with the free Avast anti virus, and found 7 trojan virus's.  I sent them to the chest, then deleted them (not sure if I should have done this).  Later on, I tried to check something in my computer, and then ran into a problem I have had for a while now.

Basically, sometimes if I open "Control Panel", or try to click on my computer, Internet Explorer will suddenly launch, and usually with a message about spyware, or getting the latest anti spyware programs. I usually am able to close these before seeing the message.

So I scanned again with an updated Avast, and it found no virus's.  I have SpyBot S&D, and I scanned the comp yesterday, but before the control panel incident.  But it had found no spyware when I did scan.

I have an old computer that uses Windows 2000. I use Mozilla Firefox as my browser. I recently had to uninstall the free Comodo firewall, as it was coming up with errors (sometimes not being able to start up).  My computer has very little space on it.

Can anyone tell me what the problem might be?  Is this malware? Adware? Some other?

[sanctuaryforever]

I'm no expert but a self launching internet explorer which directs you to spyware information normally means your infected with something

I would wait for one of the others to view this topic as they are good at reslving this kind of thing

this may have been better posted in the viruses section

[Justin_22]

I have to agree with sanctuaryforever if Internet Explorer is launching by itself and is being redirected to a spyware site it usually means that you have been infected and your browser has been hijacked you can try a array of utilities to combat this Im no expert but Id suggest to do a complete system scan with avast and quarentine anything that might be detected and also try Superantispyware from www.superantispyware.com using the free version and also get a Hijackthis log using Hijackthis wich can be downloaded from
Here:http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis
and post the log for review by a expert on here

[Lisandro]

I suggest:

1. Disable System Restore and reenable it after step 3.
2. Clean your temporary files.
3. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast with archive scanning turned on.
4. Use SUPERantispyware and/or Spyware Terminator to scan for spywares and trojans. If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.
5. Test your machine with anti-rootkit applications. I suggest avast! antirootkit or Trend Micro RootkitBuster.
6. Make a HijackThis log to post here or, better, submit the RunScanner log to to on-line analysis.
7. Immunize your system with SpywareBlaster or Windows Advanced Care.
8. Check if you have insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector.

[DrScientist]

Thanks for the help! A few questions:

1. How do you disable System Restore in Windows 2000?  I've never done it before.  Is it done in safe mode?  I'm a computer novice.

2. How do you schedule a boot time scanning?

3. How do you turn on archive scanning?

[DavidR]

1. win2k doesn't have system restore.

2. Right click the avast icon, select Start avast! Antivirus, Menu, 'Schedule boot-time scan...' Or see http://www.digitalred.com/avast-boot-time.php.

3. From the Simple User Interface, the same instruction to get there as 2. above, when you select what you want to scan, local disks, folder selection, etc. the sensitivity slider pops out in that there is also a check box. Tick the check box if you want to scan archives, but be aware that this will increase he scan duration, possibly by a good deal, something I don't consider worthwhile for what are inert files.

Archive (zip, rar, etc.) files are by their nature are inert, you need to extract the files and then you have to run them to be a threat. Long before that happens avast's Standard Shield should have scanned them and before an executable is run that is scanned. Thorough is also by its design very thorough and perhaps a little overkill for routine use, were a Standard scan without archives should be adequate.