IE opens on startup

[Curtis E Carr]

When I start my computer, it has started automatically opening Internet Explorer and trying to dial out. Any idea as to why this is and can anything be done about it?

Many thanks.

[mikedurward]

Sounds like a malware or spyware issue.

Plenty if threads on here about how to deal with them



Mike

[Curtis E Carr]

Thanks Mike

I did consider this and regularly use Ad Aware, Spybot, Bazooka and MS Antispyware. Also, there is nothing in the Startup menu to suggest why this should be happening.

'Tis a mystery.

Curtis

[mikedurward]

To be honest the only way IE will do this is if it is told to by something nastly !!!!!!!!!



Mike

[Irish Steve]

depending on which version of windows you are on, there was an option in IE that allowed it to automatically check for updates to IE, and if this is due to run, it will do so on startup.

I can't remember where the setting for it is, or how it's scheduled, but I know that for a while, an old WIN98 machine that hadn't been used on line for a while used to annoy the **** out of me by going off to check for updates, and it was only after I let it do it, with appropriate checks to make sure that it wasn't going somewhere innapropriate, that it eventually caught up with itself and stopped doing it.

Unfortunately, the other real possibility is that you've been hijacked by something nasty, so somehow, you're going to have to try and find out where it's trying to go, and if it's not somewhere that's acceptable, then find out why, and remove whatever it is that's doing it.

Sorry if that's not a lot of encouragement.

[Coconutty]

The setting Irish Steve refers to :

With Internet Explorer running click the "Tools" Menu then "Internet Options...", then the "Advanced" tab and see if the check box for "Automatically check for Internet Explorer updates" is ticked - if so that's your problem - just untick it by clicking the check box then click "Apply" and close everything down.

In addition to looking in the Start Up menu check the following :
Click "Start" then "Run" Type "msconfig" and click "OK"
Click the "Start Up" tab and you will see a list of programs that are loaded when the PC starts -

You may not see Internet Explorer in the list but there could be some indication of any Spyware etc that is running without your knowledge, which you could then investigate / try disabling.

The above would be the simple solutions - it is more likely, as has already been suggested, that your problem is as a result of spyware / virus or similar so research and update with the latest virus and spyware definitions then conduct a thorough test of your PC.

Hope this helps.

[Out Of Trim]

It may well be the MS Antispyware itself, I had quite a few Zone Alarm requests for that program to connect and update.

I managed to switch that off within the program settings and will manually let it update when I want it to.

[F4Fan]

Hi

I also believe its Spyware of somekind.

Usually IE should give you some kind of message about whats trying to access the net.

I would download , CWShredder and Hijackthis

http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract..._download.html
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Run both of these and Adware

Also - Get Spybot

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

this stops programs writing to your registry and thus overwriting defaults on your machine.


f4fan

[Curtis E Carr]

Thanks, people. Lot's of good advice there. I will wade through it all to see what works.

I did also think that MS AntiSpyWare might be the culprit so I have removed it.

Will let you know. Meanwhile, many thanks to you all.

Curtis