Cookies disappearing

[Guest]

Could someone please explain why all my cookies have been deleted every time
I restart my computer? Clue: the Privacy setting in Internet Options is set
on Med-High, just as its always been for years and the box next to ""Override
automatic cookie handling" is unchecked, just as it always been for years.

 

[Bob I]

Perhaps the addition of privacy software or "cookie cleaner" by one of
the users?

 

[Unknown]

Please try setting Privacy to medium. Post back if not fixed.

 

[Guest]

Tried that - cookies still disappear.
Also, there has been no addition of privacy software or "cookie cleaner" by
one of
the users (I'm the only user). I've scanned for malware and none was found
but that doesn't mean there's none there causing the problem, I suppose.

 

[Unknown]

Please bear with me. How do you know they disappear? If you go to control
panel--folder options---view--do you have 'hide protected system files'
unchecked? This will allow the cookies file to appear when you're at
'documents and settings'..

 

[Guest]

Immediately after I restart my computer, there will be no cookies in
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files,
where they're supposed to be. There are cookies there right now because I've
been visiting various websites since I turned my pc on today. But if I
restart, all my cookies (and only the cookies) will be gone. My cookies
never used to disappear until about a week ago. Of course most cookies are
useless to me and I'm glad they're getting deleted but there are a few that
are time saving that I wish would stay.

 

[Unknown]

No Debbie, that is not where cookies are. That is only a temporary file.
However, if they are being cleared from there, you are running a program
that clears your temp file when powering up. Are you running Disk Cleanup
when powering up or down?
The cookies are stored at 'Documents and settings' ---Debbie. (the user)
However this file is a hidden file. See my previous post if the file is
hidden"Debbie"
To sum up, you're only clearing your temporary file when powering up or
down-------No problem.

 

[Guest]

'Hide protected system files' is unchecked.
All the cookies in C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Cookies are dated today.
And tomorrow, just after I restart my computer, those cookies will have
disappeared.
I am not running Disk Cleanup when powering up or down. And it's only
cookies, but not the other temp files, that I find have been deleted from the
Temporary Internet Files folder after I restart my pc. Is there a Cookie
Monster virus out there?

 

[frodo]

'Hide protected system files' is unchecked.
All the cookies in C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Cookies are dated today.
And tomorrow, just after I restart my computer, those cookies will have
disappeared.
I am not running Disk Cleanup when powering up or down. And it's only
cookies, but not the other temp files, that I find have been deleted from the
Temporary Internet Files folder after I restart my pc. Is there a Cookie
Monster virus out there?

What's happening is unusual; it sounds like the cookies in question are
just "session cookies", with a lifetime of only one session. There are
malware-preventing tools out there that can do this, marking/forcing
all/most cookies to be session cookies, but I'd imagine if you had one of
those running you would know about it. I use Privoxy (a local proxy),
which can do this; there are others too. From your path description I
assume you're running IE; go into IE's properties/options dialog and look
around, you may want to reset its default settings and see if that changes
anything. And verify if you are running thru a proxy and didn't realize
it.

 

[Unknown]

As a test case, go to internet options---privacy tab and slide the slider up
and down and read what it says for each setting.
Then choose a low setting and check the cookies file tomorrow after powering
up. Post results tomorrow.

 

[Guest]

Frodo,
I'm not running any malware-preventing tools. IE is my browser. Do you
mean for me to reset my "Web settings to their original Internet Explorer
defaults"? How do I verify if I am running thru a proxy? Now I'm getting
scared after reading what a hostile proxy is.

 

[Guest]

I did as you suggested and this morning the cookies folder is empty.

 

[Unknown]

Wish I were at your machine. But, can you click start--run--type in
'msconfig' (no quotes) click ok and then click startup tab and post a list
of programs starting there? You apparently have some malware somewhere.

 

[Unknown]

I believe you have an antispyware program which is deleting your cookies.

 

[Guest]

Ok, here's the list of checked items in Startup:
shwiconem
NeroCheck
igfxtray
hkcmd
zHotkey
ShowWnd
RECGUARD
PDVDServ
HDaudPropShortcut
SOUNDMAN
ALCWZRD
ALCMTR
SNDMon
mixersel
jusched
UrLstCk
ccApp
startdrv
cssrss
CompuServe 7.0 Tr...

Plus, there's one box checked where the Startup Item field is blank, as is
the Command field. But the location field has an entry which is similar to
most of the others. Should I uncheck that box?

The Startup Item, cssrss, is suspicious to me because twice this week, after
I turned on my computer, I got an error message saying "cssrss.exe has
encountered a problem and needs to close". Have you ever heard of this
program? Should I at least uncheck the box?

I wonder if I've got a kind of spyware that deletes cookies so I'm forced to
always type in entries (that would otherwise be preset) allowing those
entries to be captured by a key logger. Have you ever heard of such a thing?

I do not have any antispyware except for outdated Norton Internet Security.
I'm currently doing research on antispyware/antivirus software. I might go
with Windows Live OneCare. Is that a good one?

I appreciate your trying to help me.

 

[Unknown]

Be aware that spyware or malware can be named anything. Of the items named
and listed the biggest suspects are CSSRSS, Norton, followed by Nero Check.
My first approach would be to delete Norton first..Especially since it is
supposedly an internet security program.
It is perfectly safe to remove all the X's in Startup. If Windows needs it,
it will be put back.
My next approach would be delete them all (x's) then recheck them one at a
time as you need or want. Or do a few at a time (just takes longer) You can
do a Google search on each item to get more information as to their purpose.
If you do you'll see cssrss is a known problem. I do NOT recommend
downloading any program that claims it will remove malware for you except
Microsoft's programs. Do NOT delete the program as it IS a valid Microsoft
element. Remember malware can have ANY name..
Norton has the worst reputation. It sooner or later gives everyone a
problem.
I cannot recommend any virus, spyware or malware programs because I don't
use any.

 

[windmap]

Could someone please explain why all my cookies have been deleted every time
I restart my computer? Clue: the Privacy setting in Internet Options is set
on Med-High, just as its always been for years and the box next to ""Override
automatic cookie handling" is unchecked, just as it always been for years.

Backup all important files and documents and delete the current user
account and create new user account ,account name slightly different
then current one and see whether this happens in new user account also.

 

[frodo]

Frodo,
I'm not running any malware-preventing tools. IE is my browser. Do you
mean for me to reset my "Web settings to their original Internet Explorer
defaults"? How do I verify if I am running thru a proxy? Now I'm getting
scared after reading what a hostile proxy is.

Yes, that's the "reset" I'm talking about.

To check for a proxy look under the options | connections tab, then the
settings button (for each connection in the list, and at the bottom for
LAN (this is for IE7; IE6 is similar tho wording may be slightly diff))

"Hostile Proxy"? That's malware.

I mentioned Privoxy, a good-guy proxy. goto www.privoxy.org

I highly recommend this open-source freeware tool. Designed to reduce the
amount of advertisements, but it has a lot of additonal power, including
stopping most "abusive techniques" used in HTML and Javascript (popups,
hide status bar, open-link-on-window-close, etc), and making most cookies
just "session" cookies. It's very powerful, and technical, but you don't
need to know a thing! - the built-in defaults are just right, no tweaking
unless you really want to. Easy to enable/disable via a tray icon when you
need to (shopping sites don't work well when it's enabled). It makes
surfing MUCH safer, no more "drive-by attacks".

One caution tho: since this is a LOCAL PROXY which resides at 127.0.0.1
(ie, your local machine) you need to make sure that your firewall KNOWS
that 127.0.0.1 is not a "trusted" zone any longer (since every internet
access will go thru there it isn't JUST the "local loopback" anymore).
Zone Alarm is one you need to double check, as it defaults 127.0.0.1 as
"local loopback" and treats it as trusted by default; you need to change
that in the zones tab, easy but important.

I also reccommend that all IE users take advantage of a free MS-inspired
tool called DropMyRights. Google for it, and follow the directions to
make a desktop shortcut to "IE Safe", which launches IE w/ reduced
privledges. There are several variants out there, the original MS MVP's
version and some enhanced versions; they all work well.

 

[Guest]

Debbie, the same thing has been happening to me. I switched to Firerox and
everything works fine. I only have trouble with I.E. I can no longer even log
into my yahoo account through I.E. This does not help you much, but at leat
you know that you are not alone.
Rick