Haunting pop-up every 5 min. - not from Internet

[Nancy]

I'm using Vista Home Premium and after I had looked up something
within the Windows Help & Support... I closed the help, and
now... every five minutes pops up a window that only shows the
date in the title bar that reads:

"Navigation to the webpage was canceled
What you can try:
* Refresh the page"

I have tried refreshing the page just to see where it would go.
It goes nowhere even if on the Internet. There is no X box in
the title bar to close this window and right clicking on it in
the task bar does not work either. I finally use Task Manager to
close it. I've restarted my PC a few times but the window keeps
coming back no matter what I'm doing.
If anyone knows how I can put an end to this haunting, please let
me know.

Thank you,

Nancy

 

[Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM]

I'm using Vista Home Premium and after I had looked up something within
the Windows Help & Support... I closed the help, and now... every five
minutes pops up a window that only shows the date in the title bar that
reads:

"Navigation to the webpage was canceled
What you can try:
* Refresh the page"

I have tried refreshing the page just to see where it would go. It goes
nowhere even if on the Internet. There is no X box in the title bar to
close this window and right clicking on it in the task bar does not work
either. I finally use Task Manager to close it. I've restarted my PC a
few times but the window keeps coming back no matter what I'm doing.
If anyone knows how I can put an end to this haunting, please let me know.

Thank you,

Nancy

Do a thorough check for malware, following all of the steps at one of these
Web pages.
Help with malware:
All MS-MVP Sites.
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/darnit.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
For quite a few people it's by installing programs like Messenger Plus,
whose ads for malware don't identify the malware as such and try to convince
you that you owe it to the author. See also:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=27971
Don't ever do a "default" install of anything. Always choose Custom and see
what else is being carried along. Don't install any extras you're not sure
of.

 

[Nancy]

I think I figured it out....
Since it started happening after viewing the Win Vista help, I
thought that was the culprit.
I realized that my PC vender, Hewlett-Packard has their own help
incorporated within the Windows help.
My PC has a variety of security software that came bundled with
it.

I doubt that HP would have it's own software considered to be
spyware or malware. It is difficult to remove OEM integrated
software. (I think that's what they call it???)

What I'm trying to say is.... you were right.

Thank you

Nancy

 

[Joseph Meehan]

...

I doubt that HP would have it's own software considered to be spyware or
malware. It is difficult to remove OEM integrated software. (I think
that's what they call it???)

Sorry to say you are right about HP. I don't think they could have done
better jog of aggravating their customers if they tried.

There should be a site with nothing but instructions to remove the HP
trash.

 

[Ralph]

Hi,

I am not the total authority. This is just my opinion.
Well, it's an educated opinion. I did work for Compaq, as it was taken down
by HP, and more recently for Dell tech support.

These large companies get their software in a deal that provides the
software firms with advertising, in the hopes you'll pay for their stuff and
not look around for alternatives. Some of that advertising is as close to
malware as anything you'd find on the internet.

If it annoys you, remove it. It's your computer, and you don't deserve the
aggrivation. (but do your research first !!!)
You may be able to calm down the popups in a useful application.

First, prove that the internet is not involved by disconnecting your
internet cable (physically) and restarting your computer.
If you still get the pop-up, it's internal.

OEM software should be no more difficult to remove than going to Control
Panel ->Add/remove software and removing it.
If it is more difficult, check google. Others will have help.
If you're using Vista, it's Programs and Features.

The software bundles I've seen have not impressed me, and I'd forgotten how
much I got rid of, until I restored a Dell to pass it along to a relative.
I got calls...

 

[Falcon]

I think I figured it out....
Since it started happening after viewing the Win Vista help, I
thought that was the culprit.
I realized that my PC vender, Hewlett-Packard has their own help
incorporated within the Windows help.
My PC has a variety of security software that came bundled with
it.

I doubt that HP would have it's own software considered to be
spyware or malware. It is difficult to remove OEM integrated
software. (I think that's what they call it???)

What I'm trying to say is.... you were right.

Thank you

Nancy

Same thing happened to me. I went to Help and a bit later my
CounterSpy software warned me about hpcee.exe wanting to change the
registry. I said no, quarantine it and then looked it up. It is
indeed HP malware and I told CounterSpy to nuke it from quarantine
and no problems.

If you look up hpcee.exe you can find links on how to rid yourself of
it. I did not need to do that since my spyware program did it but
since you are now infected you will have to go the whole route.

 

[Nancy]

"Falcon" > wrote in message.

Same thing happened to me. I went to Help and a bit later my
CounterSpy software warned me about hpcee.exe wanting to change
the
registry. I said no, quarantine it and then looked it up. It
is
indeed HP malware and I told CounterSpy to nuke it from
quarantine
and no problems.

If you look up hpcee.exe you can find links on how to rid
yourself of
it. I did not need to do that since my spyware program did it
but
since you are now infected you will have to go the whole route.

---------------------------------------------

I came to the same conclusion... I manually got rid of it though.
After uninstalling ALL of the HP programs, the pop-up still kept
poppin'.
I finally had to keep the Task Manager running until it showed up
in the application section of Task Manager, right click on it> go
to process in the process list, which shows exactly where the
file was.
So I went to that folder and zipped the application along with
some reminder application and some kind of scheduler application.
I keep the zip folder within the original folder just incase
something goes haywire. IT WORKED!!!!
Everything seems good so far. However, I'm sure the event log is
probably going nuts from it. (Cannot view my event viewer
anyway)
I know that is an unorthodox way deal with it, but I was going
crazy. Now I just want to replace Norton with another antivirus
program and I'll be happy. lol.

Nancy
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