IE 6.0 won't start unless I disconnect from the Internet

[russell c.]

This really weird problem started out of the blue.

If I connect to the Internet (broadband) and try to run IE 6.0, no
broswer window will show up for several minutes. It doesn't matter
whether I try running it from the desktop, the IE folder, start menu
or any shortcut - I only get the broswer to start 2 or 3 minutes after
clicking on the icon.

If I disconnect, though, all the broswer windows pop up at once. If I
tried to run IE 15 times while connected, I'll get the 15 windows the
very second I disconnect. It also works fine if I try starting it
while disonnected. Which means I can browse normally if I remember
starting the browsing before getting connected, but it's still
annoying.

Any ideas? I tried searching for viruses and running Adware and Spybot
with no success.

Thanks in advance! I'm running Windows XP Professional w/ SP2.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

This really weird problem started out of the blue.

If I connect to the Internet (broadband) and try to run IE 6.0, no
broswer window will show up for several minutes. It doesn't matter
whether I try running it from the desktop, the IE folder, start menu
or any shortcut - I only get the broswer to start 2 or 3 minutes after
clicking on the icon.

If I disconnect, though, all the broswer windows pop up at once. If I
tried to run IE 15 times while connected, I'll get the 15 windows the
very second I disconnect. It also works fine if I try starting it
while disonnected. Which means I can browse normally if I remember
starting the browsing before getting connected, but it's still
annoying.

Any ideas? I tried searching for viruses and running Adware and Spybot
with no success.

Thanks in advance! I'm running Windows XP Professional w/ SP2.

First eliminate any scumware.
CAUTION!!!!! Before you try to remove spyware using any of these programs ,
download a copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
(if your OS is Win2k or XP) The process of removing certain malware may kill
your internet connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will
enable you to regain your connection.

See
Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
won't. Also, each needs to be updated with the program's update function
before every use, even when just downloaded. There's also a lot more to do
than just those two programs. CWShredder is also available here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/cwshredder.zip
**Post your HijackThis log to
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/ for expert analysis, not here.**
Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
may be found on this page:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.


See this link for information about malware:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/malware.ars

If nothing there helps, please post back to this thread.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

 

[russell c.]

First eliminate any scumware.

That was my 1st thought as well, but Adaware and Spybot didn't help. I
then remembered I had updated my registered copy of Winrar right
before the problems began - uninstalling it and reverting to the
previous version did the trick. I'm assuming Winrar was trying to
connect to the creator's website to validate my key without success.
I'm waiting to hear from them before I try updating again.

Thanks for the help!