IE6 mem usage and virtual memory grows and grows until crash

  • Thread starter Thread starter watsupwithIE6
  • Start date Start date
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watsupwithIE6

At about the 200 mg or mem mark my IE6 just ceases to open new pages.
The right click menu won't open, and even Task Manager won't open, or if it
does, I can't see the entire window.

Obviously the system is low on memory at that point. I've tried running
Hijackthis and did some spyware scans. Nothing unusual shows up.

I just wait a moment, close any running exe files, open task manager, and
close the remaining IExplore.exe (which is in the correct directory btw.)


I'm wondering if the Spybot BHO or SiteAdvisor's BHO is causing a problem.
SiteAdvisor also has an O18 Protocol loading, and an O4 executable file
loading. That little important piece of freeware is becoming a pain ever
since McAfee bought it. The first versions didn't load that much in the
registry. Now it first takes you to their nag ad page before you can check
on a site.

Is the O16 Windows Genuine Genuine Advantage Validation Tool necessary, or
can I use Hijackthis to delete it?

Any solutions (excuse the crosspost but I thought that the more the merrier
who contribute an answer).
 
Hi Watsup,

Always use the Add/Remove Program applet (Start>Settings>Control
Panel>Add/Remove Programs) to remove software from your computer.

You can quickly test if an Addon is causing problems for your 'puter and IE
by unchecking 'enable third-party browser extensions' on the Advanced tab of
Internet Options and then restarting IE.

Yes Indeed SA has been receiving some posts here. Other possible memory hogs
are the MSN toolbar (now rebranded the Live toolbar, you should download the
latest version from toolbar.live.com which is much better than the original)
and the Yahoo toolbar with Tabbed browsing.

Regards.
 
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx
Click to expand...

The article states:



The only way to clean a compromised system is to flatten and
Click to expand...
rebuild. That’s right. If you have a system that has been completely
compromised, the only thing you can do is to flatten the system (reformat
the system disk) and rebuild it from scratch (reinstall Windows and your
applications). Alternatively, you could of course work on your resume
instead, but I don’t want to see you doing that.<


What makes you think my system has been hacked or compromised?
 
The article states:




rebuild. That’s right. If you have a system that has been completely
compromised, the only thing you can do is to flatten the system (reformat
the system disk) and rebuild it from scratch (reinstall Windows and your
applications). Alternatively, you could of course work on your resume
instead, but I don’t want to see you doing that.<


What makes you think my system has been hacked or compromised?
Click to expand...

Do you think that all of a sudden all the problems you're having with
your computer with things not working or going out of control, that it
has not been compromised as you click on everything under the Sun with
the happy fingers? The problems you're having just don't start
happening out of the clear blue sky.

If you can't find a fix and you may not find one or you do find a fix
and it was due to malware, then can you trust the machine anymore?
 
If you can't find a fix and you may not find one or you do find a fix
and it was due to malware, then can you trust the machine anymore?
Click to expand...

So you're saying that there's no reason to buy AV or anti-spyware programs
because even if they catch something and fix the problem, you still can't
trust the machine.


What's the point of Windows Defender, Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, Spy Sweeper and
all the rest then?


Your logic seems to contradict the rest of the industry.
 
Other possible memory hogs
are the MSN toolbar
Click to expand...

I haven't installed any additional toolbars.
Would you consider the standard toolbar that comes with IE6
(search, favorites, media, history, print buttons, etc) an MSN toolbar?
 
So you're saying that there's no reason to buy AV or anti-spyware programs
because even if they catch something and fix the problem, you still can't
trust the machine.

What's the point of Windows Defender, Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, Spy Sweeper
and
all the rest then?

Your logic seems to contradict the rest of the industry.
Click to expand...

Not at all. There is always new malware and if you don't practice safe
browsing you're apt to catch one. The programs you mention will catch what
they know about but will possibly miss something new, especially if you are
prone to downloading free stuff from sites that shouldn't be trusted.

And please don't use Follow-Up like that.
 
You can quickly test if an Addon is causing problems for your 'puter
and IE by unchecking 'enable third-party browser extensions' on the
Advanced tab of Internet Options and then restarting IE
Click to expand...


Well, you were right. I unchecked the "enable 3rd party..." and sure
enough my memory problem disappeared. I had a load of browsers with heavy
graphics open with no problem. IExplore.exe even closed by itself.

I have a big MVPS HOSTS file loaded, so I don't think the 3rd party browser
feature applies to that.

Can it be the Site Advisor or the Spybot BHO causing the problem.
Is Tea Timer still active if the Spybot BHO is disabled?
 
Not at all. There is always new malware and if you don't practice
safe browsing you're apt to catch one. The programs you mention will
catch what they know about but will possibly miss something new,
especially if you are prone to downloading free stuff from sites that
shouldn't be trusted.
Click to expand...

I only download from sites with a good (green SiteAdvisor rating) and only
freeware that's been highly rated by trusted sites or mags.
 
Hi watsup,

Not sure about Tea Timer, is it a toolbar that goes with the Spybot BHO.
Some toolbars have a satelite BHO which is used to position their toolbar in
IE's toolbar (though this is done automatically by IE! duh!) or as a conduit
between different instances of IE. In some instances you can disable the BHO
component of a Toolbar and still use the toolbar without (any apparent)
impairment.

The SiteAdvisor Toollbar and BHO are most probably the culpret when combined
with a HOSTS file as it uses a proxy on the local host to "call home" to
download advisory information about the sites you visit. It also 'injects'
html code into your web pages (the advisory icons and popups) which may
'spit the dummy' depending upon your security zone settings.

I removed it from my machine once I had finished testing it as I did not
like the "call home" behaviour and I use Alexa site info or Whois queries to
ascertain the legitimacy of web addresses.

Regards.
 
Well, you were right. I unchecked the "enable 3rd party..." and sure
enough my memory problem disappeared. I had a load of browsers with heavy
graphics open with no problem. IExplore.exe even closed by itself.

I have a big MVPS HOSTS file loaded, so I don't think the 3rd party
browser
feature applies to that.

Can it be the Site Advisor or the Spybot BHO causing the problem.
Is Tea Timer still active if the Spybot BHO is disabled?
Click to expand...

Go to Start | Run and type
msconfig
and look at the Startup tab. Is TeaTimer listed and checked?
 
Go to Start | Run and type
msconfig
and look at the Startup tab. Is TeaTimer listed and checked?
Click to expand...

I don't have MSconfig (using Win2000 Pro OS), but use other utilities to
check startup programs (Sysinternals, etc).

A check of Crap Cleaners startup tool indicates that Teatimer.exe is in
startup when the 3rd party browsers are enabled. Do you mean to check when
the 3rd party browsers are enabled or disabled?
 
I don't have MSconfig (using Win2000 Pro OS), but use other utilities to
check startup programs (Sysinternals, etc).

A check of Crap Cleaners startup tool indicates that Teatimer.exe is in
startup when the 3rd party browsers are enabled. Do you mean to check
when
the 3rd party browsers are enabled or disabled?
Click to expand...

I was just telling you how to tell if TeaTimer was still running. The other
way, of course, is to right click the taskbar and use Task Manager.

That being said, I know TeaTimer and Site Advisor can cause some problems
for IE, either 6 or 7. And any McAfee program can cause problems for IE and
for Windows itself.
 
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