M
Miguel Soares
Hello all,
For those not willing to read the whole thing the problem
summarized is: Win98SE IE6 SP1 (Portuguese).
The machine has had no recent software installs, virus
protected (updated daily) + firewall (BlackICE).
All of a sudden, mid-afternoon upon clicking on the IE
icon to launch the browser the window pops up for some
milliseconds and dissapears as if closed.
Done the basic checks (cold boot warm boot to try my luck)
even switched keyboards and mice in case some combination
of keys was sticking and closing IE but no luck, tried
going through windowsupdate but that too opens and closes
(not even enough time for it to render anything on screen).
Otherwise the network is ok the ADSL connection is on and
other network apps work fine (ICQ and WS_FTP for example)
The only unusual activity around this computer was a small
cousin who logged in to his school's website to show me
his PDF reportcard) again today he asked to show it to a
friend and did so again I may have looked away for a few
minutes while there but on the cellphone) but dont want to
beleive that during those 3 or 4 minutes something drastic
may have been done without any alert sounds from either
the AVirus software or firewall.
Any ideas or similar incidents and a fix? n
Now for the long version:
The setup:
Small home network
- 2 Desktops 1 Laptop all running Win98SE (Portuguese) the
network is coneccted through a 10Mbit TCP/IP network
simple cables going through a hub.
-Internet connection is ADSL (USB Modem) that internet
connection is shared through a network card (through the
hub) and a simple proxy (AnalogX) configured only to
accept to requests from the internal IP's (http)
-Last Updates (windowsupdate) on the machines were done
around late May, no changes in software we are quite
carefull in terms of the virus threat all PC's have
Macafee with auto update the main PC (connected directly
to the ADSL has a software firewall (BlackICE)
on "Paranoid" authorizing only the internal IP's
192.168.0.xxx.
NETWORK SETUP:
CLIENT FOR MS- NETWORKS (quick logon)
FILE AND PRINTER SHARING (Read only sharing of a sub-
folder of mydocuments on each of the PC's (passworded
naturally, long alphanumerical)
File and printer sharing is only binded on TCP/IP
protocall of the Internal network cards
Protocall on the adapter (PPPoE) that serves the USB
modem is *not* binded to the file and printer sharing
So I guess that there I am as safe as I can be and have
had no problems over the past couple of years no kids
around so no threat from there.
Connection to the net works fine both on the Main (server)
and allows the other two machines to connect to ICQ and
browse the net)
The only hassle is the main machine... all I attempt to do
is double click the IE icon and it appears and dissapears,
attempted to directly download the browser through a long
URL (that on any other machine would take me to a file
download window) but alas just open and close.. same old
same old.
I also attempted to go through CPanel Add/Remove software
and repair the IE instalation resulted in the same sort of
behaviour after reboot.
Otherwise the machine seems fine.. Windows explorer works
fine, and all other applications I tried (MS Office,
Publisher, Paint Shop Pro).
Has anyone got any ideas for me? I would love *not* to
have to format the machine for what may be a very simple
thing (???)
Many thanks for reading!!!
Miguel.
For those not willing to read the whole thing the problem
summarized is: Win98SE IE6 SP1 (Portuguese).
The machine has had no recent software installs, virus
protected (updated daily) + firewall (BlackICE).
All of a sudden, mid-afternoon upon clicking on the IE
icon to launch the browser the window pops up for some
milliseconds and dissapears as if closed.
Done the basic checks (cold boot warm boot to try my luck)
even switched keyboards and mice in case some combination
of keys was sticking and closing IE but no luck, tried
going through windowsupdate but that too opens and closes
(not even enough time for it to render anything on screen).
Otherwise the network is ok the ADSL connection is on and
other network apps work fine (ICQ and WS_FTP for example)
The only unusual activity around this computer was a small
cousin who logged in to his school's website to show me
his PDF reportcard) again today he asked to show it to a
friend and did so again I may have looked away for a few
minutes while there but on the cellphone) but dont want to
beleive that during those 3 or 4 minutes something drastic
may have been done without any alert sounds from either
the AVirus software or firewall.
Any ideas or similar incidents and a fix? n
Now for the long version:
The setup:
Small home network
- 2 Desktops 1 Laptop all running Win98SE (Portuguese) the
network is coneccted through a 10Mbit TCP/IP network
simple cables going through a hub.
-Internet connection is ADSL (USB Modem) that internet
connection is shared through a network card (through the
hub) and a simple proxy (AnalogX) configured only to
accept to requests from the internal IP's (http)
-Last Updates (windowsupdate) on the machines were done
around late May, no changes in software we are quite
carefull in terms of the virus threat all PC's have
Macafee with auto update the main PC (connected directly
to the ADSL has a software firewall (BlackICE)
on "Paranoid" authorizing only the internal IP's
192.168.0.xxx.
NETWORK SETUP:
CLIENT FOR MS- NETWORKS (quick logon)
FILE AND PRINTER SHARING (Read only sharing of a sub-
folder of mydocuments on each of the PC's (passworded
naturally, long alphanumerical)
File and printer sharing is only binded on TCP/IP
protocall of the Internal network cards
Protocall on the adapter (PPPoE) that serves the USB
modem is *not* binded to the file and printer sharing
So I guess that there I am as safe as I can be and have
had no problems over the past couple of years no kids
around so no threat from there.
Connection to the net works fine both on the Main (server)
and allows the other two machines to connect to ICQ and
browse the net)
The only hassle is the main machine... all I attempt to do
is double click the IE icon and it appears and dissapears,
attempted to directly download the browser through a long
URL (that on any other machine would take me to a file
download window) but alas just open and close.. same old
same old.
I also attempted to go through CPanel Add/Remove software
and repair the IE instalation resulted in the same sort of
behaviour after reboot.
Otherwise the machine seems fine.. Windows explorer works
fine, and all other applications I tried (MS Office,
Publisher, Paint Shop Pro).
Has anyone got any ideas for me? I would love *not* to
have to format the machine for what may be a very simple
thing (???)
Many thanks for reading!!!
Miguel.