Alexa

It's just one little registry key but it messed up my comp something fierce. It kept crashing IE and OE (which I've now abandoned) and it messed up my MSN IM 6 so I had to reinstall it. How could one little registry key cause so much damage?

The worst part is I mentioned it to the people who make Spyware Blaster and they say it's a legit program. Well if it's so legit, then why did Adaware find it both times? No program that causes such a headache should ever be considered legit.

 

The only time that I have seen Alexa is after updating from Microsoft Update Site.

AdAware and/or SpyBot find it after every Undate or download from the above.

It has never caused me any trouble though.

Are you sure that it was not an update itself that caused the problem?

BillyBob

 

I didn't download any MS updates except one for my USB port and that was quite a while ago.

 

Then if you are certain tha Auto Updating is off then it must ( could have ) have come from somewhere else.

Alexa appeared for me again today after getting updates.

I do not know and may be guessing. But not getting the updates may have let someone in though a hole that was not plugged.

Are you running your AV software set to check e-mail as it downloads ? AVG has caught 3 possible Viruses in the last few days.

Do you have a Firewall setup up ?

Are you running an online Virus scan once in awhile ? Housecall found one that AVG missed yesterday.

If you are using XP I hope you realize that XPs Firewall only blocks incomming ( and not all of them either ) It does not block outgoing. And what goes out may leave an opening for something to get back in.

And one important thing these days. It is a good idea to turn off preview panes in E-mail programs.

BillyBob

 

No no this was just for my USB to make it work right.

Yeah. It's always in memory so if the email has a virus, it'll tell me.

Kerio Personal Firewall.

Ummm, no. You got me there.

Still using good ol Win98 SE.

I use The Bat which doesn't use the IE to view HTML and doesn't run scripts.

 

OOPS !! Are we clear on the update bit.

You said that you just got the one for USB some time ago.

I meant the Critical Updates. If you did not then there may be holes for someone to sneak in by not having the critical updates.

But there was also one update that did cause problems. But that was also awhile back and I think it has been fixed.

Ummm, no. You got me there.

An Online scan might be a good idea.

Still using good ol Win98 SE.

Nuttin wrong with that. I went to XP Pro and still trying to figure out why.

I use The Bat which doesn't use the IE to view HTML and doesn't run scripts.

I Know nothing about the Bat.

Have you tried running a Repair of IE via Contol Panel add/remove and select IE.

BillyBob

 

It seems to be OK now.

 

That is good news.

BillyBob