System not accepting Cookies; can't log into anything

For some reason I can't track down, I can't get any browser to accept cookies. It's a global problem, affecting Firefox, IE & Opera, so it's not the settings in Internet Options, or Zones or cache etc. Rather, I suspect it's some registry setting accidentally changed and I can't find which one

When I've first re-booted\switched on, it's ok for a while, but it soon stops accepting the cookies and won't co-operate

I've another problem too, to do with all my folders being set 'Read Only' and not allowing me to change the Creator\Owner security levels, in which none of the options is valid; ie I can't create a new Creator Owner and say let it have read\write access as none of the boxes will stay ticked. But this isn't the cause of the cookie problem as it preceeded it by some time.

I'd appreciate any help as I'm feeling particularly lazy and stupid this year and can't sort it out myself

Thanks

 

Using XP Pro SP3

 

Sounds like malware to me.

Follow the directions here;
http://www.windowsbbs.com/announcement.php?f=41

When done post the HijackThis log here;
http://www.windowsbbs.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

 

That didn't really occur to me! Doh! I was thinking it was some cockup in the registry, so I'll do the HijackThis [with HijackReader, which is **** handy] and see what the score is.

Thank you

 

I've done the HijackThis thing and tracked down every entry to it's source without finding the problem; I did find CoolWebSearch with Ad-Aware, but solved that one. Couldn't find anything with the trial of SpySweeper and in the past I've used that as one of the best indicators of some form of malware.

I've done complete system scans with NOD32 and The Cleaner and done scans with the latest versions of Kaspersky Lab Tool, RemoveIt, Trojan Killer, SpyBot, Spyware Terminator, Multivirus Cleaner, Runscanner, Stinger and I also use SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard, AVG AntiSpyware, Norton AntiSpyware, PrevX, Keylogger Killer, Blacklight, RU Botted and the odd other thing too. Mostly, I use 'em during the week, but on occasions like this, I've got 'em handy to run and see can they spot what the problem is and none of this lot have helped, though they did clean up the odd little thing.

The reason I suspected it was something with the Registry, was I'd been road-testing some Tweaking and some Security apps, not long before this occurred. I suspect that some setting has been left switched one way by one of those apps I've since uninstalled and that setting should be set another way, but I neglected to check what they'd done or undo it and now I can't track it down.

Any advice appreciated

 

You could try a system restore back to when you KNOW it was working correctly. That won't tell you what the problem was but at least it will be working.

 

lol - after all that, I found the culprit! ZA has decided it doesn't like 'em and just stopped 'em! I didn't think to check it as I was so sure I hadn't touched it; the morale is, always start with the simplest things first and don't get you're knickers in a knot!

Thanks for the help guys, even if I was a wally


Cheers