IE 6.0 Problems

[Pretyblkgrl]

For the past couple of weeks, my browser has been acting very strangely.

Examples:

1. Tonight, I typed in the url www.pcmech.com, and it went to www.aol.com. It happened three times. I closed and reopened the browser, it happened again, then finally worked.

2. I type in www.bellagiolasvegas.com, and I get an error page from blackplanet saying they can't find the page I'm looking for.

I just used these web addresses as examples. It happens with any site I may want to visit.

I've cleared the cache, history, temporary internet files, cookies, and still have these problems. I've run a virus scan with updated definitions using PC-Cillin, no viruses found.

Anyone have any clues as to why this is happening?

[Cricket]

Hi Pretyblkgrl,

You may be the victim of "scumware". I don't know much about it, but here's a link you could check out: Scumware

Cricket

[Pretyblkgrl]

Hey Cricket,

Thanks for the information. I found the info so enlightening I've bookmarked the site!

Now, what I've gleaned from the site is that "Scumware" (TopText and Surf+) create this links in someones website that takes the surfer to a web site usually selling porn or some other unsavory product. From the information I read on the site, these links are highlighted in some way.

In my case, none of this "seems" to be happening. I don't see highlight links, and this "redirect" happens for me not only if I click a link, but also if I type in a url manually. Another thing, I'm not taken to a site of "ill- repute", but rather a site I have previously visited that day or something.
Also, one of the fixes they recommended (a program called Ad-Aware) is on my computer, so theoretically, it would have caught it. (The site you refered me to said that Ad-Aware will remove TopText. Didn't say anything about Surf+).


So this is REALLY freaking me out/puzzling. I've downloaded the latest version of Netscape. I'm interested to see if the problem is replicated with this browser as well. Hopefully, that won't be the case. Even so, it still doesn't tell me why this is happening with IE, ya know? I have cable modem access and use a router. Could that be part of the problem? I had the router/cable access before this problem started. I'm just brainstorming here I'm still open to ideas on how to solve this problem.

Again, thanks for the great info Cricket!





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My puter!
Antec SX1040 case
400W PS
Asus Av7 mobo w/VIA chipset and sound
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100 Zip Drive
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ATI Radeon 64 something-or-other video card
A wack-a$$ monitor