Miscellaneous Win98 Problems

[StJoDennis]

You're on a roll, so here are some more problems for you to work on.

1. When he tries to SEND using Outlook Express, Outlook freezes and has to be ended using Task Manager. This is a fairly recent developement Most of the time the message actually does go, but the program has locked.

2. His Task Scheduler (or whatever it is called) keeps popping up. He has no tasks scheduled, but it sits on the right end of the Taskbar and pops up now and then. How can I get it to just go away?

3. The last problem is actually two, but I think they are the same thing. Whenever he turns the computer on, after Windows loads, it spontaneously tries to log on to the Internet. He has an irritating program (I have no idea how he got it) called Hotbar. I can't seem to get rid of it either (I even tried deleting all the files for it). I think the Hotbar program is trying to dial in. Any ideas on getting rid of this one?

Well, that should keep you guys busy for a while. Good luck, and thanks for any help you can give me. DKC

[David_Jones]

I would try running virus and spyware checks (AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy for the latter).

Sounds like Hotbar might fall into that category?

David.

[Dan]

I agree with DJ
sounds a lot like a virus or a trojan
I've seen viruses that will disable the ability to connect to the Symantec site for updates, or keep you from connecting altogether...
if it is the Hotbar program that's causing the problem, adaware should find it. if not, post back and we'll see if we can help delete it manually...
adaware is free here:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

[StJoDennis]

I'm not hearing as much advice as I was hoping for. I hope that means you think getting rid of Hotbar will solve the other problems. I checked it out on lavasoft's website, and it looks like it could be causing a lot of things to go crazy. I now have Adaware, Spybot, and Regclean on disk ready to take over and use on his computer. The most important thing, from his perspective, is to get the email working again. He really uses it a lot.

I still haven't gotten any suggestions about the Task Scheduler problem. Doesn't anyone have any ideas?

[Dan]

try stopping task scheduler in msconfig:
start/run/....type msconfig and click ok
then click the startup tab and see if the task scheduler is checked....uncheck it and reboot.
this should remove it from running in the background.
let us know how you make out with adaware and spybot, I'd be curious what they find.....

[GaryRouth]

Hi all

If your friend wishes to discontinue using Task Scheduler, the msconfig tip from Dan will work. You can also right-click on the Task Scheduler icon in the System Tray, click on "Open", then from the top menu toolbar, click on "Advanced", then "Stop Using Task Scheduler".

If your friend just wants to stop a particular task from running from Scheduler, he can just remove it from the list that shows when he opens the Task Scheduler screen.
_________
I haven't looked up anything for the Outlook problem, but he could try doing either a complete repair reinstall of IE & Outlook Express, or download the most recent version/Service Pack. [This will also include a new version of Task Scheduler, so if he doesn't want that running, he'll have to open the program and select "stop using" again].
_________
Spybot & Lavasoft's spyware tools should do a nice job of taking "phone home" software out of the picture, but you'll want to cross-check his antivirus, too. Have him try a visit to http://housecall.trendmicro.com for TrendMicro's free online scanner. It's a nice way to make sure, in case his on-disk scanner has been compromised. If he can update his Norton or AVG or whatever to a newer scanner version with recent virus definitions, that's good too.

Hope it's back ship-shape soon
. . . Gary

[p.s. --just saw your other thread. Looks like you've got the antivirus angle covered already. Let us know if Outlook is Ok or not after your repair]

[StJoDennis]

I already tried "Stop Using Task Scheduler", but it kept coming back. I think msconfig should get the job done.
I need to find out exactly what version he is using. I think he has 5.0 and Outlook Express. I have a disk with Outlook 98 on it. Would it do any good to install that? I am probably going to work on it again tomorrow night. Thanks for the help. DKC

[Dan]

the latest version of Outlook Express is v.6
it's best not to install any new software until all the problems are worked out...although upgrading to v.6 isn't a bad idea once things are back to normal (whatever that is)...
you can get it at the microsoft download site.

[StJoDennis]

OK, here goes. I stopped the scheduler with msconfig.
Installed and ran both Adaware and Spybot. Found and got rid of about 150 entries. Most of them were Hotbar, Bonzibuddy, and Back Web Lite.
Outlook Express still locked up.
Reinstalled the browser software (IE 5.5 ond Outlook 5.5) and...Email worked!!!
Thanks for all your help and suggestions. My Dad is thrilled. He can email again.
One thing I forgot to do is set his NAV to scan each week. I'll have to do that and run Adaware and Spybot every now and then. Hopefully I can head trouble off before it gets this bad again.
Now I had better run some of the same things on my brother's computer. In both cases, I gave them old computers of mine, so now I am the one they call to fix things that go wrong. That is when I call on my brain trust...PCMECH.

Thanks again. DKC

[GaryRouth]

Nice work, DKC (and Dan & David too)

. . . I'm also thinking that if you dad's on broadband, and if he doesn't have a firewall up, you could add an inexpensive firewall router (with NAT and SPI) on your next visit too, since the break-in exploits [limited at the moment to Win2k/XP] seem to be increasing. . . . Or perhaps add a free software firewall like Zone Alarm.
. . . Gary

[p.s. ...I was born across the river from St. Louis, MO (at Scott Air Force Base, IL) is St. Joseph up in the northern part too?]

[StJoDennis]

St. Joseph is in Northwest Missouri, about 50 miles due north of Kansas City. Dad is on Dial-up, so his opportunities are a little more limited.

Anyway, keeping his system going is good mental exercize, and gives you all something to chew on once in a while.

Thanks again. DKC