Member Avatar for Krug

I'm having problems with my Dell notebook running Win XP Home (Original; came with the laptop). Not sure if it's a security problem; have run spybot S&D and turns up DSO exploit which keeps on coming back. I'm not sure if that's the reason for the problem.

Anyway, IE won't start properly, and I have problems with Windows Explorer after a minute or two of startup. My ICQ and MSN won't start properly either.

Mozilla works fine (duh).

I tried reinstalling WinXP (not a clean install) but to no avail. Any help appreciated.

  • 2 Contributors
  • 5 Replies
  • 198 Views
  • 6 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

Dani AI

Generated

Brief expert summary for (and follow-ups from ): the combination — Internet Explorer failing to start, Explorer crashing a minute or two after login, IM clients failing while Mozilla runs OK — usually points to a problem with Windows shell/IE shared components or a third‑party shell extension/service that Explorer and IE load but Mozilla does not. A non-clean reinstall can leave a persistent misconfigured driver, service, registry entry or infected component in place, so the reinstall not fixing it is informative rather than definitive.

Practical diagnostic sequence (work top → down to avoid destructive steps):

  1. Boot Safe Mode (F8). If Explorer/IE are stable there, suspect a non‑Microsoft shell extension or service.
  2. Collect errors from Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) around the crash times. Note Event IDs and faulting module names.
  3. Run these checks from an elevated command prompt:
    sfc /scannow
chkdsk /r
netsh winsock reset
msconfig    (use to perform a clean boot)
eventvwr.msc
  4. Create a new local user account and test: if the new profile is clean, the problem is per‑user corruption.

Deeper troubleshooting and safe fixes: examine startup/services with Autoruns or msconfig and disable non‑Microsoft entries; inspect shell extensions (ShellEx) and Browser Helper Objects and remove or disable the suspicious ones. Check these registry Winlogon values (backup registry first):
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell should be explorer.exe and HKLM\...\Winlogon\Userinit should contain userinit.exe. If these differ, restore defaults carefully.

If those steps don’t resolve it, use an offline rescue scanner or perform a true clean install after backing up personal data and drivers. When posting in the security forum as suggested, include the HijackThis log plus Event Viewer entries and whether the problem appears in Safe Mode — that information speeds diagnosis.

Recommended Answers

All 5 Replies

Member Avatar for caperjack

First the DSO expoit in spybot is a bug in the program and notto worry as long as you have the latest windows updates all we be fine .Next please do the following .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
This problem could occur because of Spyware , go on over to the Security section of this fourm and post you problem along with a hijackthis log .
Spyware & Trojans and Other Nasties
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Please Don't post the hijackthis log in this section Thanks .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Please do this.
Download 'Hijack This!'. HijackThis
Save it in a convenient permanent folder such as C:\HJT\, double click HijackThis.exe, and hit "Scan".

Your copy of HijackThis needs to be in a folder of it's own. When HJT fixes anything, it makes backups of the original files in the folder it is in. Since Temporary folders are emptied now and then (the files are DELETED), it would not be a good idea to have your backups there. Those backups would be VITAL to restoring your system if something went wrong in the FIX process!


1. Please go to you're 'My Documents' folder, right-click and select 'New > Folder' then name the folder 'HJT'.

2. Copy and paste HijackThis.exe to the new folder.

3. Close ALL windows except HJT

4. SCAN with HJT

5. POST the new log in this thread using 'Add Reply'

DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES OR CLICK "FIX CHECKED" UNTIL WE CHECK THE LOG, AS SOME OF THE FILES ARE LEGIT AND VITAL TO YOUR COMPUTER'S HEALTH

Member Avatar for Krug

Thanks Caperjack:

Member Avatar for caperjack

Hi ,in my first post the directions were fo you to go to the spyware section to post the log ,as the fourm doesent want logs in this section thanks ,maybe a moderator will move it !
Also you should really take a trip to Windows Updates ,for the critial updades a SP's

Member Avatar for Krug

Sorry about that: Posted over here.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Sorry about that: Posted over here.

got it Been there

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.