Unknown Errors

I am getting
Explorer has caused an error unknown
Msimn same thing
WebProxy same thing
I have rebooted so many times it isn't funny.
IE will not work now.
email will not work - not sure this will even send
What could have happened?

Explorer errors in unknown are nearly always the result of having unwanted
malware on the system, often a parasite of some form.

If you haven't already done so I would strongly recommend that you check your
system for possible viruses using your preferred anti virus application
equipped with an updated set of viral signatures. However you might first
want to check your PC using one of the online virus checks such as McAfee's
online checker (http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp) or Trend Micro's
Housecall (http://housecall.antivirus.com).

This might be a good time to download yourself a copy of the free Ad-Aware 6.0
from Lavasoft (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) and also SpyBot
Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/) and use them to check your
system for other commercial parasites remembering that they are only as good
as when you last updated their reference files. I also use a program called
BHODemon (http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm that checks for
unwanted Browser Help Objects and SpywareBlaster
(http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html) which can help prevent
some parasites getting a grip on your PC.

Just is case the problem is due to a new version of the CoolWebSearch parasite
you might want to download and run the CWShredder which targets that specific
parasite. Unfortunately neither AdAware or SpyBot seem to be able as yet to
fully detect all the various versions of the CoolWebSearch parasite as it
keeps changing. For more details of the CoolWebSearch parasite see
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html and also
http://www.pestpatrol.com/pestinfo/c/cws.asp.

CWShredder, merijn's removal tool, can be downloaded from
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip

Finally if you still continue to experience problems download a copy of
HijackThis from (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html). Create a
folder called HJT on C: (not on your desktop nor in your temp folder) and copy
the file you downloaded to that folder. Close as many applications as you can
including all instances of Internet Explorer. Enable Explorer to see all files
and folders (Tools | Folder Options | View and check "Show hidden files and
folders" and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files") and then run
hijackthis.exe and post back the log to either the HijackThis Forum at
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or alternatively
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 and hopefully this will enable
someone to identify the cause of your problem.

See also: Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and
Search Engines http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm and also Browser
Hijacking http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/
--?
Mike Maltby



Sue noemail.com wrote:

I am getting
Explorer has caused an error unknown
Msimn same thing
WebProxy same thing
I have rebooted so many times it isn't funny.
IE will not work now.
email will not work - not sure this will even send
What could have happened?

thank u mike... I have run a scan virus using mcafee online... no viruses...
I also have panda software and pcbugdoctor.
I did a system restore and that solved the pop ups on the Explorer has
caused an error unknown
Msimn same thing
WebProxy same thing
I have windows ME do I need to disable system restore to run these virus
scans?
oh and my firewall is sygate

The OEM thing you told me about worked,,, it just takes me a long time to
delete all OEMs with no Bytes. I still have thousands to go.
I can't bring up just those with No bytes in them... so I have to do a seach
like this

OEM23* etc
find in windows/inf
I had in my recycle bin 22,000 and I still have a ton to go.

thanks a ton
Sue

"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Explorer errors in unknown are nearly always the result of having
unwanted
malware on the system, often a parasite of some form.

If you haven't already done so I would strongly recommend that you check
your
system for possible viruses using your preferred anti virus application
equipped with an updated set of viral signatures. However you might first
want to check your PC using one of the online virus checks such as
McAfee's
online checker (http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp) or Trend
Micro's
Housecall (http://housecall.antivirus.com).

This might be a good time to download yourself a copy of the free Ad-Aware
6.0
from Lavasoft (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) and also
SpyBot
Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/) and use them to check
your
system for other commercial parasites remembering that they are only as
good
as when you last updated their reference files. I also use a program
called
BHODemon (http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm that checks for
unwanted Browser Help Objects and SpywareBlaster
(http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html) which can help
prevent
some parasites getting a grip on your PC.

Just is case the problem is due to a new version of the CoolWebSearch
parasite
you might want to download and run the CWShredder which targets that
specific
parasite. Unfortunately neither AdAware or SpyBot seem to be able as yet
to
fully detect all the various versions of the CoolWebSearch parasite as it
keeps changing. For more details of the CoolWebSearch parasite see
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html and also
http://www.pestpatrol.com/pestinfo/c/cws.asp.

CWShredder, merijn's removal tool, can be downloaded from
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip

Finally if you still continue to experience problems download a copy of
HijackThis from (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html).
Create a
folder called HJT on C: (not on your desktop nor in your temp folder) and
copy
the file you downloaded to that folder. Close as many applications as you
can
including all instances of Internet Explorer. Enable Explorer to see all
files
and folders (Tools | Folder Options | View and check "Show hidden files
and
folders" and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files") and then run
hijackthis.exe and post back the log to either the HijackThis Forum at
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or alternatively
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 and hopefully this will enable
someone to identify the cause of your problem.

See also: Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and
Search Engines http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm and also Browser
Hijacking http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/
--?
Mike Maltby



Sue noemail.com wrote:

I am getting
Explorer has caused an error unknown
Msimn same thing
WebProxy same thing
I have rebooted so many times it isn't funny.
IE will not work now.
email will not work - not sure this will even send
What could have happened?

Sue,

I have windows ME do I need to disable system restore to run these
virus scans?

No. Don't worry about any malware found in the C:\_RESTORE folder as it
is harmless there. Once you've got your system back running as you want
reset system restore which will flush the restore archive and remove any
malware you might have there.

See also MS KB 263455 - "Antivirus Tools Cannot Clean Infected Files in
the
_Restore Folder" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=263455).

As for those 0 byte OEM*.inf files. Use Explorer to search for oem*.inf
files and then sort them by size by clicking on the header of the Size
column. Block/Select those with 0 bytes, hit Delete (or even Shift-Delete
which will bypass the Recycle Bin) and go and make yourself a coffee or
even pour yourself something stronger whilst the files are deleting.
Unfortunately since INF files are amongst those monitored by system
restore they will all get archived in the C:\_RESTORE\TEMP folder intially
so this will be another reason for in due course resetting system restore.

To reset System Resto
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and check "Disable
System
Restore", Apply and IMMEDIATELY reboot. This will flush you restore
folder
and erase all checkpoints, then,
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and uncheck "Disable
System Restore", Apply and again IMMEDIATELY reboot. This should now
automatically create a new checkpoint immediately following the restart.
Finally adjust the space allocated to the restore folder,
System | Performance | File System | Hard Disk and adjust the restore
slider
to your preferred setting. A figure of 200MB is normally more than
adequate
for day to day use allowing perhaps a week of checkpoints to be available
although increasing this to perhaps 400-500MB for a few days during
periods of
large installs such Microsoft Office is advisable.
--
Mike Maltby



Sue noemail.com wrote:

thank u mike... I have run a scan virus using mcafee online... no
viruses... I also have panda software and pcbugdoctor.
I did a system restore and that solved the pop ups on the Explorer has
caused an error unknown
Msimn same thing
WebProxy same thing
I have windows ME do I need to disable system restore to run these
virus scans?
oh and my firewall is sygate

The OEM thing you told me about worked,,, it just takes me a long
time to delete all OEMs with no Bytes. I still have thousands to go.
I can't bring up just those with No bytes in them... so I have to do
a seach like this

OEM23* etc
find in windows/inf
I had in my recycle bin 22,000 and I still have a ton to go.

thanks a ton