Goodmorning:

I will try this right away.

When I turned on the computer this morning this pop up appeared.

Windows Antispyware notice

? A window shell browser required your approval

A shell browser is a toolbar that adds functionality to Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer. This change generally occurs when software is installed. You can allow this change if it is recognized and expected.

! Click for more information about this alert

Then in a blue box the following appears:

Allow Block

Then below this a check mark box and then the words Send to Spynet


I am not sure what this means. Should I allow or block? Help! Clicking on the information box does not make a novice like me know what to do.

Are these always going to appear now asking me questions like this?

I unchecked the last 2 boxes and then restarted the computer.

When it came on, this message appeared:

System Configuration Utilities

The system configuration Utility is currently in Diagnostic or Selective Startup mode, causing this message to be displayed and the utility to run every time.

Choose the Normal start-up mode on the General Tab to start windows normaly and undo the changes you made using the system configuration utility.

Then a box - don't show this message or launch the system configuration utility when windows start.

Help? I do not even know what System Configuration utility means - what I am supposed to do?

One thing I have learned from all of this, is that I need to get myself registered in a basic computer course so I can learn all these things. :eek:

I have really gotten myself into a mess now! I sat at my computer after this last post and had a good old cry. I cannot do this on my own. I am ready to give up. I just do not know enough. I can do what you tell me and then I am left on my own to try and figure out a pop up and what answer I am supposed to give. I think I am chosing the wrong options. This time I messed up. I just do not know what I am doing. That is the preface.

I left my computer with the hour glass on it. I had to leave for work. I live and work downtown, so I am going home on my break to see what my computer is doing. As I said, I left it with the hour glass on the screen.

This is what happened.

The computer was in the diagnostic or selective start-up and I panicked because none of my icons were on the desk top. That meant that none of my documents or pictures were showing. Then I did something that I do not think I was supposed to do because nothing is happening with my computer. I am just stupid. I should have waited for a response to the above but as I said I panicked. I chose normal start up after I could not see any of my icons. Now a message comes up "Windows explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. Please tell Microsoft about this probem. Then it wants to send a report to Microsoft. I cannot shut the computer down because the hour glass remains up. When you move the mouse to the start button, the hour glass shows up. I did control alt delete to get it to shut off but the same message appears when the computer is turned on. That is where I left it because I had to go to work.

I messed up big time. And now nothing will happen with my computer. All because I did something with the registry. Someone said this part would be tricky. But I do not know what I am doing.

I am so keyed up inside. This is very frustrating for me. I thought I was using logic and going step by step as to what was being coached to me over the net. Now I do not know what my next step is.

Frustrated as heck in Canada. :(

Hi Lori,

Sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner but I'm at work and can only reply when I'm quiet. Try to calm down over this, even if your computer won't start, it's very unlikely that you'll lose any documents. As long as you are careful from this point on the worst that will probably happen is you'll have to re-install windows. Don't even think of doing this until you have a good backup. If you don't want to work on this compter anymore we understand. Don't feel bad about taking it to a local shop to get it fixed.

Now to some of your problems:

What did you do to the registry? Are you talking about what I suggested in the previous post, this is the system configuration Utility you mentioned, and should be fine in either selected or normal mode.

Say yes or no to send the message to Microsoft. Either way should get rid of it,and may allow the computer to complete the boot process.

When you got the Allow/Block question from mS antispyware, for ? A window shell browser required your approval what did you press?

It could be that another nasty piece of software has gotten onto your computer causing the current problems. If your computer won't logon at all, try booting into safe mode - to do this press F8 key at startup until you get a boot menu choice, then choose safe mode.

When in safe mode run your various scans and report back!

Stu:

Thanks for responding. I appreicate all your help. Especially since I note you are at work. I am a lot calmer now. Now that I am aware from my home office. The change in scenary and the walk to work helped out a lot. I have to take things one step at a time. The main thing I want to say is thank you for your support and all the support I have been getting from everyone.
_______________________________________
Now to your questions:

What did I go to the registry?

"the first option is to un-check all of the bottom 2 entries you mentioned, just take the ticks out to remove them from startup"

I did this.

Then when I went to reboot it, the 4 boxes did not appear but a different box appeared. That is the one with the System Configuration Utilities. I choose Normal. But I did not "undo the changes you made using the system configuration utility" Did they mean, rechecking the two bottom boxes because that is all I did"

When I put it in normal that is when none of the icons on my desktop appeared with my documents or my pictures.

This really scared me.

I did say yes to send the message to Microsoft.
______________________________

When you got the Allow/Block question from mS antispyware, for ? A window shell browser required your approval what did you press?


Block.

Because I did not know what I was allowing!

These are just answers to your questions because I am at work and do not have access to my home computer. But I am going home at lunch to check all this out.

I will report back then. But if you have any more answers or suggestions for when I go home that would be great!

Thanks a bunch,

Cheers till then!

:)

Opps! I forgot to mention that the 4 boxes are back again.

And...


This all happened within seconds. But while I was panicking during this phase this morning a pop up did come up on my computer that I was not sure about. I did not download anything from it or do anything with it because I did not know where it came from.

It was a Go to my PC Pc Pit Stop
www.//www.pc pitstop.com/welcome.asp

It contain information on registry cleaning etc etc

I was not sure if this was an update from all the software I was putting on yesterday or an unwanted pop up. Can you advise as well? Thanks

Cheers

This question has not been addresssed yet. I know it is still early but would like some help with this still because these are popping up a lot and I do not know what to do with them. I know Chery said that Spybot - Search and Destroy was a little difficult but it is still on my system.

Spybot - Search and Destroy has detected an important registry entry that has been changed.

Category: System Start-up global entry
Change: Value deleted
Entry: HddJ taskbar Utility
Old Data: c:/windows/system 32/spool/drives/w32

The only way to get rid of this box is to click the X and then another pop up comes up that I am not sure if I did the right thing. I clicked the X to get the box to go away and another pop up comes up. It states 2.42 Registry change denied and then I cannot read the rest because the box disappears so fast.


Here is another one for another example:

Spybot Search and Destroy

Spybot - S & d has detected an important registry entry that has been changed.

Category: Browser Helper Object
Change: Value Deleted
Entry (53707962 - 6F74 - 2D23-2644-206D7942484F

Box that states remember this decision then a ? Then info

Is the new software working and creating these boxes to come up? What I am to do with them. This was a question I posted earlier but has not been answered yet. The first time I mentioned it, it had to do with "shop at home" but that is now gone with all the scans I did.

But the Spybot Search & Destroy popup I do not know what to do with them when they appear.

I have had time to put things in perspective after my good cry.


I am calm again after my break.

Please do not give up on me. I am determine to fix these problems (hopefully with your help if you are all still with me) Just because I am a stubborn perfectionist and won't give up.

I went home turned off my computer, rebooted it, the 4 messages were still there but there were no other popups or disturbing things occurring during that reboot.

I rebooted again in safe mode and ran adaware again. And just left it till I go back for lunch. I quickly look at it before I left and it had already found 2 new objects. Yesterday I cleared them all ( there were 32 after the first scan) And then 0 after all the other scans.

I will start from the beginning again until I get more advise on how to proceed with the registry.

When I came home and closing it off it had this on there. I am not sure what this was.

Dr Watson Post Mortem Debugger has encountered a problem and then I did not see the rest. What is this?

And one observation. When it is in safe mode, my name comes up and administer. I logged onto My name is that correct?

Hi, I've not given up on you, just busy, I've been out of the office a lot today!

You've done the right thing scanning in safe mode:)

I suggest removing Spybot for now, and running Adaware a couple of times and MS antispyware a couple of times in safe mode. In MS antispyware, there is an option to reset your browser to default config. Go to tools -> Advanced Tools -> Browser hijack settings restore and tick the boxes.

If you want to try to get rid of those boxes, do the msconfig suggestion again! As you've now seen when you boot you get the option to run selective startup or normal. Run selective startup, and this should stop those pesky boxes coming up. If you run into problems, just run normal startup (or safe mode and you can put the ticks back in!)

I'm not sure what happened last time you did this, maybe it's to do with the spyware found on this scan.

By the way, do you have a good backup of all your documents? If you have a CD writer I would suggest doing this as soon as possible. It certainly takes the shivers away when working on computers! Just for good measure, if it's not a lot of data, make a couple of disk backups!

StuMegu:

Can you explain to me why I am doing this?


In MS antispyware, there is an option to reset your browser to default config. Go to tools -> Advanced Tools -> Browser hijack settings restore and tick the boxes.

I have an important announcement to make!! ;) :D

Drum roll please...

We did it.

The boxes are now removed!!

I could not believe my eyes. I did all the scans again and again when I got home from work tonight. I gave up my mountain bike ride to stay at home and fix this. It was well worth it.

I just want to tell you. I am not one to give up. I may cry but that just makes me stronger and makes me want to challenge myself all the more.

Now I am celebrating with a very cold beer!
I want to thank the following very kind and very helpful people. You made my life a lot less miserable. Now I can go to sleep and spend more time with my husband now that this problem is solved.

Thanks to:

Scott Gem
Chery
Fred G
Stu Megu

I hope I am not missing anyone. If I did, I'm so sorry.

The boxes are gone but I still have a lot of work to do. I have a few unanswered questions that I hope you guys will still answer. I also have to back up my files and pictures. Then find my music and start my presentation. Now that will be the exciting part. But I still need to get a few more things in order before the fun work begins. Like for example, download Spyware Blaster 3.4.

Till tomorrow. I am going to go finish enjoying my beer and then head to bed. But of course, after I finish watching David Letterman.

Cheers,

Lori

Great news! These beers always taste the best!


Just to answer your final question about the browser hijack settings, it was in response to spybot's message about the registry change. Its just a useful feature that can clear junk out of your internet explorer settings.

Stu:

Should I still do it?

Lori

I would do it, then just reset your home page settings in internet options from the tools menu. Its likely that now your system appears clean, you don't need to, but there's nothing lost by doing it really (except your home page settings).

Fred:

Fred You stated that when you download Spybot S & D that you must not chose the immunization feature. Well, I installed this a couple of days ago and just tonight I installed Spyware Blaster 3.4. My question is how do you take the immunization feature off spybot after it is already on? Thanks for your help with this one.

Download: SpyBot Search & Destroy; 1.3
(If you use the Spyware Blaster free program, then don't set SpyBot to the Immunization feature)