IE8 error "http://" and "address not valid"

niknak · October 3, 2009

Hi, newbie here, hoping someone can help me out. Last couple of days Internet Explorer has been running slowly, some pages do not load at all, just a "http" in the address bar or "address not valid". Its really annoying and i can only assume its malware of some sort. Im running Mcafee on Vista, on a Dell Inspiron laptop. Im trying to avoid paid support from Dell who want £67 plus vat for a single issue. I have attempted to read up on this on the forums but if im honest im clueless and i dont want to attempt anything and then make the issue worse!

Any help greatly greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Plastic Nev · October 3, 2009

Hi Niknak, and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

Our security expert will be here to take over shortly, but in the meantime please follow these instructions carefully so he has something to work on when he gets here.

Please download the latest version of HijackThis from Trend Micro and save it to your desktop.

Download HJTInstall.exe to your desktop.
Doubleclick HJTInstall.exe to install HijackThis.
By default it will install to C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis .
Click on Install.
It will create a HijackThis icon on the desktop.
Once installed, it will launch Hijackthis.
Click on the Do a system scan and save a logfile button. It will scan and the log should open in Notepad. Include this log in your next reply.

Notes:

Do not use the AnalyseThis button, its findings are dangerous if misinterpreted.

Do not have Hijackthis fix anything yet. Most of what it finds will be harmless, or required for your computer to run like it should.

niknak · October 3, 2009

Here is the log thanks!

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2

Scan saved at 12:59:13, on 03/10/2009

Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906)

MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18813)

Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:

C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe

C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE

c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe

C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe

C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDock\DellDock.exe

C:\Program Files\Trusteer\Rapport\bin\RapportService.exe

C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe

C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apoint.exe

C:\Windows\system32\igfxsrvc.exe

C:\Windows\System32\hkcmd.exe

C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe

C:\Program Files\DellTPad\ApMsgFwd.exe

C:\Windows\System32\WLTRAY.EXE

C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apntex.exe

C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\quickset.exe

C:\Program Files\DellTPad\HidFind.exe

C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\IAAnotif.exe

C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD DX\PDVDDXSrv.exe

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnscfg.exe

C:\Program Files\Dell Support Center\bin\sprtcmd.exe

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe

C:\Program Files\IDT\WDM\sttray.exe

C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe

C:\Windows\ehome\ehtray.exe

C:\Windows\ehome\ehmsas.exe

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe

C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YahooMessenger.exe

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

C:\Windows\system32\SearchProtocolHost.exe

C:\Windows\system32\SearchFilterHost.exe

C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = Yahoo! UK & Ireland

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = Yahoo! UK & Ireland

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = MSN.com

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = Bing

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = Bing

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = MSN.com

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = %s - Yahoo! Search Results

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Windows Internet Explorer provided by Yahoo!

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =

O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)

O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll

O2 - BHO: AskBar BHO - {201f27d4-3704-41d6-89c1-aa35e39143ed} - C:\Program Files\AskBarDis\bar\bin\askBar.dll

O2 - BHO: McAfee Phishing Filter - {27B4851A-3207-45A2-B947-BE8AFE6163AB} - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\msk\mskapbho.dll

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C255C8A-E604-49b4-9D64-90988571CECB} - (no file)

O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveShellExtensions.dll

O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll

O2 - BHO: scriptproxy - {7DB2D5A0-7241-4E79-B68D-6309F01C5231} - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\VIRUSS~1\scriptsn.dll

O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll

O2 - BHO: McAfee SiteAdvisor BHO - {B164E929-A1B6-4A06-B104-2CD0E90A88FF} - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll

O2 - BHO: Browser Address Error Redirector - {CA6319C0-31B7-401E-A518-A07C3DB8F777} - C:\Program Files\Dell\BAE\BAE.dll

O3 - Toolbar: McAfee SiteAdvisor Toolbar - {0EBBBE48-BAD4-4B4C-8E5A-516ABECAE064} - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll

O3 - Toolbar: Ask Toolbar - {3041d03e-fd4b-44e0-b742-2d9b88305f98} - C:\Program Files\AskBarDis\bar\bin\askBar.dll

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apoint.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [broadcom Wireless Manager UI] C:\Windows\system32\WLTRAY.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickSet] C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\QuickSet.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iAAnotif] C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\iaanotif.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Google Desktop Search] "C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktop.exe" /startup

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mcagent_exe] "C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe" /runkey

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PDVDDXSrv] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD DX\PDVDDXSrv.exe"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dellsupportcenter] "C:\Program Files\Dell Support Center\bin\sprtcmd.exe" /P dellsupportcenter

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GrooveMonitor] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DLBUCATS] rundll32 C:\Windows\system32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\DLBUtime.dll,_RunDLLEntry@16

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [McENUI] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MHN\McENUI.exe /hide

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sysTrayApp] %ProgramFiles%\IDT\WDM\sttray.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Messenger (Yahoo!)] "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YahooMessenger.exe" -quiet

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AROReminder] C:\Program Files\Advanced Registry Optimizer\ARO.exe -rem

O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')

O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')

O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')

O4 - .DEFAULT User Startup: Dell Dock First Run.lnk = C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDock\DellDock.exe (User 'Default user')

O4 - Startup: Dell Dock.lnk = C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDock\DellDock.exe

O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\PROGRA~1\Java\JRE16~1.0_0\bin\ssv.dll

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\PROGRA~1\Java\JRE16~1.0_0\bin\ssv.dll

O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll

O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL

O13 - Gopher Prefix:

O15 - Trusted Zone: http://*.mcafee.com

O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab

O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveSystemServices.dll

O18 - Protocol: sacore - {5513F07E-936B-4E52-9B00-067394E91CC5} - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll

O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\PROGRA~1\Google\GOOGLE~3\GOEC62~1.DLL

O20 - Winlogon Notify: GoToAssist - C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToAssist\514\G2AWinLogon.dll

O23 - Service: Andrea ST Filters Service (AESTFilters) - Andrea Electronics Corporation - C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\stwrt.inf_85b55258\aestsrv.exe

O23 - Service: dlbu_device - - C:\Windows\system32\dlbucoms.exe

O23 - Service: Dock Login Service (DockLoginService) - Stardock Corporation - C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDock\DockLogin.exe

O23 - Service: Google Desktop Manager 5.8.809.23506 (GoogleDesktopManager-092308-165331) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktop.exe

O23 - Service: GoToAssist - Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToAssist\514\g2aservice.exe

O23 - Service: Intel® Matrix Storage Event Monitor (IAANTMON) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\IAANTMon.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee SiteAdvisor Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\McAfee\SiteAdvisor\McSACore.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Services (mcmscsvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcmscsvc.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Network Agent (McNASvc) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mna\mcnasvc.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Scanner (McODS) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcods.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Proxy Service (McProxy) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mcproxy\mcproxy.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Real-time Scanner (McShield) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee SystemGuards (McSysmon) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service (MpfService) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPF\MPFSrv.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee Anti-Spam Service (MSK80Service) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MSK\MskSrver.exe

O23 - Service: Rapport Management Service (RapportMgmtService) - Trusteer Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Trusteer\Rapport\bin\RapportMgmtService.exe

O23 - Service: SupportSoft Sprocket Service (DellSupportCenter) (sprtsvc_DellSupportCenter) - SupportSoft, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Dell Support Center\bin\sprtsvc.exe

O23 - Service: Audio Service (STacSV) - IDT, Inc. - C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\stwrt.inf_85b55258\STacSV.exe

O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe

O23 - Service: Dell Wireless WLAN Tray Service (wltrysvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\WLTRYSVC.EXE

O23 - Service: Marvell Yukon Service (yksvc) - Unknown owner - RUNDLL32.EXE (file missing)

--

End of file - 10726 bytes

chiaz · October 4, 2009

Hello. :)

A few things before we start....

1. Please Read All Instructions Carefully.

2. If you don't understand something, stop and ask! Don't keep going on.

3. Please do not run any other tools or scans whilst I am helping you.

4. If you have to go away for an extended period of time, let me know.

5. Please continue to respond until I give you the "All Clear".

(Just because you can't see a problem doesn't mean it isn't there)

First,

There is a program on your PC called Ask Toolbar/Askbar.

I recommend you uninstall it, it was likely installed with another program and you didn't see the notice that it was an optional component at the start of the install process. Many programs (even widely known legitimate programs) have toolbars as optional bundled installs these days because they get money from the business relationship. You can read more about Ask.com here.

If you uninstalled the Ask Toolbar as recommended, restart your PC first. Then use Windows Explorer and delete the following folders if found:

C:\Program Files\AskBarDis

C:\Program Files\AskSearch

=====

Next,

Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware by clicking the link below:

http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe

Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application.

* Make sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.

* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.

* Once the program has loaded, select "Perform Quick Scan", then click Scan.

* The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.

* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.

* Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.

* When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart.(See Extra Note)

* The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.

* You'll be required to post the contents of this log later.

Please Note:

If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove,you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts,click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process,if asked to restart the computer,please do so immediately.

=====

Now download ComboFix.exe. Please visit this webpage for downloading and instructions for running the tool:

Go here ======> A guide and tutorial on using ComboFix <====== Go here

Please ensure you read this guide carefully and install the Recovery Console first.This applies to XP Pro and XP Home users only.If you have SP3 installed you will need to use the download meant for SP2.

The Windows Recovery Console will allow you to boot up into a special recovery (repair) mode. This allows us to more easily help you should your computer have a problem after an attempted removal of malware. It is a simple procedure that will only take a few moments of your time.

Once installed, you should get a prompt that says:

The Recovery Console was successfully installed.

Please continue as follows:

(1) Close/disable all anti virus and anti malware programs so they do not interfere with the running of ComboFix.

(2) Click Yes to allow ComboFix to continue scanning for malware.

When the tool is finished, it will produce a report for you.

Please include the MBAM log, C:\ComboFix.txt as well as a new HijackThis log for further review, so that we may continue cleansing the system.

Caution: Never run and remove files with Combofix unless supervised by a qualified security analyst who is experienced in the use of Combofix. Misuse can cause serious computer problems.

niknak · October 4, 2009

thanks for your help, here is the info you requested in two parts..:)