how to get rid of popup ads and .....

[joycie]

I have VET antivirus software installed on my PC (Windows XP).
Lately I have been bombarded with annoying adverts webpage and popup adverts. Even my screensaver picture has been changed without my knowledge!
Now when I click on a website link in your forum, all my IE windows closed! I have to go to the page to open the link again before it works! :mad:
Does anyone know how I can solve my problem. It's driving me crazy.

[blm126]

Get Firefox! (http://getfirefox.com). It's free, stops popups, and is (gasp) standards compliant.

[joycie]

Many thanks, BLM.:p

[mburt]

Yeah, I have to say FIREFOX RULES!!!!

Pros:

Uses tabs (convient browsing)
Pop-up blocker
Standards-compliant (already mentioned)
It works faster on dial-up (than IE)

I could go on..

Ditch Internet Explorer, it sucks.

[joycie]

Thanks Mike. But I have just realised some problems.
I use the following javascript for a welcoming message AT THE BOTTOM of my webpage. It works fine in IE but not in FIREFOX!:confused: I wonder how I can modify the script to make it also works for FIREFOX.


<SCRIPT Language="JavaScript">
msg = "welcome to my site";
timeID = 10;
stcnt = 16;
wmsg = new Array(33);
wmsg[0]=msg;
blnk = " ";
for (i=1; i<32; i++)
{
b = blnk.substring(0,i);
wmsg[i]="";
for (j=0; j<msg.length; j++) wmsg[i]=wmsg[i]+msg.charAt(j)+b;
}
function wiper()
{
if (stcnt > -1) str = wmsg[stcnt]; else str = wmsg[0];
if (stcnt-- < -40) stcnt=31;
status = str;
clearTimeout(timeID);
timeID = setTimeout("wiper()",100); //
}
wiper()
</SCRIPT>

[codeexploiter]

Hi

Your code seems to be perfect and this is an issue associated with FireFox. Because the browser blocks whatever attempts to change the default text shown using any scripts.

Open your FireFox->Tools->Options->Content Tab

The click on the Advanced button which is on the right hand side of Enable Javascript check box.

Then check the change status bar text and load your web page you can view whatever text you mentioned in your script on the staus bar. By default this feature is disabled as a result of the Status bar message remained unchanged even if you have correct code.

Hope this will help

Regards

Code Exploiter

[joycie]

Thanks Code Exploiter. I have followed your instruction but disappointed to say that it did not work.:confused:

I guess this javascript is the same as the image reflection script (http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex4/reflect.htm) both of which I used quite a lot on my webpage -----only IE user can see the effect.

I have downloaded "no ads" software from (http://www.southbaypc.com/NoAds/?ShowAllReviews=1) to get rid of ads in IE but it doesn't seem to help! SOB!

[jscheuer1]

I cannot be certain but, it sounds like you may have spyware or malware installed on your system. Spybot and AdAware are two free programs that you should try out. But, be careful, as they will allow you to disable some useful features/software if you are not careful about what you do with them. They do allow you to make backups of the stuff you are getting rid of so, use that feature. Also, make sure you have the most recent virus definitions for your anti-virus program.

[joycie]

Many thanks, John. The anti-virus software that I bought was recommended and installed by the computer shop technician when I sent my PC for service after being infected with spyware a few months ago.

I have installed and run Spybot, AdAware, Window Defender and installed GOOGLE toolbar and got rid of spyware and adware on my PC but my system is so much slower than before I installed "no ads" software from (http://www.southbaypc.com/NoAds/?ShowAllReviews=1)

I suspect there is also something "fishy" with this software and so have unstalled the "no ads" software but my system is still very slow.
I wonder what I should do now?:confused:

[blm126]

Thanks Mike. But I have just realised some problems.
I use the following javascript for a welcoming message AT THE BOTTOM of my webpage. It works fine in IE but not in FIREFOX!:confused: I wonder how I can modify the script to make it also works for FIREFOX.

Have you discovered the error console yet? Visit the web page with the problem then open Tools->Error Console. It will display any javascript errors on the page. It's a very useful tool for web design

[joycie]

Have you discovered the error console yet? Visit the web page with the problem then open Tools->Error Console. It will display any javascript errors on the page. It's a very useful tool for web design

Thanks blm.
But I cannot locate "error console" in firefox under "tools":confused:

[blm126]

Look again it should be there :p. If not give me a link to the problem page.

[jscheuer1]

On my most recent version of FF it is listed as javascript console. The new Opera has an error console that used to be called a javascript console.

About your system problems - Sadly, about the most efficient method is a full system reinstall with HD format, if you have adequate virus free backups of everything added since you got your computer (software and data). Then don't bog down your computer with all these added protection things. Just use windows firewall and a good self updating anti-virus program (I like Grisoft's free AVG). Use FF or Opera as your default browser, reserving IE only for testing how local pages look in it.

A half way measure would be to set IE to operate offline and leave it that way. Designate another browser as your default ad get rid of any active monitoring software other than a good anti-virus program and windows firewall.

[joycie]

Many thanks to John and BLM on your kind inputs. I found the Javascript console and there listed a long list of errors. Is there a function key to fix the errors?

I will check on how I can change the default browser to firefox.
I would still need to use IE because quite a few websites that I frequented do not function as it should be in FF.

I have firewall (ZoneAlarm) installed previously but the computer service technician where I sent my PC for service told me that WINDOW XP itself has sufficient windows protection and removed the ZONEALARM firewall for my PC. He recommended me to use "VET antivirus" software instead. Is the "windows firewall" that you mentioned need to be downloaded and installed from MICROSOFT website or elsewhere?

[jscheuer1]

Windows firewall is the 'included protection' your tech was talking about. I'm not familiar with VET. There are so many anti-virus programs out there. I like Grisoft's AVG, as it is award winning and free for life.

There is no function key to fix errors found by the javascript console. However, many errors are probably just css. If it says, 'declaration dropped' or 'declaration skipped' then it is just css. The real killer errors are like 'object not found' and 'whatever has no properties' and 'so and so is null or not an object' and 'something() is not a function' as well as syntax errors. You just have to go to the line number and see if you can fix it or ask for help. The more you work with the console, the more you will learn but it does seem overwhelming at first.

[Snorkle?]

Maybe Setting the
<script language="">
part to a version that will run it for firefox
maybe like
<script language="Javascript_1.2"
But dont listen to me becuase im just tryin to think for myself too

[jscheuer1]

Maybe Setting the
<script language="">
part to a version that will run it for firefox
maybe like
<script language="Javascript_1.2"
But dont listen to me becuase im just tryin to think for myself too

Nope. That has nothing to do with it. FF will run any javascript with the valid <script type="text/javascript"> tag or even just <script>. That is as long as it has javascript enabled (turned on in its configuration) and isn't set to not allow parts of the specific code. If all that is happening and there is still an error, it is a code and/or a markup error.

Besides, the script works in my FF browser, there has to be another problem.

[joycie]

Grisoft's AVG is great! Thank you so much to John for informing and sharing this excellent software.
I have removed all viruses and spyware, adware......etc.
But earlier with SPYBOT and Ad-aware software, everytime after I removed all these annoying spywares.... they reappeared as soon as they were removed.
I wonder if Grisoft's AVG has the ability of preventing viruses and hackers from infecting and invading the PC?
If not, is there any other software that you would recommend?

--------
I have just found out that Grisoft's AVG has anti-spyware resident shield that scans applications in the background as you run them. Hurray!!!
But I still get popup Ads such as this one (http://evmonth.softreg.com.cn/win/7777/) when I use IE. sIGH.

[jscheuer1]

That's the trouble with IE, it can under certain circumstances install an active X component that will continue to download viruses, trojans and adware. These various programs should detect and eliminate it but, they are not updated frequently enough. AVG is updated frequently enough but, doesn't scan for this type of hazard which is generally known as malware.

Their ewido program:

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/ewido-anti-spyware-free/lng/us/tpl/v5

might do the trick but, these malware programs are so easy to update and change that the number of variants is staggering. If it doesn't take care of it at first, stop using IE except locally in offline mode (check file - work offline) and (only if you must) on the occasional trusted live site (the problem with this - using IE live - is that it will download more junk than the malware program alone can, so best to keep it in offline mode), and continue to eliminate all viruses and spyware that are downloaded and continue to update and run ewido, it should eventually take care of the problem.

However even this might not be enough as some malware, once on the computer, protects itself from any program that can detect it.

If that's unsatisfactory, there is always the full system reinstall I was mentioning earlier but, you must have adequate backups as I mentioned before. Otherwise, the loss of software and data would be unacceptable. Still, if after a few months, the situation hasn't improved, you really won't have much choice. You could backup to CD's but don't copy the files from them onto a clean computer until you have scanned them thoroughly from a clean computer.

[joycie]

Thanks John for your kind input.

Earlier, Grisoft's AVG actually detected a TROJAN HORSE virus which the software could not delete. My anti-virus software could not even detect the virus.

I spent lengthy time doing hard disk reformatting and reinstalling all my software and drivers. My PC is finally in proper working order now.

[blm126]

All that work ,because you were using IE. I suggest with your newly installed system you get a better browser. Some good ones are Firefox and Opera.

[joycie]

Thanks for your advice, BLM.
I have installed both IE and Firefox.
I still use IE more often because a few of the sites that I frequented work right only in IE. But I have learnt a valuable lesson - never download freeware from unknown sources.:p

[jscheuer1]

You are probably fine using IE on trusted sites, as long as your trust is well placed. To protect yourself in the future, make sure you enable the system restore point feature for windows. That way if you get another attack you may be able to restore the system to the most recent point before the attack.

However, if you are just browsing about the web, don't use IE. Use FF or Opera, it is much safer.

[joycie]

Thanks John. I will heed your advice. I have just bookmarked "google search" AND "YAHOO SEARCH" in firefox.
May I know how to enable 'the system restore point feature for windows" for IE?

[jscheuer1]

This is a part of the operating system. As far as I know, only in Windows XP however, it may be available for some of their other OS's and similar tools probably come with other platforms. For information on all aspects of system restore in Windows XP (Google):

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=system+restore+windows&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

and pick a topic.

To enable system restore (generally it is enabled by default) in Windows XP, bring up control panel, click on 'System' and choose the 'System Restore' tab. Make sure 'Turn off System Restore' is not checked and set the 'Disk space to use' to Max.

[blm126]

Well, if you only need IE for a couple of sites. Check out IE tab (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1419/)

[jscheuer1]

Well, if you only need IE for a couple of sites. Check out IE tab (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1419/)

IE Tab engages the iexplore.exe file or at least many of its dlls. It cannot function on a machine without IE installed so, I would hesitate to recommend it in this situation as, it might lull you into a false sense of security. If IE can be hacked by a site, chances are that IE tabs in FF can as well.