Computer Hope
Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: pleshek on November 13, 2009, 01:18:08 AM
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I recently bought a PC from a church sale. I believe the person inquired or registered with a website called: earthshare.com. I continue to get pop ups from this site every 45 seconds and I have blocked it in the IE Restricted Sites field.
How do I delete the connection between this I.P. address and that website? Or is there a different way? I'm experienced but not that familiar with this type of scenario.
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You should format the hard disk and re-install the OS.
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you should to system restore first before you reformat and install o.s...
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you should to system restore first before you reformat and install o.s...
What???
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Pleshek, I am not Quantos2, I don't know who thought that is funny.
You do need to format the drive and re-install the Operating System though.
Don't ever trust an old installation on a second hand computer.
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I agree.....best to start fresh. Did you get any software with the computer?
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Download and unzip latest version of "Process Explorer (http://www.filehippo.com/download_process_explorer/) from SysInternals (now owned by Microsoft). Run the executable. There's a row of icons, just below the top row of pull down menus. Select (left-click) the "gunsight " icon from the end of icon row, drag it onto the annoying pop window, and release the mouse selection button. The process controlling the popup should be highlighted in Process Explorer window.
What is the name of the process controlling the popup?
When you right-click the offending process within Process Explorer, you have a context menu which gives you option to "suspend" or "kill" the offending process.
If it's your internet browser, you don't want to suspend or kill it. We'd need to use SysInternals Autoruns or something equivalent to identify the responsible "helper" program within the browser first; and then just remove or disable it from starting with the browser.
If it's not the browser, you can probably just "suspend" the offending process temporarily and see if that stops the repetitive popups. Then later, need to determine if and how to get rid of it.
Your best course of action would be to "wipe" the hard drive and start over with a clean installation of the operating system. Otherwise you should scan for and remove all the "bad boys" from your system. See the "Computer Hope Forums -> Software -> Computer Viruses and spyware" subcategory for this. Start with Computer Hope Virus and Spyware section Guidelines (http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html).