IE Script Error - opens as a pop-up for many programs

[Mr.Hopeless]

Ever since installing an updated Norton Internet Security (2008) last fall, I've had this annoying pop-up come up for many programs.  It says it is an Internet Explorer Script Error.  It says "An error has occurred in the script on this page."  It does not list any Line, Char, Error, Code, or URL information.  "Do you want to continue running scripts on this page?"  Clicking either the Yes or No box does not remove the box, only clicking the red X on the top right does.  And when this happens, there are a few dozen boxes that pop up at the same time so I need to close all of the
boxes.

This seems to happen for many programs when a message box is supposed to come up. For example, if I have received now mail on Microsoft Outlook, I am notified by getting dozens of these pop-ups instead of just a single message notifying me that I have new mail.  When I go to the Norton Help & Support on the Norton Internet Security program, I also get these pop-ups.  I can't even put my cursor over the registration submittal box for H&R Block Tax Cut without getting these boxes, and when I clear them on this program, a fresh batch pops up right away, so I can't even get passed the registration page and do my taxes!

I cannot do a System Restore, since when I run System Restore, I only get a blank System Restore window.

I've tried reinstalling Internet Explorer, running virus and malware checks, doing all sorts of internet searches, and I just don't know don't what the next thing to try would be.  And I'm soooo annoyed.

Any help is much appreciated.

[Mr.Hopeless]

I should add that I've also uninstalled Norton.

[evilfantasy]

Many choose just to turn this option off as it's not much more than an annoying pain.

Reconfigure script debugging

• Click on Start > Run and type: iexplore.exe.
  
• On the Tools menu, click Internet Options > Advanced tab.
• Click the "Advanced tab" and scroll down to "Browsing".
• Put a check mark next to "Disable Script Debugging (IE)".
  
• Put a check mark next to "Disable Script Debugging (Other)".
  
• Uncheck "Display a notification about every script error".
  
• Click "OK" and close Internet Explorer.

.
To disable the service:

• Click on Start > Run and type: services.msc
  
• Press OK.
  
• Click the "Extended tab" at the bottom to view all the info on your services.
  
• Scroll down the list and find the service called Machine Debug Manager.
  
• When you find the service, double-click on it or right-click and choose "Properties".
• In the Properties Window > General Tab that opens, click the "Stop" button.
  
• From the drop-down menu next to "Startup Type", click on "Disabled".
  
• Click Apply, then OK and close any open windows.

[Mr.Hopeless]

Thanks for the response.

Regarding the script debugging, those are the configurations I already had set up.

Regarding the service, I can't run services.msc properly because of the script error issue I described.  By the time I clear all the script error boxes (there were exactly 40 of them), the Extended tab is completely blank.

Any other suggestions?

[evilfantasy]

try this. If it doesn't work then it could be a malware issue. Let me know....

Default Security Settings

For Internet Explorer 6 users:
Click Start > Run > type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter. When Internet Properties comes up navigate to the Security Tab and click Default Level for the following:

*Internet
*Local Intranet
*Trusted Sites
*Restricted Sites.

Click OK to exit.

For Internet Explorer 7 users:
Click Start > Run > type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter. When Internet Properties comes up, navigate to the Security Tab and simply click the "Reset all zones to default level" button. Click OK to exit.

NOTE: If it's Grey then it's already at the default level.

[Mr.Hopeless]

I actually have IE 8 (when I reinstalled it to see if that might help, I got the latest version).  It was at default.

(I'm looking for an emoticon that goes 'sigh'.)

[evilfantasy]

IE8 is the same as IE7 when it comes to the settings I think.

Download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (MBAM)

• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
  
• At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to the following:
• Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  
• 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.
  
• When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
  
• Be 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.
• Copy and Paste the entire report in your next reply.

Extra 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.

[Mr.Hopeless]

Done.  Here's the report:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.34
Database version: 1764
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3

2/15/2009 9:02:12 PM
mbam-log-2009-02-15 (21-02-12).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 80903
Time elapsed: 4 minute(s), 44 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 2
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{4d25f926-b9fe-4682-bf72-8ab8210d6d75} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Trymedia Systems (Adware.Trymedia) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

[evilfantasy]

Doesn't look like a malware issue. Might be a conflict with IE8. It is still beta...

[Mr.Hopeless]

I only downloaded IE 8 to see if that might fix the problem (it didn't).  But the problem started when I had IE 7.

[evilfantasy]

This won't work with IE8.

Download Dial-a-Fix by djlizard, save it to the desktop then extract it to it's own folder.

• Open the folder and run Dial-a-fix.exe
• 2 windows will open. Close the one in the background labeled Restrictive Policies
• Check the box in section 1, Empty temp folders.
  
• Check the box in section 2, Fix Windows Installer.
  
• Check the box in section 3, Fix Windows Update.
  
• Check the box in section 4, labeled SSL/HTTPS/Cryptography. The 4 boxes under it should be pre-checked
  
• Check all boxes in section 5, labeled Registration Center.
  
• Click Go
  
• OK any error messages if received, but write them down and post them here.
• Restart the computer when done.

.
Is the problem fixed?

[Mr.Hopeless]

Here's the log of messages I got:

An error occured during registration of the file: C\WINDOWS\system32\msxml2.dll (version). The next dialog will contain an error code and possible suggestions.

Error 0X80070005: 'Access denied'. It is suggested that you run "Repair permissions" which
is found in the Tools dialog. Windows XP Home users will need secedit.exe to perform the repair - http://DjLizard.net/software/secedit-sfx.exe

An error occured during registration of the file: C\WINDOWS\system32\msxml2.dll (version). The next dialog will contain an error code and possible suggestions.

Error 0x80004005: 'Unspecified error'. This object might be corrupted (try SFC/purgecache and SFC/scannow in the Tools dialog) or try to find a replacement for this file. Contact [email protected] for more assistance.

An error occurred during registration of the file: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll (version 7.2.6001.788). The next dialog will contain an error code and possible suggestions.

Error 0X80070005: 'Access denied'. It is suggested that you run "Repair permissions" which
is found in the Tools dialog. Windows XP Home users will need secedit.exe to perform the repair - http://DjLizard.net/software/secedit-sfx.exe

An error occurred during registration of the file: C:\WINDOWS\system32\scrrun.dll (version
5.7.0.16599). The next dialog will contain an error code and possible suggestions.

Error 0x80004005: 'Unspecified error'. This object might be corrupted (try SFC/purgecache and SFC/scannow in the Tools dialog) or try to find a replacement for this file. Contact [email protected] for more assistance.

An error occurred during registration of the file: C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmcndmgr.dll
(version 5.2.3790.4136). The next dialog will contain an error code and possible suggestions.

Error -2147220991 was encountered while trying to register C:WINDOWS\system32 mmcndmgr.dll. The error text is: An event was unable to invoke any of the subscribers
Dial-a-fix currently has no suggestions for this error code. Please email dial-a- [email protected] with a copy of the log pane and any details you can provide about this error.

[evilfantasy]

1)
* Download and run the following file to repair file and registry permissions: fixacl.exe

2)
* Download FixPolicies.exe by Bill Castner and save it to your desktop.
* Double click on FixPolicies.exe to run it.
* Click on Install. It will create a folder named FixPolicies on your desktop.
* Open the FixPolicies folder.
* Double click on Fix_policies.cmd to run it. A Command Prompt will open and close quickly. This is normal.
* Reboot your computer after it runs
* This fix may prove temporary. Active malware may revert these changes at your next startup. You can safely run the tool again.

* Note: Some malware will block the running of this tool. So if you cannot run Fixpolicies, then, rename the exe file to something like fixtool.exe and then run it.

[evilfantasy]

Then run Dail-a-fix again.

[Mr.Hopeless]

It seems to have worked! 

I'm now getting my AVG on and dumping Norton for good measure.  If it comes back, I know where to look for help!  Thanks so much!