Weird computer problem. Anyone know what could cause this? Please help.

[SlamDesigns]

Ok, got some weird shit going on with my computer. Could be three problems, could all be related, no clue. Worse yet, it's a Dell...so their tech support is useless unless you speak Indian or Paki. Called my ISP, first time they said I could have a virus or spyware...I've ran every check I can, and can't find anything wrong, still the problem(s) persist. Second one said that my ethernet card was going bad...but someone, I don't see that causing this stuff. If anyone knows what could cause any of this, please let me know....

1. Random pages won't display. Surfing the 'net, things are fine, then every 4th or 5th (sometimes more, sometimes less) link that I click on...I get page not found. Refresh 2, 3, 4+ times...and the page displays. Happens on various types of sites...from adult to Google & IMDB.
2. Sporadically won't check e-mail. In Outlook Express, I have 10 e-mail accounts. It'll check them all...next time, it will check all but 2 or 3, then all again, then 2 or 3...but not the same 2 or 3.
3. Favicons in my Bookmarks (FireFox) changing to Yahoo. Not the links, just the favicons next to them. Right now, I have 3 sponsors showing Yahoo logos next to their names in my Bookmarks.

Anyway, if anyone knows what's going on...or have had any of this happen to you...please let me know. Thanks in advance for anyone that can help!

[Spunky]

What spyware removal program are you running?

[madawgz]

1st problem sounds like gfy

2nd problem , no idea

3rd problem i have too, but thats not a big deal now is it? ;) all my bookmarks change to gfy's fuck you favicon lol

[SlamDesigns]

What spyware program are you running?

Ran AdAware, Symantec's online one, and SpyBot.

[SlamDesigns]

1st problem sounds like gfy

2nd problem , no idea

3rd problem i have too, but thats not a big deal now is it? ;) all my bookmarks change to gfy's fuck you favicon lol

1. That's what I thought too, til it happened on several other sites. Like I said, Google, IMDB, etc.
2. Me either.
3. Not a big deal, just odd. Never did it before, and just started when the rest of this stuff happened.

[nudecanada]

SlamDesigns, the first two sound like it may be DNS issues. Maybe your ISP's DNS servers are buggered. Which would lead to problems with #2.

As for #3, I use Opera and sometimes the favorite icons get a little screwey too.

If you want to try good nameservers, go to this page: http://www.opendns.com/start/ and try hardcoding their nameservers. Chances are they are better then your ISP's are anyways. Pages load a lot faster for me using their DNS entries.

If that doesn't work, you might had a spyware problem. A couple years ago I had wierd things like that happening and found out some spyware changed my DNS servers on my comp to theirs and it caused all kinds of problems.

[SlamDesigns]

SlamDesigns, the first two sound like it may be DNS issues. Maybe your ISP's DNS servers are buggered. Which would lead to problems with #2.

As for #3, I use Opera and sometimes the favorite icons get a little screwey too.

If you want to try good nameservers, go to this page: http://www.opendns.com/start/ and try hardcoding their nameservers. Chances are they are better then your ISP's are anyways. Pages load a lot faster for me using their DNS entries.

If that doesn't work, you might had a spyware problem. A couple years ago I had wierd things like that happening and found out some spyware changed my DNS servers on my comp to theirs and it caused all kinds of problems.

Hmmmm, ok. See, that's the first thing that I thought too was DNS, but of course, tech support assures me it's not that. lol. I did check the nameservers, and they are right, but I am assuming they could still be having DNS issues.

[SlamDesigns]

Oh yeah...and just to clarify so people don't think I'm so OC that the icon thing matters to me...it doesn't. lol. Only reason I mentioned it was because I thought maybe it was a symptom/side effect of another problem.

[LiveDose]

So weird I have been having some of those same issues right after upgrading to ie7...

I fuckin' hope it is not in fact a virus.... UGH.

[LiveDose]

So weird I have been having some of those same issues right after upgrading to ie7...

I fuckin' hope it is not in fact a virus.... UGH.

[SlamDesigns]

So weird I have been having some of those same issues right after upgrading to ie7...

I fuckin' hope it is not in fact a virus.... UGH.

Tech support said that it's been happening with IE7...but then they were clueless when I said it was doing it with FF.

[wyldworx]

my system tends to choose which browser is optimal, by a complimentry crash and restart.

[SlamDesigns]

Bump for the morning crew!

[FunkyDog]

Slamdesigns,

I had a simular problem although not EXACTLY the same but also very weird and also with FF.

I take it you run Windows XP.

This is how i solved it:

Clear your cache and cookies.
Deinstall FF from the control panel - software
HARD CLEAN your drive from ALL cookies and ANY left-over FF files.

Install FF again.

Hope this helps.

[AsianDivaGirlsWebDude]

ADG Webmaster

[Violetta]

How long since your last format?

[SlamDesigns]

How long since your last format?

You mean formatting the hard drive? Never. Computer is only 6 months old.

[SlamDesigns]

Slamdesigns,

I had a simular problem although not EXACTLY the same but also very weird and also with FF.

I take it you run Windows XP.

This is how i solved it:

Clear your cache and cookies.
Deinstall FF from the control panel - software
HARD CLEAN your drive from ALL cookies and ANY left-over FF files.

Install FF again.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, I may try that. It's not just FF though, it happens with IE also. I'm hoping it turns out to be something wrong at the ISP itself...but seeing how everything else in my life is falling apart right now, I'm guessing the problem is gonna end up being something f'ed up on my end.

[SlamDesigns]

ADG Webmaster

Thanks for your input.

[Adultnet]

reinstall windows and solve this problems now its not dell support but microsoft support you should be calling