Internet Explorer - Icons & file are gone!!! 2

[Bocaire]

I feel silly asking this question, but a strange thing has happened. suddenly all the icons for Internet Explorer are gone. None on my desktop, none in my taskbar, and none in the programs listing - none anywhere.

I checked in the path C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ and looked for the file "iexplorer.exe", and it's not there. And I did a search for "iexplorer.exe", and nothing is found.

I have my options set to show system & hidden files files et al, but it doesn't show in Windows Explorer, or either of my 2 file managers.

But, if I click a link in my Favorites folder, IE comes up, and it's not a cached page, as I can go to Google News, and get the latest news clips.

Can anyone explain to me what's going on here. It is very weird. I know my way around, but I'm stumped on this.

Ron Hirsch

 

[Wishdiak]

Bocaire,

Do you have any files in C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\?

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe is usually the path to Internet Explorer (unless your %systemroot% is some other drive letter).

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[dglienna]

Check for spyware. I don't think IE can be removed, so it may have been renamed. Can you type iexplore from the command line?

-David
2006 Microsoft Valueable Professional (MVP)
2006 Dell Certified System Professional (CSP)

 

[Bocaire]

Hi David & Wishdiak,

If I type "iexplore" from the command line, IE does come up. If I click on a link in my Favorites folder, IE does come up.

But, searching for "iexplore" on my ssytem (C) drive produces no results.

I searched the entire system, and the only thing that shows up is

iexplore.chm
iexplore.hlp
iexplore.exe-2D97EBE6.pf

This last file is in the path c:\windows\prefetch. Searching in Google seems to indicate that this is a trojan virus.

This is a new system I've just built. It has 4 SATA drives, C, D, E, and F. The first thing I did after installing Windows was to install and update AVG Pro, Adaware, Spyware Blaster, Spybot search and Destroy, Zone Alarm, and Win Patrol. I have run all of them, and no "problems" of any kind show up.

What's the best way to get rid of this? I've been using Acronis True Image to create images regularly, So I could try going back in time that way. Or, if there's a simle way to get rid of this "Trojan Virus", I could try that out first.

Ron Hirsch

 

[Bocaire]

It became dead certain that a trojan virus had hit me.

I decided that the best approach was to restore the last image I made of things - about 5 days ago.

Acronis True Image came to the rescue. I've never had the chance to verify how well it works, but it proved itself out.

I restored the C drive - took about 6 minutes. My IE icons are now back, and the boot and shut down times are now much faster.

I don't know how the Trojan virus got in. As I noted above, I have 6 security programs installed, and they were all up to date. None showed any problems, nor did they block the intrusion. And I'm very careful about things, but some place along the line, I must have goofed somewhere.

This was the first successful attack against me that I've had in all these years.

My new system is so fast, that it created a complete image of C, which had about 16 GB of space used, and stored that image on drive F, in under 3 minutes. I was creating these images along the route to getting the new system set up, should any prpblems occur along the way.

Normally I only do an image of C every 30 days on my machine(s). But now, I'll do an image every couple of days - it's so simple and fast to do. And it's a lot easier than trying to "fix up" the problems that those SOB's out there create. I'd like to decapitate them all, very slowly.

Bocaire

 

[Bocaire]

I was wrong. The image I restored still had the elements of the problem. I'm going to try an older image.

But I'd still like a solution to digging in deep, and removed the trojan virus.

Bocaire

 

[electronicsfreak]

If you want to look really deep for something give rootkit revealer a try. Might not find anything but those are things that can hide files and other things so they wont be removed.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/RootkitRevealer.html

 

[linney]

iexplore.exe-2D97EBE6.pf

This last file is in the path c:\windows\prefetch. Searching in Google seems to indicate that this is a trojan virus."

I am not sure this a correct reasoning as .pf files are a normal part of Windows Prefetching. Of course I may be wrong on that matter and the other raised matters are decidedly strange to say the least.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_p.htm#xp_prefetch

Internet Explorer Fix

http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/IEFIX.htm

Add or Remove (Windows Components) has the ability to repair Internet Explorer - Shortcuts, Start Menu Program links and Quicklaunch icons. It does not repair IE itself.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

What errors if any are showing in the Event Viewer?

What happens if you make a file up and call it iexplore.exe and stick it in the "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer" folder? Does it let you even create it?

Removing adware & spyware
faq608-4650

Microsoft (GIANT Antispyware) Beta available
Thread779-979113

Try the free version of "Ewido"

http://www.ewido.net/

 

[Bocaire]

Thanks for all the help - to all of you.

Unfortunately, this afternoon I had to attend a funeral, and my wife and I will shortly be leaving on a vacation for 12 days - our first vacation in almost 2 years. My wife has many medical problems, so we don't get away too often.

When we return, I will delve further into the matter at hand. I did a scan with 4 different spyware et al programs, Only one did discover a "virus", and presumably removed it. For now, the new machine seems clean, but it's too soon to really know.

One strange thing is that when connected to the Internet, it boots up in under a minute, and shots down in about 20 seconds. When it's not connected, the times can get into many minutes, and sometimes shutdown exceeds 5 minuts - which is where I pull the plug.

I can't fathom this.

Bocaire

 

[linney]

Resources to help troubleshoot shutdown problems in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308029&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Shutdown troubleshooter.

http://www.aumha.org/a/shtdwnxp.htm