flippin' AOL!!! Argh!!!

[DebsSisterFlo]

Ok, I use the IE browser, Kevin uses the Netscape browser.
AOL bought out netscape, so we had to renew his email account, no biggy. Then it said that they highly recommended uploading the latest version of the netscape browser... ok.
So that's all installed and I go to open his mail to clean it out. The very INSTANT that I clicked on the "you have 55 new messages" link, THE VERY INSTANT, my IE browser FREAKED! Pop ups piling up one on top of the other, I had to shut the system down with the power button.

So now what do I do... oh, I had ReefCentral minimized at the time on the IE browser, I know it wasn't that site that did this, I've been there for years and have never had a pop up or anything, and then my IE trouble notice thing says that this is happening due to add-ons, most likely from that darned AOL.
What's it doing you ask? When I have a window open with the IE browser, and then I go to file, new, window, it will open the window and you can see the address bar, and then they both spontaniously disappear. I was trying to go through the trouble shooting at the Canon USA website, and when I clicked on a link it tried to open it and then the same thing happened, both windows were gone.
That seems, so far, to be the only problem I'm having, but I'm desperate to get rid of those add-ons, whatever and wherever they may be. This computer is only a year old, I don't really want to have to go buy a new one!!!!!
Oh, we have the Norton that came with the system and it still runs its checks, I know absolutely nothing about virus protection software, other than by the time you bring it home and install it it is obsolete due to all of the new viruses that are always popping up.
Can anyone help me?

[ChrisPrusha]

Consider downloading AVG's free virus software.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5#avg-free

I am not sure that this is your problem, though.

[Doug1]

Jess, I never liked IE, I used Netscape since I got online, then about 3 yrs ago I swithed to Firefox, mainly cause it runs like Netscape as opposed to IE and its more secure. When my son bult my new bos we installed ZoneAlarm firewall, Avast and ad ware spyware progs

[Phishnoob]

Firefox and Ad Aware work great for me. You can go to www.mozilla.com to get Firefox to replace IE and www.lavasoft.com to get Ad Aware to remove a lot of your pop ups.

My old bosses computer at home was so plastered with pop ups that I bought the CD version of Pest Patrol which you can boot to and it saved his box.

[jenajet]

Had the same issue on my other computer and the adware in particular I could not get off no matter what program I used. It was for some virus program and everytime I would start IE it would start the pop ups saying I had critical errors and would automatically start downloading their program and had to turn pc off to stop it. Hope it's not the same thing. Good luck.

[DebsSisterFlo]

I'm looking at my add/remove programs list...
what is "Otto" and "Python 2.2 pywin32 extensions (buld 203)" and "Python 2.2.3".
I'm too scared to remove anything until I know for absolute certain what it is... thanks.

[FishDaddy]

Jessica, I'm running IE, a recent version as just bought this computer in July, and it has a built-in pop-up blocker under the "Tools" menu. You can set three different levels of protection. You might check and see if you have that option.

I also use Ad-Aware as recommended by Perry to remove offending internet files. It's free and really works.

I don't know about removing those files...better wait 'til someone who knows more than I chimes in.

What AOL does to an unsuspecting computer is downright obscene.

Dick

[DebsSisterFlo]

whew...
so I went in and disabled some programs and I got it! I do run ad-aware and I have the yahoo toolbar with a popup blocker and it's always worked very well. I have the new yahoo toolbar and it now has tabs like netscape and I don't care for that but I'll deal with it, at least it's working again!