InvasionHijacks IE11 in W7 (???)

Windows 7 is not supposed to have IE11, but mine does (not of my doing).

Big problem. IE is a browser I never use, but can't get rid of. Something got into my system. It launches IE behind my back. I have to use task manager to get rid of it. But it never launches it just once. Each browser launched seems to browse on its own to a variety of sites. Many of them are sites I've been to and have no reason to suspect.

I can only get rid of them by deleting the iexplorer.exe process. All of them. I can't get rid of the application in task manager, so I have to go after the processes. One by one.

So I did all I could to damage IE. Can't reinstall, because I'm told I have a newer version. But for Windows 7, IE 11 isn't supposed to exist, but that's what I have. I denied it the right to launch. In every way I could, I tried to remove all aspects of IE. But now, I'm getting browsers launched that say "blank page", so I guess they're not going anywhere, but I'm getting DOZENS of them now. I gather that means it can't connect anywhere (I hope), but in response it keeps launching many times.

Even when I'm offline, it sometimes launches IE, but not often. On or offline, my mouse can suddenly stop and I'll hear two tones. A few seconds later, it's back with the tones reversed.

As I remove the launches now, something erases my whole desktop. I can use any open programs, but everything else is inaccessible. To get the desktop back, I have to reboot.

I strongly suspect this malware is using my PC to send out malware to others.

Have you heard of this one? Either way, what can I DO to get rid of it?

And meanwhile, is there a way to regain my desktop without rebooting?

Thanks,
Holly B.

 

I wish I could remember how I learned that W7 doesn't support IE 11.

Thanks for the input. I will follow your suggestions. Whatever this thing is, it has turned my PC into a server, and I think it's sending out malware through my PC. Fortunately the damage I did to IE had the effect that these launchings of IE have no way to browse anywhere. So that may have stopped them in that goal. But for me, it means more launch attempts, dozens of them, and when I get rid of them, my whole desktop goes blank. But at least it's just MY problem now, not everyone else's.