random windows (not popups)

Not sure whether I need to run the steps AGAIN!!! :cry I've only done so about 5 times already for this dang computer!

At any rate... the problem:

Whether a webpage is open or not, IE is running or not, I randomly get 2 completely blank IE7 windows opening. It's always exactly 2. Nothing shows up in the Address Bar, Title Bar, or in the viewing body of the window. The tabs say "Connecting..." but the little circle icon that swirls around in front of the Tab name isn't spinning, leading me to believe that nothing is in fact loading or connecting. I've looked in processes when this occurs and it only shows that IE7 is open as if I were intentionally on the internet. Comodo doesn't catch anything running either like it normally does when something tries to automatically connect. I have installed and reinstalled Comodo thinking that I might be able to catch it from the beginning of "teaching" Comodo what to allow vs. not allow. Has done no good.

I hate to ask because I have a feeling I know the answer, but do I need to READ & RUN?

 

For now just run ShowNew, GetRunKey & HijackThis and attach those logs. If needed we can run those scans a little later.

 

Logs attached:

 

Your logs look good! I would run the below to default settings and clean the junk files.

Note for IE 7 users:
Select Internet Options, then the Advanced Tab and then the Reset button under Reset Internet Explorer Settings.


Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune. This program does not require an installation. The executable actually runs the program.

NOTE: This program is for Windows XP and Windows 2000 only. ATF Cleaner will remove all files from the items that are checked so if you have some cookies you'd like to save. Please move them to a different directory first.

• Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
• Under Main choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.

If you use Firefox browser

• Click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.
  • NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

If you use Opera browser

• Click Opera at the top and choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.
  • NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

Click Exit on the Main ATF Cleaner menu to close the program.

 

The below steps were performed successfully.

 

The 2 blank windows just popped up again. Problem clearly not solved :crybaby

 

There may be an addon that's causing issues. Open IE7, Click on Tools > Manage Add-ons, Enable or Disable Add-ons...

Go thru the enabled Add-ons and disable any that you're not familiar with or aren't using anymore. If this doesn't work then disable all and see if it still occurs.

If nothing above works I recommend the Software Forum as this isn't malware related.

 

Ok, thank you. Although, the only Add-On enabled is a Showave Flash Object used by Adobe.

May I uninstall/delete GetRunKey, ShowNew, HJT?

 

If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:

1. If we used Pocket Killbox during your cleanup, do the below
   • Run Pocket Killbox and select File, Cleanup, Delete All Backups
2. If we used ComboFix, you can delete the ComboFix.exe file, C:\ComboFix folder, C:\QooBox folder, C:\WINDOWS\nircmd.exe, and the C:\combofix.txt log that was created.
3. If we used SDFix you can delete all the SDFix related files and folders from your Desktop or whereever you installed it.
4. If we used SmitFraudFix, you can delete all files and folders related to it now including the c:\rapport.txt log.
5. If we used VundoFix, you can delete the VundoFix.exe file and the C:\VundoFix Backups folder and C:\vundofix.txt log that was created.
6. If we had your run FixWareOut, you can delete the Fixwareout.exe file and the C:\fixwareout folder.
7. If we had you run Avenger, you can delete all files related to Avenger, the log (avenger.txt) and C:\avenger.
8. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg, fixme1.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
9. You can delete the ShowNew.Zip and GetRunkey.Zip files and the files that you extracted from the ZIP files. You can also delete the C:\newfiles.txt and C:\runkeys.txt logs that were created
10. If you are running Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
    • go back to step 8 of the READ & RUN ME to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
    • Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
11. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!