Internet Explorer 6 Problem

[jambutty]

A couple of weeks ago I noticed that my browser IE 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 had started to use up all the CPU resources to the detriment of everything else.

System Idle Process gets reduced to 00, whilst iexplore.exe jumps to 99 and the Windows Task Manager shows the CPU usage as 100%.

Firefox does not have this problem so whatever it is, it is unique to IE.

Closing IE down cures the problem but only until it is launched again. Disconnecting from the Internet also cures the problem but then there is no point in launching the browser. The only way to cure the problem is to close the computer down and start it up again to get a new IP address.

The problem doesn’t start until some time after booting up my computer, connecting to the Internet and launching IE. I can be browsing for a just a few minutes or a couple of hours before the problem shows itself. It even happens if I just launch the browser but do not surf any web site.

In a nutshell, for some reason IE starts to use up all CPU resources at random. My question is why.

My anti this that and the other software is always up to date with the latest updates as is Windows XP. Using all my anti something software gives my computer a clean bill of health as does a check with System Mechanic 7.

However, over the weekend nothing untoward happened. But it all started again on Monday afternoon.

Any ideas anyone?

[entwisi]

try using this to see whats happening

Process Monitor

i used it once to solve an obscure hardware issue. seems to do teh job properly.

I'm surprised that you say your PC is up to date, I thought IE7 had been sent to all and sundry by now????????

You could try updateing to that.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by entwisi

try using this to see whats happening

Process Monitor

i used it once to solve an obscure hardware issue. seems to do teh job properly.

I'm surprised that you say your PC is up to date, I thought IE7 had been sent to all and sundry by now????????

You could try updateing to that.

Thanks Ian. I’ve downloaded Process Monitor so that I can give it a whirl when next my computer shows the problem.

Months ago without so much as a by your leave a Windows update included IE7 and installed it. From then on I was plagued with requests for IE7 to contact all sorts of places. Fortunately ZoneAlarm prevented IE from doing so without my say so and I got fed up saying no. So it got uninstalled and a System Restore got me back to where I was. Since then any updates didn’t include IE7 so I have been able to avoid it.

I had considered trying it again and if it sorted things out all would be OK except I wouldn’t know what was happening with IE6. I prefer to try and solve a problem rather than run away from it.

I noticed something else this morning. My OS is in its own 20GB partition and until today there was about 8GB free. Today there is only just over 1GB free. Strange! I would add that any programme specific user data like pictures, sound, text etc does not get saved where Windows wants it to be saved but to a partition on the Secondary Hard Drive.

I think that my plan is going to be to try Process Monitor and if it does not point to anything, then I will try IE7 again. If that cures the problem and IE7 behaves itself then that will be that. Although I am beginning to favour formatting the OS partition and re-installing.

[entwisi]

search your OS partition for files over 100Mb. you should only really see pagefile.sys. Anytihng else is suspicious.

Windows does have a habit of having teh default save location different for most apps so its hard to sometimes avoid saving stuff where you don't expect. Of course Linux shoves it all in /home/<userid>

I'd give IE7 another go tbh its better than IE6. Make sure you turn off crap like the anti Phishing stuff as this does make a lot of calls and slows teh thing down.

You could of course try Opera

[jambutty]

It took a while but a search has not revealed any massive files apart from pagefile.sys at 1,474,560KB.

CrazyBrowser, which is an IE clone and uses many of the IE files, was not affected and as Firefox isn’t affected the chances are that Opera won’t be either. So there is no point in trying it.

Yesterday morning I decided to give IE7 another chance and installed it. So far so good but it is early days yet.

However, as it appears to cure the problem it doesn’t tell me what it was and I’m curious. After all someone else could have the same problem and if I knew what it was I could tell them.

Using IE7 doesn’t answer the question of why my OS partition has suddenly got filled up and what with.

I can’t help feeling that someone somewhere has come up with a way of hijacking IE6 browsers so that it can be used to launch SPAM or DdoS attacks without the computer owner being aware of what is happening until he notices a very, very slow computer. I have read a number of threads on other forums where some people are seeking a solution to a slow computer.

How the browser is hijacked is open to debate but it is rather strange that only IE6 is affected, meaning that it is being targeted because it is the most popular browser.

A firewall can close all the computer ports but it has to leave the ones that the browser and email client uses open and it is these two ports that are the computer’s Internet Achilles heel.

So how’s this for a wild idea? A ‘bot’ wanders the Internet looking at every single IP address in turn. There are some 4,294,967,296 (256^4) different IP addresses so it will take time. Once the ‘bot’ finds an IP address that is in use, the ‘bot’ interrogates the computer to see if IE6 is running. If it finds one it hijacks the browser for its own use. That is why on some days I get the problem within a varying amount of time after connecting to the Internet and NEVER when not using IE6 and NEVER when I am not connected.

Thanks anyway Ian but I think that it is going to have to be a re-format and re-install and then spend hours getting all the various updates. This should restore my free space and as I will be using IE7 the slow down problem may not occur.

It would have been nice to know for sure what the cause was though.

[entwisi]

My suggestion of Opera was more about "hey, try this, you might even like it! " type of post. There is a lot more to web browsing than IE.

Most likely its a dodgy Dll with something like flash or shockwave that goes into a infinate loop sucking CPU cycles from your computer. i.e. you browse away happily till it hits a particlar site that has an advert or something on that uses the dodgy code, suddenly you are in swimming in treacle mode. kill it and it takes teh dodgy dll with it.


To find out where teh data is try checking the size of each folder off the C: partition. start at teh first level and then delve deeper when you notice ones that 'stick out' as larger than you expect.( In linux I can give you a command that will report each folder and its subfolders size, Windows doesn't have a similar one that I know off the top of my head).

With regard to ports left open for a browser, You should consider that firewalls are 2 way things, you can open port 80 for outbound but block inbound(firewalls can tell what was requested data and what is unsolicited), similar for 443(SSL/HTTPS) so they aren't an achilies heel at all. As someone who configures security on Internet facing servers for financial institutions I can tell you your safe from such 'attacks' unless you have incorrectly configured your firewall on purpose.

[Jae Swift]

Firefox web browser | Faster, more secure, & customizable

Entwisi btw you going to cough up what this 'teh' business is about yet? lol

[yerself]

Originally Posted by Jae Swift

Entwisi btw you going to cough up what this 'teh' business is about yet? lol

It's what's called an affectation.

affectation

/affektaysh’n/

• noun behaviour, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress.

[entwisi]

Look for teh thread, Its something thats hard wired in my brain, I don't mean to do it but I've given up trying to stop it. Think of it as a huge boil on my forehead, It annoys some people but I can't see it myself.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by entwisi

Look for teh thread, Its something thats hard wired in my brain, I don't mean to do it but I've given up trying to stop it. Think of it as a huge boil on my forehead, It annoys some people but I can't see it myself.

How do you manage when writing software? Or do you use a language without if statements?

[entwisi]

teh IDE autocorrects and autofills although I don't get much chance to do actual code anymore. My time is spent mainly in Korn Shell scripting, Jacl and Jython and writing Wily Introscope EPAgents.

I also seem to spend an inordinate amount of time fixing Spanish peoples problems (although the two jollies to madrid in just over a month was quite nice )

As tech team leader I also do more mentoring than I'd like to but hey, thats what I 'm paid for.

[jambutty]

An update on my problem.

On Saturday 12th April the problem was evident just over an hour after connecting to the Internet.
On Sunday 13th April the problem never showed itself at all after being connected and surfing around for more than 12 hours.
On Monday 14th April the problem was back. First after 2 hours then after 1 hour.
On Tuesday 15th April the problem was back. Late afternoon I deleted the two partitions in my Primary hard drive. Re-partitioned it and formatted both partitions. Re-installed the OS and all my various programmes and got all the updates for them. It only too about 20 hours.
Since then, in spite of being connected to the Internet and running Internet Explorer 6 for some 12 hours, no problem.

It would appear that my action has cured the problem or if it was being engineered from off my computer, it has stopped.

Pity that I couldn’t get to the bottom of it though.

[jambutty]

I got an email from BT Broadband yesterday with “Is your computer running slowly? Let BT Home IT Support help” as the ‘subject’.

The body of the email reads:
“Our experts are only ever one phone call away. They can guide you through the steps or make changes remotely while you watch - you’ll never be left in the dark again.
BT Home IT Call is a UK based service with a dedicated call centre. We have more than 40,000 customers who get support over the phone, 365 days a year and a 95% satisfaction rate from our callers - so what are you waiting for sign up today!

Don’t miss out on the special offer - get Home IT Call 12 month subscription at just £6.99 a month for the first 4 months(£8.99 a month thereafter) there has never been a better time to get peace of mind. Take advantage of this amazing offer and get a 45 minute computer health check at no extra cost!”

Strange that I should get it so soon after recently experiencing serious slow down of my computer as described earlier. It does generate suspicious thoughts though.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by jambutty

Pity that I couldn’t get to the bottom of it though.

Its Windows what do you expect?
Most people won't spend the time you did trying to cure it, they just format and start again.
That includes many professionals as well.