Hi everybody

This is my first post. I hope somebody has some ideas about this one.

The CONTEXT which may relate to the problem or might be irrelevant is that I have had a flurry of RECENT problems with spyware/adware (Aurora,etc.) that I have just managed to get rid of.
However I now have a problem in that I can't use my desktop shortcuts to access the internet(it just goes to white when I click)Also trying to access a website through Run doesn't work either.
I can use the address bar in Outlook to get on the net and I am still getting E-mail . I am running XP-pro, I have a firewall and run two a/v programs (AVG and very recently Panda) . Everything seems to be running much slower when it comes to the internet.
I would be very grateful for any SOLUTIONS or even being pointed in the right direction.
Thanks1. Start
2. Settings
3. Control Panel
4. Internet Options
5. Security tab
6. Reset all security zones to Default

And/or

1. Start
2. Settings
3. Control Panel
4. Internet Options
5. Advanced
6. Restore Defaults button.

You may need to do the following as well
 
1. Start
2. Settings
3. Control Panel
4. Internet Options
5. General tab
6. Remove cookies, temporary files and history

Kudos to Raptor.Just a quick thanks for solving my problem. It's now perfect and a weekend of headaches is now history.


Again thanks to you and this great group
Despite everything going brilliantly after I restored the defaults and cleared the temp files etc after I closed down the computer last night when I reopened this morning I had a recurrence of the problems. None of the desktop icons work, I get a blank white screen when I try to use RUN to access a the internet. Meanwhile I can still use E-mail and can access the internet throught the address bar in Outlook. I checked the defaults and they remain in place.

To further complicate things I got a message from Windows when I was trying all these things that I had low virtual memory and that Windows was doing something or other to address this.
So as it STANDS I am having great difficulty accessing the internet, the computer is very un-responsive and slow, and all this after a BRILLIANT return from the dead with the tweaks that were suggested.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

ThanksHMMM?
Is your computer clean?

Free online virus scan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/
Free online spyware scan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/spyxposer/com/spyxposer_principal.htm

Can you start in safe mode without any problems occurring?
Thanks for that-it worked and 18 infections got wiped. What I can't fathom is how two up and running anti-virus programs(AVG and Panda) let it all in.

Anyway thanks a million for your really spot on advice! Quote

Thanks for that-it worked and 18 infections got wiped. What I can't fathom is how two up and running anti-virus programs(AVG and Panda) let it all in.