Interferes with other sites how?

The only add on for that site using Internet Explorer would be an Active x control.

Or perhaps Java using Firefox.

I can't use GOOGLE

why?

paleblue-
Explain how you can't use Google. The only time I was in that situation was when I had a difficult-to-remove virus: when I clicked on a link in a Google search results page, the virus would send me to another location. I very much doubt that some legitimate Microsoft ad-on has anything to do with you having trouble using Google. Why do you believe that that is the cause?

I started having this problem last May at the time MSN
introduced BING. My computer would FREEZE anytime I
tried to Google anything. Since then I had many viruses
etc. Last week a computer geek cleaned my harddrive
completely. When I got the computer back I could use it
without problems. But I like to play games. In order
to do so, I had to agree to MSN add ons or they would not
allow me to particiate. So I agreed to it. NOW...I'm back to
the same old situation where I cannot access google directly without going through my internet providers site
first. The only way to find out if this is the basis of
my problems is to eliminate the add on feature and see what
happens. Also have been barred from using refdesk.com as
my home page and I think (?) that may be the same reason.
Problem is I don't know exactly where to go to eliminate
the addon. When I check the programs(?) forgive my
layman's language, it says Microsoft this and Microsoft
that....I have no way of knowing what these Microsoft
labels represent and am therefore leery of removing
that which I don't understand. It's no excuse I know
but I am in my 70s and have no education in computer
speak. I hope this makes sense to someone. Thank you.

Do you ever run any spyware scans if not consider downloading, installing, updating then running Malwarebytes

paleblue-
Where exactly are you downloading these add-ons from? Are you sure it is a legitimate Microsoft site? It's possible that you may be getting some stuff from a site that looks legitimate, but is infecting your computer with a virus. Give me the web address you go to for these add-ons and I will check it out.

And, are you actually using Bing? The fact that it was introduced would have nothing to do with those problems you describe, and even if you downloaded and installed it, I can't see that that would cause these symptoms.

You may have new or continuing virus infections. If you get someone to clean up your computer, have them explain what they did, what they found, and why they think your computer is not behaving. Specifically ask them about the add-ons. However, as I said, if you can share with me where you have been going, I will check it out.

Lastly, are you running up-to-date antivirus software? If so, what?

We might get somewhere with your problems if you can provide some more specifics...

it really sounds to me like you were getting infections from the sites you were visiting and had someone try to clean them then what did you do go right back to the same exact sites and allow that site to install "something" on your pc with out knowing what it was. That is very very bad practice and is exactly how people get infections. My guess is you have some infections on the pc and likely some remnants from the previous infections as it takes some serious experience to clean many of todays infections.

I agree you need to tell us what you do to protect your pc, what antivirus program do you run, do you do all of your windows updates, do you run the secunia software inspector to see if you have vulnerble programs needing updates do you have malwarebytes on the pc and do you update and do regular scans with it?

if no to any of these then you are needing to do some work.
install update and run malwarebytes asap.
How to download and install Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware application for Windows computers

get all windows updates done

use this to find what other programs on your pc need updating
Secunia Online Software Inspector (OSI)

and put spywareblaster on the pc
SpywareBlaster install it hit update get updates then hit the enable all protection button so the shield turns green do this weekly.

give us the info requested as well as any of the system info you can so we can help you determine what is going on.

Kudzu....I added the addons at MSN Hearts and MSN Spades,
two games. Also Added Java to play Marbles. I tried
deleting the addons and there was no difference (today).
My harddrive was supposedly totally cleaned up by an
aquaintance........he said I had to start from scratch
as tho it was a new computer. When I got it, I downloaded
AVG antivirus. I do not use bing. I prefer google, which
FREEZES when using ie. I need to shut down and restart
because once I use google, I can't make any other moves.
I downloaded firefox and when I switch browers, I CAN USE
google. My question (probably naive) is can't I just buy
a new harddrive rather than try to clean up old one?

This problem has also messed up my printer.

Don't know anything about running my own malware or virus
cds. Also, this evening the computer (DELL) warned me not
to use it. Had some codes which are meaningless to me.

Since I have a functioning laptop I am tempted to just
junk the DELL. However, the laptop (GATEWAY) has the
same problem with google.

Sorry, but I need more info:

How old is the Dell?

What is the operating system: Win 98, ME, XP, Vista...what?

What is the web site where you download these things from? (Please give me the exact web address.)

And to answer your question, it would not be easy for you to resolve this with a new hard drive. A new hard drive is totally blank. Before you could use your computer with the new drive you would have to install an operating system on it, and you would have to reinstall every program that you use. Alternatively, some people copy the contents of the old drive to a new drive and then install the new one, but in your case you would most likely be transferring all of your current problems onto a new drive and be in exactly the same situation afterwards.

have you tried using the malwarebytes program we have mentioned that I provided the link to? if not that is the first thing you should be doing.

Thank you both so much for your patience and time.

The Dell is 4 yrs old...O/S Windows XP

I cannot do anything on the Dell because there's a
message which is not centered properly so I can only
relate the words visible...as follows:

problem detected/windows shut down to prevent damage
to computer.

check for viruses on your computer. remove any newly
installed hard drive or hard drive controllers. check
hard drive make sure it's properly configured and
terminated.

???CHKDSK/F to check hard drive corruption and then
technical information

????stop:OX0000007B(0XF894E528,OXC0000034,OX00000000,
OX00000000.

You will need to take that in for repair most likely. Trouble shooting that error here would be quite difficult.

Here is a link that might be useful: support.microsoft

Given that info, it's hard to narrow it down. Three things come to mind and your problems could be a result of any one of these (or a combination):
1. You still have a virus infection
2. Whoever cleaned up your computer damaged the operating system
3. You have some bad sectors on your hard drive and the hard drive is heading towards a crash. This may or may not be something that can be fixed.

At some point, you may just have to take this computer to a competent technician. However, I am going to make one more suggestion. Read and follow the directions below to try to run chkdsk in Safe Mode, and then report back.

Here is a link that might be useful: chkdsk

http://zone.msn.com/en/hearts/zpadefault.htm

Kudzu...I think this is what you asked for..altho
I no longer see that as the problem. Will ty your
suggestion. thanks

there is no doubt in my mind that the pc has some serious infection on it, the things it was doing were give aways, the redirects and the google problems are things seen from infection. Depending on who tried to clean it and how they did it could they have caused some of the problem my guess is yes and since we are now seeing other errors I would guess there are now some problems with the Operating system it self.

the problem you have is that the laptop likely has the exact same infections, my guess is you visted the same sites with the laptop and that you got the infections on it as well as the desktop. I would run the malwarebytes on that laptop immediately. Do not worry about not being able to do it this is extremely easy to do just jump in and do it, the directions are all on the link I provided step by step. Download, install, update run full scan, tell it to clean what it finds, reboot when told to. Simple. And once you do that we can get a log from the laptop and that will give us an idea of what infections we are dealing with.

paleblue-
Thanks. I've been to that site before and there is no problem with it. I think ravencajun and I are of like minds that there is a high probability of virus infection. See what you can do with Malwarebytes, and run it in Safe Mode if you can't get to your usual desktop. Let us know what is happening after you work on this a little more. Good luck.

Hi Kudzu and Raven: The malwarebytes instruction says
it is for Windows XP and Vista. My laptop WAS Vista
but the tech who tried to repair Dell, put Windows 7
on it. Does that mean I can't use the malware
site? At this point the only thing I'm doing on the laptop
is this forum and my email. Thanks

it does say it works for 7 on the malwarebytes website

"Support for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)."
Key Features

so yes you can and should install, update and run FULL scan.

My thanks to everyone of you that were so helpful. Have
followed through on you suggestions. Now have my fingers
crossed. Pale