You are seeing the effects of a hijackware infection.
Back-up any personal data (none of which should be considered 100%
trustworthy at this point) then format the HDD & do a clean install of
Windows. Please note that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT
fix this!
HOW TO do a clean install of WinXP: See
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps and/or Method 1 in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307
After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a local network (i.e., other computers) and
before using a flash drive or SDCard that isn't brand-new or hasn't been
freshly formatted:
4 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/security/pypc.aspx
Other helpful references include:
HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c
HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b
Tip: After getting the computer fully-patched, download/install KB971029
manually:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971029
NB: Any Norton or McAfee free-trial that came preinstalled on the computer
when you bought it will be reinstalled (but invalid) when Windows is
reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the free-trial and download/run the
appropriate removal tool before installing any updates, Windows Service
Packs or IE upgrades and before installing your new anti-virus application
(which will require WinXP SP3 to be installed).
Norton Removal Tool
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe
McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool
http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe
Also see:
Risks & Benefits of P2P file sharing
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/data/downloadfileshare/filesharing.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/mmpc/archive/2008/10/06/the-cost-of-free-software.aspx
Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx
Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx
Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA or Geek Squad) computer repair shop.
Farhan wrote:
> Nothing happens, everything stays as is, no messages at all.
>
> I tried the steps at link which return "The application or DLL
> c:windows\ie8\spuninst\UPDSPAPI.dll in not a valid Windows image. Please
> check this against your installation diskette."
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>> can't uninstall IE8 via clicking on the REMOVE button.
>>
>> What happens when you try to uninstall IE8 that way?
>>
>> See if you can uninstall IE8 per the section "Alternative steps for
>> Windows XP or for Windows Server 2003" here:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700
>>
>>
>> Farhan wrote:
>>> Yes still SP2.
>>> can't uninstall IE8 via clicking on the REMOVE button.
>>> yes i format the HDD. But i format to FAT32 but when restore the image
>>> it
>>> was back to NTFS.
>>>
>>> Format to FAT32 coz i think my system keeps on crashing on NTFS which
>>> never
>>> runs scandisk at system startup on improper shutdown due to power
>>> failure
>>> (which is very common here).
>>>
>>> Farhan
>>>
>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
>>> news:eFFKs8SzKHA.5288@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>> Also FYI IE is not uninstalling via Add/Remove.
>>>>
>>>> Are you still running WinXP SP2?
>>>>
>>>> Is "Windows Internet Explorer 8" not listed in Add/Remove Programs, is
>>>> it
>>>> listed but there's not a REMOVE button, or can't you uninstall IE8 via
>>>> clicking on the REMOVE button?
>>>>
>>>> Did you format the HDD prior to restoring the WinXP SP2 image?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Farhan wrote:
>>>>> I was using SP3 but my system crashed badly (series of BSODs -
>>>>> refering
>>>>> to
>>>>> system core and than no ntldr message at boot, ultimately C: was
>>>>> declared
>>>>> curropted). But now i have restored may drive image. Most recent were
>>>>> unable
>>>>> to restore and an old one that worked is still with sp2 IE6.
>>>>>
>>>>> AV - Avast (Free), up to date.
>>>>> Spyware - Malewarebytes
>>>>> Firewall - Builtin
>>>>> Firewall was running at the time of installation. At first attempt AV
>>>>> was
>>>>> also running than i tried after disabling it.
>>>>>
>>>>> No Norton but i was using McAfee Site Advisor before system crash.
>>>>>
>>>>> Also FYI IE is not uninstalling via Add/Remove.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thx for response
>>>>>
>>>>> Farhan
>>>>>
>>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
>>>>> news:emkFdmSzKHA.6140@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>>> [Crosspost to IE General]
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Why hasn't WinXP SP3 been installed by now? [Extended Support for
>>>>>> WinXP
>>>>>> (x86) SP2 ends on 13 July 2010. After that date, computers running
>>>>>> WinXP
>>>>>> (x86) SP2 will NOT be offered any further critical security updates,
>>>>>> Automatic Updates will not work, and Windows Update website will not
>>>>>> be
>>>>>> accessible until SP3 is installed.]
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is
>>>>>> your
>>>>>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>>>>>> Defender)?
>>>>>> What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these applications
>>>>>> running
>>>>>> in the background when you installed IE8?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
>>>>>> bought
>>>>>> it)?
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Farhan wrote:
>>>>>>> I have upgraded IE 8 from IE 6 on XP PRO SP2. It starts and open
>>>>>>> some
>>>>>>> websites but when i try to download a file or some other web site
>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>> youtube it starts giving "Internet Explorer has encountered a
>>>>>>> problem
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> needs to close. if you are in a middle of .................. " the
>>>>>>> error
>>>>>>> leads to:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Error Signature:
>>>>>>> AppName: iexplore.exe
>>>>>>> AppVer: 8.0.6001.18702
>>>>>>> ModName: mshtml.dll
>>>>>>> ModVer: 8.0.6001.18702
>>>>>>> Offset: 0029d1b2
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Whats wrong and how can i resolve this?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Farhan