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Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit | Dell Core i5 laptop, 4GB RAM

Internet Explorer 10 (upgraded to 11 - problem persists)

TROUBLESHOOTING:

  • IE 10 - Advanced/Reset/Delete Personal Settings - problem persists
  • Update to IE 11 - problem persists
  • IE security settings - Reset all Zones to default level - problem persists
  • MalwareBytes - full scan found nothing
  • Microsoft Security Essentials - full scan found nothing
  • MalwareBytes AntiRootkit - full scan found nothing
  • ComboFix - ran fairly quickly with no reboots, reported nothing
  • ADW Cleaner - ran, cleaned a few odds and ends - problem persists

PROBLEMS:

  • Many websites are not displaying the full page in IE (Facebook comes up with a blank white screen after signing in).
  • Many website's buttons do not work in IE (clicking "Download" buttons or "Submit" buttons results in no action)
  • Many websites in IE are not showing interactive objects (installing Adobe Reader, for example, the website does not display the optional offers and clicking the Install now button does nothing)

I was thinking JavaScript wasn't enabled or something like that, but the Security Zones are all at default (JavaScript is enabled).

I'm also wondering if there's some deep seated virus or rootkit that is giving me false positives on all my cleaning tools. I ran rkill and then some additional scans, but nothing is turning up.

The Event Viewer doesn't show any hard drive problems.

Google Chrome seems to work better, but downloading files like Adobe Reader and some utilities seems to be hit or miss. Sometimes the files don't run after downloading, etc.

Update: ran SFC: Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations - problem persists

uninstalled IE 11 - problem persists

ran McAfee Consumer Products Removal tool - multiple bizarre issues are gone!

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    This sounds like a security software problem. This a personal or workstation? I don't see where you changed any of the settings for IE. Try that.
    – Ramhound
    Nov 20, 2013 at 23:24
  • If ComboFix and ADW and MWB came back clean, it's not malware.
    – user3463
    Nov 20, 2013 at 23:36
  • @Ramhound It's a personal laptop, not in a domain. As stated, I reset all of IE settings under the advanced tab to defaults (click Reset and check Delete Personal Settings) and I set all the security settings back to default (clicked Reset all Zones to Default). Are there specific settings you think I should change from default? Nov 21, 2013 at 0:00
  • @RandolphWest It would seem that's what being reported, but due to the strange behaviour, I'm not 100% sure. Thanks. Nov 21, 2013 at 0:03
  • If you know what ComboFix does, it makes your premise extremely unlikely. What about your router? Have you tested that?
    – user3463
    Nov 21, 2013 at 0:13

1 Answer 1

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DAMN YOU MCAFEE!!

The client happened to mention that some McAfee crapware had been pre-installed when they bought their system and it had subsequently expired and they had removed it ages ago.

On a whim, I downloaded the McAfee Consumer Products Removal tool (MCPR.exe). After more than 10 hours repairing and removing and scanning everything on this %&*#$! computer, McAfee remnants were causing all the problems.

I should have known. I've had similar issues over the years with Norton. I used to have their uninstall tool bookmarked on my website.

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  • Yes Anti-Virus project cause almost all the issues reported with IE. You are confirming this issue.
    – Chris Love
    Nov 25, 2013 at 14:54

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