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[Carl2]

  Just began noticing a problem with my computer,  I frist noticed it while watching a video on the computer and heard what sounded like a radio or tv broadcast in the background coming from the left speaker. 
  Right now in Task Manager under Applications I have Start new topic Forum .. running, in processes I have 8 instances of Internet Explorer using little or no Cpu and various amounts of memory.  When I frist start Internet Explorer I will have 2 Internet explorers running and I am at my home page Verizon.net.  I've found when voices are present that closing small memory using internet explorer using End Process the voice stops.  Ran a Norton full scan. 
  Using Win 7, isp is Verizon, broadband. any thoughts?
Carl2

[Data]

The only thing I can think of at the moment is running IE in more than one window, If you have say 2 windows open you will have two instances of IE running, it’s the same for pop-up windows or even blocked pop-ups, they can show as more than one IE running.

Where as running IE using tabs only makes one instance of IE run.

If I find anything else I will post.

[Data]

Ok this might help a little too, I went to that site Verizon.net it instantly started running 3 IE’s and is also attempting to run an Active X, which I have blocked.


EDIT, My mistake that site isn’t trying to run an ActiveX but is trying to run an add-on from Microsoft MSXML 3.0, I haven’t installed it.

Just to clarify a little, IE 8 can have multiple instances running it is normal behaviour, see hear:

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/multiple-instances-of-iexploreexe-run-when-using-internet-explorer-8/

Having that radio, or whatever it is in the background, sounds like something is running in a pop-up or hidden window doesn’t it.

How about setting something simple as your home page, like googles page, restart IE8, surf a little and see when or if you get the radio in the background. 

[Snowcrash]

Just did a little check.

When I run IE8 I have 2 processes. Every time I start a new tab a new process appears. When I close a tab it takes awhile before that process goes.
Have 1 tab now and 3 processes.

As for radio or similar coming from 1 speaker, weird. I know what you mean but it's normally a window you've forgotten about. Hmmmmm!

[Carl2]

  Well I have a better idea of what is happening,  internet explore should run twice.  I was able to get to the broadcasting,  it is like a tv video, and the sound gets to the left speaker.  Not sure how I got to the site, possibly redirected.  Little funny but I tried internet explorer 64 again, in the past when I tried it it wouldn't connect so I went back to internet explorer 32 but now 64 is working.
  Datahopa, visited the web site, I'm a little wary of the remove viruses so I didn't go there, The MSN site allows you to download IE 8 64 which I have.
  Have to figure how I get to an unknown site playing news broadcasts.
Thanks
Carl2

[Data]

Sometimes things like that happen I guess Carl. They do it to panic us 

Yes I have IE8 64, but its main problem for me is it doesn’t support Flash, that means no video from youtube and no fancy things on sites, like the globe on this site, It’s a shame really, I would like to use a 64bit browser.

[Carl2]

  I closed ie after posting the last one, went to the kitchen to cook and eat.  When I left the computer there were 4 to 6 ie still in the task manager. When I came back about an hour later there were 20 ie with the voice from the left speaker.  It seems to change stations, even went to a different language.
Using end task in task manager I began shutting down the ie's.  With 10 left I ended task 5 times and had 8 left.  I think thay are restarting.  
  Since I lost the website I restarted ie, it asked if I wanted to go to home page or restore the last session, I choose restore.  I ended up withabout 12 websites and voices.  here are 3 I copied with voices:

EDIT: Links removed, for security.

  I have the voices but they don't show up in task manager applications, just your site.  I just heard to stations at the same time. Seems like I have a mess in here.
Carl2

[Data]

Its later hear Carl but now it does sound like you have a virus to me, the links have affiliate in them, it could mean someone is getting paid to send you to the stations, or something like that.

I found this page, it has a guy saying the same kind of thing,

http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/134583-ghost-audio-virus-on-explorerexe/

It looks like the “Ghost Audio" virus.

A removel tool may be needed. I don’t have time to look for one now, but this does sound like your problem to me. 

[Snowcrash]

The post you link to Data is from 2006. Sounds a lot like carl2's prob but I'd've thought any mal/spyware prog would know about that by now. New version?

carl2, do you see excessive memory usage from explorer.exe?

[Data]

Yes your right Snowcrash, that is an old post, but it seems that it or another version of it is still infecting people with XP through to Win7, Ive found bits about it on google.

Here is a more up to date thread I found about it Carl. There is a fix on there but I noticed it was for XP, I don’t know if it would work in 7, and sorry I cant find a Windows 7 version.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/security-center/virus-trojan-spyware-help/resolved-hjt-threads/503404-ghost-audio-pop-ups.html

You might be looking at a Windows install. You could maybe try installing Microsoft Security Essentials as a last resort and doing a full scan with it or just keep digging for info about it on google. 

Do let us know how you get on.

[Carl2]

  Not sure yet but I attempted to remove the problem.  The problem I was having with Norton restarting was because of ADware that was installed with Bablyon (a language translator ). Norton would find cookies and the adware and needed restart to remove the adware which couldn't be removed (probably permission ). A few weeks ago I uninstalled Bablyon but today I found something it left behind and manualy removed it.
  Not sure yet, I'll have to see what happens.  I checked the memery usage and internet explorer uses 60,000Kb to 5,000kb,  I did notice one that was slowely increasing and if left unchecked could become quite large.
  I do think it acted just like the ghost audio from the past probably built on the same princaples.  I left a note at Bablyon saying their software contained adware causing problems with ghost audio.
  Thanks for the info, think  you got me moving in the right direction.
Carl2 
 

[Snowcrash]

iexplorer.exe using that amount of memory seems ok. Hard to tell.

I asked if explorer.exe was using excessive memory (Data's 1st post says it uses 100MB). These being 2 core parts of windows with only and 'i' at the front different.

Memory usage going up with IE is normal if there are adverts or active parts of the web page (like Data's world globe).

Keep us posted on any answer from Babylon (Bablyon?) and what worked to cure it. Always good to know.

This maybe too late but i'll say it anyway. When confronted with a new virus/spy/malware I often trawl the system32 folder for files that appeared (date wise) on the day the machine went wrong (esp. .DLL files). You can cut and paste these files out of the folder even if windows wont let you delete them. Keep 'em somewhere until your sure the problem has gone and your machine is still working properly. Then delete.

[Data]

And when installing things have a very close look, read what you are putting a tick in, I have found that normally you can un-tick the adware but they make it look like you need to tick it.     

[Carl2]

  I think Norton advised it was risky,  was hoping to use it to go from pounds to dollars to keep up with the British, good intentions seem to screw things up at times. 
  Don't think it is fixed yet, I still have 16 instances of internet explorer running.
I've been starting task manager and try to keep an eye on it.  No voices yet.
  I'm going to try to contact Norton.  I hate to say it but I think some of the virus companies are the worst offenders,  (we've found 30 problems buy this and we will fix them) or (a little icon says your computer has a virus buy this product which removes the icon)
Carl2

[Data]

Been looking into this for you carl, interestingly I found this on the wiki about it.

On 7 August 2010, Microsoft designated this software application as a malware (identified as "Adware: Win32/Babylon") in the virus definition updates that it released for its antivirus software products

Babylon on wiki

Then I found this on symantec.com, talks about blocking it with a firewall
http://www.symantec.com/connect/forums/how-block-babylon


Also found what looks like removal tools on a couple of sites but I don’t trust them, they were over 10mb, which seems too large for a simple removal tool.

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Gathering information from a few sites, this might get rid of it.

Remove Babylon using Programs and featuers

Using wondows search find and deleat all files and folders that got shown when searching for Babylon.  

Do a sysytem restor and take the PC back to before you had the virus.

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Google visited last this page May 17, 2012, 04:39:26 AM