ZA question

[motdaugrnds]

I have been having problems with my Windows Explorer, Recycle Bin and other internal folders upon a fresh reboot. The problem is that they TRY to open and stabilize and just keep on trying. I call this "flashing windows". If I get on the internet prior to any attempts to open these internal folders, the flashing does not occur and all my PC directories are available to me without problems.

I have been exploring whatever I could find and all suggestions made to me regarding the cause of this problem, i.e. trojans, viruses, registry corruption, hardware issues.

I have my AVG running constantly and keep it updated. It found nothing. I downloaded and ran another virus scanner (Gladiator Scanner) and it found a virus in my modem directory. (I have a dial-up modem connection to the internet.) I don't know what to do with the infected file it found; so, I left it in its "Infected" folder.

I have run two on-line trojan scanners: Both found the same ONE port open (5000) and told me which trojans use that port. I downloaded TDS-3, configured it as per instructions in one of these forums; and it found NO trojans.

I have noticed recently that Zone Alarm has been getting many, many little lock icons on it; and when I pull the control > alert up, I find many are from the same ports/IP addresses. I am wondering if this has something to do with my PC problem.

I went through ZA's "program" tab and removed all except IE, OE, AVG, ZA and my WS_FTP program. Then I went into my Windows > Temp and Windows > Temporary Internet folders and cleaned them out. In the temporary Internet folder is the "IE5" folder containing an "index.dat" file and many numbered/letters folders, many of these being full. (I cleaned them all out, leaving the folders.) Then, I rebooted.

When my Windows ME came back on (before I clicked my internet connection), ZA asked me if I wanted Windows Explorer to have server rights to the internet. I found this puzzling because I thought Windows Explorer was my "internal" browser; and I wondered why it would want internet access. I said "no".

I then tried to get into one of my PC folders, i.e. recycle bin and, again, the flashing windows began. I stoped them by rebooting. Then I clicked my internet connection to come here to inquire about ZA. (I have already gone back to attempt to get into my PC directories and have been able to without problems--the process described above.)

Can anyone in here help me figure out what is occurring?

NOTE: This PC was given to us over two years ago. It had these "flashing windows" at that time. My son and I use it and put our personal logons in. The flashing did not show up on our personal logons; so, I thought it had disappeared. From that time to this, I have put in a new modem, a new processor (Pentium III), a new motherboard (AOpen) and more memory. The latter two were done last September (while we still had our personal logons) and the PC was working beautifully until early December when we were trying to get our screen resolution the same for both logons. We were told to delete our personal logons, change the screen resolution and, then, put our personal logons back. This is how we found the "flashing windows"; and when my search for solutions began--as described above.

Please forgive the length of this post. I simply wanted to be thorough.

[me]

As for the open port 5000, I suspect because Windows ME is your OS that you have Universal Plug and Play (UPP) turned on by default. Recommend you pay a visit to grc.com where Steve Gibson has made available a small utility which you can download for free and then use to toggle off UPP. This should close port 5000.

[motdaugrnds]

Thank you "me". I have that UnPnP and have already disabled that Port 5000.

I rebooted again this am and before I even considered getting on the internet, ZA asked me if I wanted to permit "Windows Explorer to access the internet"; and it showed "EXPLORER.EXE 239.255.255.250 Port 1900". This confused me because, as stated in previous post, I didn't think Windows Explorer needed access.

I started looking at that program more closely. My son is helping me and he found something that is confusing both of us.

We have an "EXPLORER.EXE" and an "EXPLORER" folder in our C:\Windows directory. The "EXPLORER.EXE" is the one ZA was referring to. (Why would it need access to the internet?)The "EXPLORER" folder looks exactly like our Windows Explorer icon that we have on our desktop; except, when this one is double clicked, it does NOT open with other folders as I would expect a folder inside a folder to do. Instead, it opens to show the entire drive C contents. (The one on the desktop opens to "My Documents" folder.)

I have two quandaries at present:

1. Why does EXPLORER.EXE (239.255.255.250 Port 1900) need access to the internet at times when I am not using the internet?

2. Is it possible this "Explorer" folder that opens to show the entire contents of drive C is a duplicate; and this duplication is causing the very same program to attempt to open and stabilize at the very same time.....thus causing my "flashng windows" problem?

Any information at all would be appreciated.

[Primrose]

HI,

You stated 'We have an "EXPLORER.EXE" and an "EXPLORER" folder in our C:\Windows directory.'

This is as it should be...and if you double click on either of them you should get a view of your files and folders on your system in that tree.

I do not think this has to do with your flashing windows.

But this is interesting..."December when we were trying to get our screen resolution the same for both logons."


Can you tell me how you have that resolutions set up and where you have done this?.
Does only the Microsoft window flash or is it the whole screen trying to display the video graphics presented?

[motdaugrnds]

Hello, and thank you for responding. It is the whole screen trying to display the contents of that folder; and it occurs with every folder if called up prior to getting on the internet.

As for the screen resolution: I put my son's book (He just completed it after over 12 years of work on it.) in html form with IFRAMES and needed a high screen resolution for it to display the way I wanted it. So I R-clicked the desktop > properties, etc. and changed the screen resolution to its highest, i.e. 1074 x ??? (768 as I recall).

With regard to the EXPLORER.EXE and EXPLORER foldr, you stated "This is as it should be...and if you double click on either of them you should get a view of your files and folders on your system in that tree." This is not exactly what occurs. I guess I didn't make myself clear in my initial post about these. When the EXPLORER "folder" is clicked, it does not open to something new (as does all other folders in a particular directory). It opens showing the contents of my entire C directory. Is this not wrong?

I also just discovered another ZA disturbance...disturbance only because I am so dumb about computers in general. (I had gone through the "programs" in ZA and cleaned all out except the 4-5 I understood.) When I reboot--and prior to even trying to get on the internet--ZA asks me if I want to permit Windows Explorer (EXPLORER.EXE 239.255.255.250 Port 1900) to have access. I am wondering why this program wants access. Any information about this would be helpful.

[Primrose]

When the EXPLORER "folder" is clicked, it does not open to something new (as does all other folders in a particular directory). It opens showing the contents of my entire C directory. Is this not wrong?


Both should open showing contents of your entire C drive.

The EXPLORER Folder will not open up like you normally would observe as a "My Document" Folder and display the contents.

[motdaugrnds]

Thank you so much, Primrose. My mind is more at rest now. I am grateful for your help.

[Pretender]

I'm not sure why, but have seen it posted many times that windows explorer does need to be allowed internet access. There are new zonealarm forums now open at:
http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs
Might ask some of your zonealarm questions there (not that this is not a good forum for answers because it is one of the best). I, too, think it would be wise to concentrate on when the flashing windows started and what was going on or being changed, update, etc. at that time.
bob