explorer ... wininet.dll

Was surfing in the wee hours and IE got stuck. Now everytime WinME loads up I get an error message explorer caused a fault in wininet.dll. The box opens up again after each time you click ok or close. Prevents one from activating the start button. A one year old Norton AV finds nothing, nor does a very recent pest patrol. Explore and iexplore don't run.
Is this symptoms of a known virus?

 

Hi JR

Hard to say....would need more details of the symptom. If it was a virus I am quite sure Norton found it. BTW, are you telling ´bout your 1 year old Norton ? Not updated ? Take a look at this

http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/wininet.htm

You might find it there and how to fix it.

friendliest -Ari

Added URL tags

 

It's often a sign of (a) corrupted Cache folder(s)

Delete your cache folders in MS-DOS, thus forcing MS to create new ones, containing brand new index.dat files, on reboot.

Start the computer in MS-DOS mode. You're running Windows ME, so that means starting up with a Boot disk.

Type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each one:

cd\
cd windows
smartdrv
deltree tempor~1
deltree history
deltree cookies

NOTE: Press Y if you are prompted to confirm any deletion

Type win (or 'exit'), or hit ctrl-alt-delete followed by clicking enter in order to return to Windows

NOTE: This is assuming the path to these folders is the default one
Is they're located elsewhere/named differently, adapt the path accordingly.

Please tell us whether that makes a difference for you.

 

It must have been the corrupt cache. I tinkered with various things today and one was deletion of temp files.
I guess that did it. The trouble is gone.

 

Great!

It often turns out to be just that.

Cheers,