Emails will not open in Hotmail

[ichase]

Greetings all,

Got a strange one I can't seem to figure out. My wife has a Toshiba Netbook running Win7 with IE 8. Saturday as she does everyday, she logged into her Hotmail, seen her new email but when she clicks on an available email, nothing happens.

Here is what I have checked so far:

1.) Cleared cookies and temp internet files

2.) Reset Internet Explorer

3.) Checked advanced settings under browser settings and made sure it was set to Automatic

4.) Opened up another hotmail account to see if it was account specific and could not open up emails in that account either.

5.) Opened Firefox on my linux machine and verified that I COULD open the emails under her hotmail account with no issue.

6.) She states no new updates have been performed.

 

Now my recommendation to her was to install Firefox as I am a firm believer that you should ALWAYS have an alternative browser installed in Windows so we will see how that goes. I also received some guidance to upgrade to IE 9 which is also not a bad suggestion but it does not answer the question as to why all of a sudden, these emails in Hotmail will not open. Also to note, if you click on the Junk Mail link that does not open either.

 

I have googled this issue but have not found the exact issue.

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions, guidance, and help.

 

All the best,

 

Ian

 

[Guest LilBambi]

Have her try Firefox and Google Chrome. Some folks have had some weird issues with IE8 and Hotmail. Likely it's some setting but you shouldn't have to reduce your security overall to make Hotmail work.

[ichase]

Thanks Fran,

I have not spent much time on her netbook but for some reason or another, I believe google chrome is already installed. I will have her check that but I still think she will be a lot happier with Firefox.

It has been a LONG TIME since I used Firefox with Windows. Is it as good in Windows as it is in Linux??

 

All the best,

 

Ian

[Guest LilBambi]

Firefox actually is better in many ways in all OSes with version 7.

[Urmas]

Ian,

 

Here is a tip (regarding the right administrative procedure):

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/column...re_cathedral_99

 

 

[ichase]

Firefox actually is better in many ways in all OSes with version 7.

I sent her the link to download FF 7 for Windows as well as MalwareBytes. Come to think of it, she mentioned about a week or so ago that AVG had detected a Trojan and had cleaned it up then next thing you know she can't open her email in IE8. Something tells me this may be related.

 

Either way, I told her in the email that once she gets used to FF she is going to like it and not to mention that you can dazzle it up.

 

Ian

[Guest LilBambi]

I sent her the link to download FF 7 for Windows as well as MalwareBytes. Come to think of it, she mentioned about a week or so ago that AVG had detected a Trojan and had cleaned it up then next thing you know she can't open her email in IE8. Something tells me this may be related.

 

Either way, I told her in the email that once she gets used to FF she is going to like it and not to mention that you can dazzle it up.

 

Ian

Oh, yeah...send her link to CCleaner too. (tricky linking, it's not required to buy, but hard to tell at the site).

 

Might want to try getting the definitions for Malwarebytes from the developer's site here. Can even get Malwarebytes there too as well as the main site.

 

Might want to download them all and give them to her on a CDR so she can disconnect the Internet until it's clean.

[ichase]

Oh, yeah...send her link to CCleaner too. (tricky linking, it's not required to buy, but hard to tell at the site).

 

Might want to try getting the definitions for Malwarebytes from the developer's site here. Can even get Malwarebytes there too as well as the main site.

 

Might want to download them all and give them to her on a CDR so she can disconnect the Internet until it's clean.

I will just put them all on a flash drive and do it myself. Don't think I am going to convince her to tackle that one herself.

 

[Corrine]

The portable version of the most recent update to CCleaner is at http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds. The "lite" version always seems to lag. But there's no toolbar offer with either the lite or portable versions.

 

 

[Guest LilBambi]

The portable version of the most recent update to CCleaner is at http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds. The "lite" version always seems to lag. But there's no toolbar offer with either the lite or portable versions.

Excellent point Corrine!

 

I will just put them all on a flash drive and do it myself. Don't think I am going to convince her to tackle that one herself.

There ya go Ian!

[ichase]

Thank you ladies for your responses.

Here is what I did last night. No, the problem is still not resolved.

Installed and ran MalwareBytes - found 3 occurances of Malware all in which were succesfully cleaned up.

Installed and ran CCleaner and performed a registry scan. Scan came back with multiple registry issues all in which were taken care of after selecting fix. 2nd scan of both came back clean. Also, scan with AVG ran clean.

I installed FF 7.0 - Just like in IE, I can get into her inbox but can not open up any mail.

Opened up hotmail with Google Chrome - Same as IE and FF.

She had not set up updates when I bought her the netbook so I took care of that last night and let it download and install all current updates. I went to bed because it was late so good chance the upgrade to IE 9 was included in those updates.

But to be honest with you, I would bet the bank the problem is not going away with the update to IE9.

This is a REALLY strange issue and you can imagine my surprise when I ran into the SAME issue in both FF and Chrome.

Now this problem is strictly geared towards this netbook. On 3 other computers in the house; 1 Linux and 2 Win7, I am able to open up the emails.

 

Like I said....STRANGE

 

Thanks again and all the best,

 

Ian

Edited October 25, 2011 by ichase

[Guest LilBambi]

Thank you ladies for your responses.

Here is what I did last night. No, the problem is still not resolved.

Installed and ran MalwareBytes - found 3 occurances of Malware all in which were succesfully cleaned up.

Installed and ran CCleaner and performed a registry scan. Scan came back with multiple registry issues all in which were taken care of after selecting fix. 2nd scan of both came back clean. Also, scan with AVG ran clean.

I installed FF 7.0 - Just like in IE, I can get into her inbox but can not open up any mail.

Opened up hotmail with Google Chrome - Same as IE and FF.

She had not set up updates when I bought her the netbook so I took care of that last night and let it download and install all current updates. I went to bed because it was late so good chance the upgrade to IE 9 was included in those updates.

But to be honest with you, I would bet the bank the problem is not going away with the update to IE9.

This is a REALLY strange issue and you can imagine my surprise when I ran into the SAME issue in both FF and Chrome.

Now this problem is strictly geared towards this netbook. On 3 other computers in the house; 1 Linux and 2 Win7, I am able to open up the emails.

 

Like I said....STRANGE

 

Thanks again and all the best,

 

Ian

Please note - EEEK! You used the registry cleaner?! The registry scan in CCleaner is an extra. It was not the reason for suggesting CCleaner! The suggestion for CCleaner was to get rid of all the crap that accumulates on the computers in temporary spaces and can hide malware. I would not generally trust any registry cleaner except for doing surgical removals. They can really make a mess of things. You lucked out. It could have been a disaster.

 

Glad you got the malware off the computer. Did you scan again on reboot, until it was clean? I mean, sometimes things have a tendency to come back. If you find stuff, you need to rescan till it comes back clean on the first scan you do after a reboot.

 

Have you tried allowing exceptions in Internet Explorer for hotmail.com - for popups and trusted site (yeah, I know, but you may need to do that).

[ichase]

Thanks for the quick response Fran,

I have used CCleaner as well as Advanced system care in the past to perform registry scans and fixes and have never had a problem. Knock on wood, I say that now and the next time.......KAPUT!!!!

I scanned after reboot and all scans were clean.

 

I did not think to go into exceptions and add hotmail as a trusted site because it goes to hotmail and it enters the inbox it just won't enter a selected email message. But it is certainly worth a try but I won't hold me breathe because I could not open up the emails with FF or Chrome either.

 

It was suggested to me over at Major Geeks to try Windows Live Email and see if the hotmail email can be accessed that way. Would be great if it could be but still does not explain the reason why they will not open with-in 3 different browsers.

 

I have a bad habit of bending my brain on things like this until I find a solution or a logical explanation as to why it is happening.

[Urmas]

Just kibitzing here, mind you... but... a Javascript issue? Like this one here:

 

http://www.pchelpforum.com/email-spam-issu...gle-chrome.html

[striker]

I wouldn't even bother to try and find out. The system has been compromised obviously and that's it. A clean and fresh set up from scratch is in order. And besides that it may be even the fastest route to success.

Paranoid striker..? that's debatable, but I never ever take any risks when a system is compromised. And even less when a network is in the house...

 

If you want to go the hard way at it, you might as well open up a blitzkrieg at it and try the bleeping computer forums. They have the expertise to tackle most if not any malware, but I always ask myself: is it worth it the time? Wouldn't a reinstall from scratch be faster?

[ichase]

I wouldn't even bother to try and find out. The system has been compromised obviously and that's it. A clean and fresh set up from scratch is in order. And besides that it may be even the fastest route to success.

Paranoid striker..? that's debatable, but I never ever take any risks when a system is compromised. And even less when a network is in the house...

 

If you want to go the hard way at it, you might as well open up a blitzkrieg at it and try the bleeping computer forums. They have the expertise to tackle most if not any malware, but I always ask myself: is it worth it the time? Wouldn't a reinstall from scratch be faster?

I thought about that as well but have no way of putting Win7 back on this netbook. I don't have an OEM copy.

 

@Urmas, I started thinking about Java script when Sharon mentioned a little while ago that she has started noticing other issues in forums such as Emoticons, or IMG posting. Nothing happens.

I fixed this problem. My vista PC is set to "automatic updates" and it automatically downloaded a Microsoft .NET Framework update (around May/June 2011). This update clashed with javascript so I uninstalled this update and it fixed the problem.

Now with Sharon's computer, she did not have "automatic updates" enabled. I just turned that on last night and had it start installing all of the updates. I thought earlier after she mentioned that on some forums she can do this and that and some she can't made me think that java could be the culpret. I asked her if she had updated Java and she said about a week ago a pop up came across the screen stating that updates are available for Java but she ignored it and did not perform the updates. Mind you, Sharon is not dumb when it comes to computers she is just gun shy ever sense her last computer I replaced got so jacked up with viruses that I could not do anything to fix it outside of buying her a new computer. (which I did)

Edited October 25, 2011 by ichase

[Urmas]

Oh boy.

 

And the missus is allergic to penguins?

 

A duct tape solution (only to the email problem):

http://support.mozillamessaging.com/fi/kb/...ird-and-Hotmail

[striker]

You'd better make a plan to show the missus how cute these little penguins are... especially when they have those little ones under their wings / peddles That's what I would do for sure.

[striker]

Come to think of it... what modelis it exactly? Are there no recovery solutions build in?

[Corrine]

Ian, is the Silverlight plug-in installed Get Silverlight | Microsoft Silverlight?

 

Although the problem is carried over to three different browsers on the Netbook, it wouldn't hurt to remove all Hotmail cookies and clear the cache.

 

Due to the problems being experienced with her account, if it hasn't been done yet, I advise following the instructions I provided in Hotmail Security to Protect and Recover Your Account.

 

Personally, I don't advise adding any site to the Trusted Zone, regardless of the site. Any site can be compromised, including Microsoft. There is an old issue with Hotmail and third-party cookies. Thus, if third-party cookies are blocked, add passport.com, live.com and hotmail.com to the cookie manager as allowed exceptions.

 

As to registry cleaning, I agree completely with LilBambi. A nice -- safe -- tool for cleaning Temp files was created by a member of the security community. Instructions follow:

 

Download TFC to your desktop

• Open the file and close any other windows.
• It will close all programs itself when run, make sure to let it run uninterrupted.
• Click the Start button to begin the process. The program should not take long to finish its job
• Once its finished it should reboot your machine, if not, do this yourself to ensure a complete clean

More info:

TFC (Temp File Cleaner) will clear out all temp folders for all user accounts (temp, IE temp, java, FF, Opera, Chrome, Safari), including Administrator, All Users, LocalService, NetworkService, and any other accounts in the user folder. It also cleans out the %systemroot%\temp folder and checks for .tmp files in the %systemdrive% root folder, %systemroot%, and the system32 folder (both 32bit and 64bit on 64bit OSs). It shows the amount removed for each location found (in bytes) and the total removed (in MB).

 

Before running, it will stop Explorer and all other running applications. When finished, if a reboot is required the user must reboot to finish clearing any in-use temp files.

-- TFC only cleans temp folders.

-- TFC will not clean URL history, prefetch, or cookies. Depending on how often someone cleans their temp folders, their system hardware, and how many accounts are present, it can take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute or more. TFC will completely clear all temp files where other temp file cleaners may fail.

 

TFC requires a reboot immediately after running. Be sure to save any unsaved work before running TFC.

 

 

[ichase]

Oh boy.

 

And the missus is allergic to penguins?

Trust me Urmas, Sharon is NOT big on change. She is the ultimate creature of habit. If I had my way, I would format the entire drive and install Linux Mint on it.

 

You'd better make a plan to show the missus how cute these little penguins are... especially when they have those little ones under their wings / peddles That's what I would do for sure.

She thinks the Penguin is absolutely adorable. But she is not going to be willing to take him home.

Come to think of it... what modelis it exactly? Are there no recovery solutions build in?

Toshiba NB505

 

[Urmas]

OK Ian,

 

https://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su...p?orderType=SFF

 

(Click on "Click here for instructions on using this FREE option" linky and read on.)

 

Reinstalling Windows... pfft... I feel for you.

[zlim]

The Toshiba is probably like my Acer netbook (and my eMachines desktop). You have to burn your own restore/recovery DVDs and driver CD. I did that with both of those. Then after I was done cleaning out the crud and installed what I wanted, I made an Acronis image.

 

I'm finding the portable devices I've purchased lately are used pretty hard. A DVD burner (LiteOn) and 500GB HD (WD).

[striker]

Some good pointers, see the post from #10 in it :

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discuss...-7-netbook.html

[ichase]

@Corrine - Thank you for puting together a lengthy reply with the TFC option. Will definitely give that a try. Am also (because I have had luck in the past with it) am going to try putting Kaspersky Rescue on a USB flash drive. I have in on CD but the netbook does not have a CD drive so with UnetBootin I can put run the ISO from the flash drive. Am sure the bios has the option to boot to USB first.

 

@Striker, Zlim & Urmas - I did not take a look at it yet, but am pretty certain it has a recovery console. If so that is a good thing because it will make starting from scratch a piece of cake. I am very knowledgable in Windows up to XP but to be honest with you, I don't have the experience I had with XP on Vista or 7. So it takes me a little longer to navigate around but the windows basics seem to be the same.

 

I will let you all know how it goes.

 

Thanks again all,

 

Ian

Edited October 25, 2011 by ichase

[Guest LilBambi]

Wow, been very busy around here while I was out and about. LOL!

 

Not to be contrary or anything, but I am really not sure that we are at the 'reinstall Windows' point yet.

 

Corrine, thanks for the TFC info! Great little program there! The only problem I see with it for daily cleaning is the reboot. I use CCleaner to clear caches and other settings that I have chosen by right clicking on the Recycle Bin at least once daily. It would feel so much less convenient to have to reboot after that daily cleaning. Would be great for the weekly cleaner though!

 

Ian, I would really check to see if the June .NET Framework update noted in that quote you posted from that other forum is installed, since someone else fixed it by removing that update from, what was it? June?

 

Java and Javascript are two completely different things:

Java (programming language), an object-oriented high-level programming language

Java (software platform), a technology developed by Sun Microsystems for machine-independent software

Java Platform, Standard Edition, targets desktop environment

Java Platform, Enterprise Edition, targets server environment

Java Platform, Micro Edition, targets mobile devices and embedded systems

Java Card, targets smart cards and other small memory footprint devices

Java Class Library, a collection of reusable pieces of software that software developers can use in their software

Java Development Kit (JDK), a software bundle from Sun Microsystems aimed at Java developers

Java Virtual Machine (JVM), part of the Java Platform that is responsible for running software created with Java

Java applet, allows software to run in web browers, and is accessible on most PCs

JavaScript, a web language with no direct relationship to the Java platform

 

Checking about Silverlight Update that Corrine mentioned is also a very good idea.

[ichase]

Ok, now we are cooking with gas. Wifey is now able to check her email in Hotmail but still have another issue. I started thinking of what may have changed with this netbook. She installed AVG a few weeks back but was still getting pop-ups that her Norton was expired. AHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh. So using the trusty Norton Removal tool, I removed all evidence of Norton. I then decided to remove AVG and replace it with Comodo because I have found since version 7 of AVG that it is harder on resources then Comodo, plus, that is what I installed on her desktop.

Now, here comes the kicker. I attempted to uninstall AVG by the normal Windows means of Removing programs. It went through and stated it had been removed. I rebooted and received a pop up from AVG stating that I have to run the 1st initial scan. Went back into remove programs and this time it stated that the program was removed even though it still shows in installed programs. Went to the program folder and attempted to delete the AVG program folder but it would not let me do that as well. I installed Comodo anyway because I want her to have some protection until I figure out how to remove all AVG files from the netbook.

So progress is being made.

Thank you for alll the help thus far, I really need to sharpen my skills with Windows 7 even though I spend most of my time still trying to learn and become proficient in Linux.

 

All the best,

 

Ian

 

Edit: Found an AVG 2012 Removal tool Give that a try and we should have her back in busisness.

Edited October 26, 2011 by ichase

[Guest LilBambi]

Ok, now we are cooking with gas. Wifey is now able to check her email in Hotmail but still have another issue. I started thinking of what may have changed with this netbook. She installed AVG a few weeks back but was still getting pop-ups that her Norton was expired. AHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh. So using the trusty Norton Removal tool, I removed all evidence of Norton. I then decided to remove AVG and replace it with Comodo because I have found since version 7 of AVG that it is harder on resources then Comodo, plus, that is what I installed on her desktop.

Now, here comes the kicker. I attempted to uninstall AVG by the normal Windows means of Removing programs. It went through and stated it had been removed. I rebooted and received a pop up from AVG stating that I have to run the 1st initial scan. Went back into remove programs and this time it stated that the program was removed even though it still shows in installed programs. Went to the program folder and attempted to delete the AVG program folder but it would not let me do that as well. I installed Comodo anyway because I want her to have some protection until I figure out how to remove all AVG files from the netbook.

So progress is being made.

Thank you for alll the help thus far, I really need to sharpen my skills with Windows 7 even though I spend most of my time still trying to learn and become proficient in Linux.

 

All the best,

 

Ian

 

Edit: Found an AVG 2012 Removal tool Give that a try and we should have her back in busisness.

Excellent. I had just come in to post the link to the AVG removal tool.

 

Personally, I would have gone with Microsoft Security Essentials which is totally free - no registration required - and is as good as any of the other free alternatives, plus lighter than Norton, McAfee, AVG, etc., which are trying to be everything to everyone.

 

That is great news that your wife can now open her Hotmail!

 

You may find that because you removed the directory for AVG that you may have to install and then use the removal tool for AVG. But sometimes those removal tools just pick up what remains. Hope it works that way for AVG's.

[ichase]

Thanks Fran,

Hopefully with a good virus protection tool and a good malware tool installed on the netbook, all should be well. Still have CCleaner in there as well so feel pretty confident she should be protected.

 

Again, thank you all for providing guidance.

 

All the best,

 

Ian

[zlim]

I normally use Revo Uninstaller to remove things. I used this on my netbook to remove a Norton trial that had not been installed.

 

Corrine pointed me to appremover http://www.appremover.com/

which does one thing, removes security programs. I used it recently on 3 of my XP computers to remove Avira so I could replace it with MS Security Essentials. Not only did it find Avira, it also presented me with SpywareBlaster, just in case I wanted to remove that too. I didn't even have to turn off Avira from the tray. It did everything well.

 

It doesn't work on the 2012 versions - yet

http://www.appremover.com/supported-applic...plications.html

but to cleanly remove lots of other versions, it does the job.

Edited October 26, 2011 by zlim