Trouble Closing Website Pages...

[BCB]

Since this a computer page, I will ask a question, but maybe this forum isn’t for that specific purpose—but here goes…

I asked this question on another site and got some replies.  I will compare them to this site if I get replies…

When I go to close a window/webpage by clicking the red box “X” in the upper right hand corner, I get no response.  I have to click it several times before it closes the window.  It acts like the window must stay open for a certain length of time before it will close…

I have also tried Alt F4 and Ctrl W with the same results also.

Any thoughts?

Thanks…BCB

[Graybeard]

I'm probably the LAST person who should be giving advice on computer problems cuz I'm about as dumb as a box of rocks regarding them but...... it sounds to me like your computer is doing things you might not want it to be doing in the back ground.

When is the last time you did a defrag? Do you run a good anti virus and anti spam ware program? If not get some and run them. If you have them update both and run them. Delete temporary internet files/cache, browsing history and cookies before doing the above actions.

[BCB]

Graybeard,

Done 'em all...

I have always had McAfee anti-everything...

And I do regular maintenence--degraf, delete temp etc...

I think something in the background is correct, but I sure can't find it or figure it out...

It almost acts like some type of virus that just causes grief but doesn't destroy things...

Yet, McAfee should probably find it?...

Who knows...

Thanks,

BCB

[Graybeard]

I gave up on MaAfee as worthless many years ago. I don't consider Norton any better or worse.

I use AVG Professional version 8.5 for anti virus software and Ad-Aware to remove all the rest of the junk and to keep it from getting on in the first place. Both have excellent free versions you can use but since I use a 64 bit OS the free versions aren't compatible so I must use their Professional paid versions which do offer more options and better protection.

I'd bet you've picked up something that's running in the background, the what and how to fix I am not really qualified to say. Perhaps Tim or Matt or one of the other computer knowledgeable folks on here will see this and respond.

[quickdtoo]

Bill offered good advice on all counts, I use those same programs, and agree on the McAfee security products, they've caused me more grief than any other products available that I've ever used, both on my PCs and PCs that I've repaired!! Comcast offers free McAfee to their customers and I refuse to use it, I'd rather pay $30 a year for ZoneAlarm than intentionally infect my PCs with McAfee!! 

Sounds like maybe you have some malware infections as Bill suggested, could be lots of things, what browser are you using, Internet Explorer? If so, I'd download and install Firefox 2(as opposed to 3 which can be a real resource hog) and see if it is affected the same way. What operating system are you using, also?

Tim

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

[BCB]

IE 7.0
and
Windows XP

[quickdtoo]

XP service pack 1, 2 or 3? Right click My Computer and choose properties, the service pack will be listed. You should be SP3, it won't likely fix the problem, but it will prevent a lot of problems, do you use windows update regularly? Since you're still IE7, maybe not. 

http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

 Download and install Adaware at the link below, update it, then do a scan, see if that helps. I'd also seriously consider Firefox as your internet browser, it's not the target of hackers like IE is.

Tim

http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

[BCB]

Yep, SP-3...

I do install Windows updates when they download and ask to be installed...

I have stayed with IE 7.0 because the sites I must go to at work to do timesheets, expense vouchers, etc are not compatable with 8.0 yet...

Can I have 2 browsers?  That is Firefox and I.E.?  Or will my computer (mostly me!) get confused?

BCB

[quickdtoo]

Sure, you can have several browsers just choose the one you want to open, download and install Firefox, it's real similar to IE7, so it won't be totally new to you, and you can transfer bookmarks and such from IE to Firefox. It will ask if you want it to be your default browser, tell it no, then you can open the one you want until you decide which you like and see if the problem is with IE 7 itself or something else.

Tim

[BCB]

Might give it a try...

I am always scared to do anything differnt to the computer for fear I can't remove it or it causes more problems!!!

I am paronoid to say the least--but I am from that generation!

Thanks again...BCB

[BCB]

The more I think about this, it all seemed to have started when I visited, and still do, the msm site.  I guess it is a microsoft website?  I don't know.

Maybe they are running something in the background to discover what my use of the compter is so they can plan future stuff around users preferences?

It's that paronoid thing again!!!...

BCB

[Graybeard]

DO NOT update from IE 7 to IE 8. BAD MOVE I sure wish I had not made but Matt says there is no backing up unless I let him do a reinstall of my OS and IE. He seems to think IE 9 which should be out soon will help me but I sure wish I'd stayed with IE 7.

[jandbn]

It sounds like a process may be hogging the processor resources. Right-click on the Task Bar and select Task Manager or hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys at the same time and then press the Del key. In the Task Manager window that opens, select the Processes tab. On the Process tab, click the column heading of CPU. Then click the CPU column heading again. This will sort the processes that are running in decending order (the percentage of the processor being used.) You want the System Idle Process at 98%-99% and above when the computer is at "rest". Rest meaning not accessing web pages, crunching numbers in Excel, sending email, etc. If you have malware (which you shouldn't with McAffe updated) or something else is not working correctly, you may see the offending process running and using CPU processor cycles (instead of the System Idle Process) listed at or jumping up to the top of the list . If something other than System Idle Process has a high % of processor use when sorted by CPU decending order, you may have a clue as to what is causing the problem. Google the process or processes that jump to the the top above System Idle Process. Hope this helps!

[BCB]

jandbn,

I looked at what you said and the System Idle Process is at 99% so I guess that isn't the problem...

I think it has something to do with the msm page/hotmail...

Probably something is crazy during the time these pages are open...

I will do the task thing again with them open...

Thanks...BCB

[jandbn]

I think you are referring to www.msn.com, not msm. MSN's webpage is notoriously bloated with heavy graphics.

It used to be that by default MSN was set as your Home Page in Internet Explorer. You could try setting Internet Explorer's Home Page to a web page that does not have much on it such as www.google.com (I'm a Googler) or a GBO webpage such as www.gboreloaded.com/forums. If you only have problems with MSN, another Home Page might help.