I have a 2 questions re: IE...I have 98me, use a dial up email.-peoplepc

[Gin]

which uses IE....the address bar on IE has a pull down arrow and when I look at the sites listed there..I see a blowjob site, desktop, scanner, My documents, and several car sites.

(1)How did those sites get there? I didn't go to them...and nobody uses my computer. I have a firewall, spybot, adaware,and avg virus protection.

I tried to get rid of IE and use netscape for a browser..then came back to IE because that change didn't work....and since then the IE toolbar and pull down have shown up.

(2) On a dial up..do I have to use their browser?

Thanks for any help on this.....the thought that my desktop and My documents were on the pulldown worries me.

[welshTerrier2]

1. a few answers ...

1. you can use any browser you want to ... your ISP (i.e. peoplePC) is only a conduit to the internet for you ... think of it as being able to buy any brand of telephone you want (for your house) regardless of who sells you your phone service ...

2. no idea how unknown items appeared in your address bar ... are you sure no one else used your computer ?? to get rid of those sites try this:

in IE, at the top of a browser window, click on "tools", then "internet options" ... this should open a "dialog window" ... in the window, there is a section called "history" ... change the "days to keep pages in history" to a small number, e.g. "2", and then click "clear history" ... that's it !!! now try the drop down arrow in the address bar again ... any addresses more than 2 days old should be gone ...

3. download and install SpywareBlaster3.2 ... you can get a free copy http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html">right here .... Spybot is good; this is better ... make sure you go through all the menu options and "activate" everything ...

4. many DU'ers recommend "Firefox" as an alternate browser ... i use IE and haven't tried Firefox ... and i haven't used Netscape in years ...

hope this helps ...

[Gin]

3. thanks for the info....I appreciate it and will do.

[footinmouth]

2. Strange sites

The strange sites that show up that you did not visit may have been popup ads from legitimate sites that you did visit. I have popups blocked on my machine but a few manage to show up in separate windows anyways. That's probably how they are showing up in your history.

[SlackJawedYokel]

4. Also.

(1)How did those sites get there?
Pop-ups.
Do you have all of the current fixes for IE installed?
You might want to hit Windows Update to be on the safe side.

I have a firewall, spybot, adaware,and avg virus protection.
Excellent.
I use AdAware, SpywareBlaster and SpyBot for that extra clean, well scrubbed feeling. :D
Don't forget to update your AVG to version 7 as they're discontinuing support for 6.

I tried to get rid of IE and use netscape for a browser..then came back to IE because that change didn't work....
I whole-heartedly recommend Firefox as a primary brower.
Built-in popup blocking and tabbed browsing.
Plus all sorts of neat little extensions.

and since then the IE toolbar and pull down have shown up.
Did you install the Google toolbar?
It has a built-in popup blocker.

(2) On a dial up..do I have to use their browser?
Absolutely not.
Aside from AOL and its dedicated/proprietary brower/net space any browser can be used to surf the web. Welsh had it right.

the thought that my desktop and My documents were on the pulldown worries me.
Occasionally html files are accessed from inside your computer, ie., not off of the internet.
My History currently shows 2 of my hard drives and My Computer.

Remember, as well, that MS integrated IE with the OS and the Windows Explorer.

Good luck.
Cletus

[SlackJawedYokel]

5. delete me please.

delete.

[idiosyncratic]

6. Download Opera. It has built-in popup blocker.

Opera is free to use and the Google text ad is fairly unobtrusive.

Opera comes complete "right out of the box" with more features than you are likely to discover. The popup blocker is great, but Opera will also protect you from "phishing." And, once you have browsed using Mouse Gestures, you'll never use a browser that doesn't have them.

There is a wonderful Opera community with Forums to help you customize it just the way you like.



P.S. I bought Opera just a few days after downloading it. Of all the software I've downloaded over the years, I think it is the only one I've purchased. It was SO worth the money.