Why can't I log in anymore?

[Lowly Bantha Cleaner]

I know this may sound like a thread for a different forum, yet the problem isn't so much a problem for this site, since I am permanently logged in here.

Whenever I go to check my mail for yahoo.com or log in to the espn forums, and other forums that require my username and password, instead of logging me in, I automatically get returned to the log-in site with my name and password cleared--in other words to the site back again, with no error message or anything.

If I have to pinpoint a problem, I can pinpoint several reasons why this may have occured.

1) Just recently whenever I tried opening up the Microsoft Internet Explorer program, I could get in for two seconds and then the program would shut down without any warning or error message.

2) I called my internet provider and he said it was something not within their control. He told me there were problems with the Yahoo toolbars that might fix it, so he recommended me removing the program under Windows control panel, I did, and it magically fixed the problem. I was able to log in to mail and websites right after this happen, but three days later, I couldn't.

3) I performed an AdAware Sweep recently and several Spyware sweeps and deleted all the critical objects it found, perhaps this is the root of my problem?

4) I can log in to all of the above sites under my brother's Window username on this same computer.

5) I did delete all my temporary internet files but don't think that had anything to do with the root of these problems.

6) Yahoo recommends I install the latest internet explorer, but I don't think again this would solve my problems since my latest version worked fine up until a couple of days ago.

I appreciate any help that can be given. I only posses an average intelligence on computer matters and I would appreciate the help of those whose knowledge is far more superior.

[JediTricks]

First thing I thought when I read the first paragraph was "spyware", you should probably make super-sure you're clear and then go change all your passwords.

If it was just 1 site, I'd say you had a corrupted cookie, but 2 or more sites is too much to be a coincidence.

[Lowly Bantha Cleaner]

First thing I thought when I read the first paragraph was "spyware", you should probably make super-sure you're clear and then go change all your passwords.

If it was just 1 site, I'd say you had a corrupted cookie, but 2 or more sites is too much to be a coincidence.

Thanks, JT.

I have SpySweeper and for what it is worth, that program has been running kinda strange too. Every now and then the program will open up and state that it has been 55 days until my last sweep, which is untrue because I sweep every week. Then it freezes on me, not allowing me to close the window. I also notice when I type, the message is not immediate, delayed, as if something is slowing it down.

Also, the program is indicating that it is running twice when I do a processes report (Alt + crtl + delete) Spysweeper.exe and spysweeperUI.exe and on rare instances when a family member is using their windows screen before me, they will log off their name and I would log onto mine, and I would get two spysweeper icons running on my toolbar and two spysweeperUI.exe programs and a spysweeper.exe.

[JediTricks]

Sounds like you may have a malicious program pretending to be your spysweeper or infecting it, you shouldn't have 2 spysweeperUI.exe running at once, just 1 that and 1 Spysweeper.exe (they are related, the UI helps spysweeper run). Even stranger though is how it's only behaving oddly in your windows login, I would have suggested a windows restore but it's probably too late for that - I think it holds only 5 previous versions. Run your antivirus and see if it comes up with anything, could be that a virus has screwed up your system but it only affects your settings and left you open to spyware.

[Lowly Bantha Cleaner]

Thanks again for the advice JT.

I think I do have a malicious program running on my computer. McAfee hasn't picked it up but that could be because I haven't updated the program in over a year (I was told by a computer friend it is worthless) and haven't even registered the program.

I did run it though and it found nothing.

I did run AdAware and Spysweeper and nothing was found.

I am at a loss as on what to do. I did contact Spysweeper and the told me in a reply that the two programs running was a common problem and they showed me how to respond to it. I think fixing it won't do much.

I don't mine logging into my brother's windows screen but I can't store my passwords or other usernames and have to log out each time or he gets mad (he often visits the same sites).

[Kidhuman]

Why not just F-disk the computer and reboot everything over again? It would get rid of any issues you have on the computer(along with all your saved stuff). I would ONLY do that as a last resort though. &

[JediTricks]

I didn't notice that the problem went away when you shut down Yahoo Toolbar... that is likely significant, it's possible that program is interfering with something else and damaged, and re-introduced itself (or someone else downloaded it without you knowing) after that 3 days. Check to make sure it's not running in the background I guess.

You haven't updated your McAffee antivirus in a year? How about virus definitions, did you at least update those? If you have up-to-date definitions, I would trust it at least to some degree, but if not it's missing a lot of options.

Formatting seems like it's not an option, it's a shared computer.

Spysweeper not finding anything significant is a little surprising, I was thinking this seemed like spyware more than malware or a virus. Of course, if spysweeper is infected too... but we'll assume for the moment it's not (it'd take a pretty quality virus to let McAffee and Spysweeper run and fool their results without crashing them).

It could be a registry issue, that would require more help than I can give.

Perhaps your browser is jacked up. You're using IE, have you considered using Mozilla Firefox? www.mozilla.org/firefox/

If you still think you have a virus, get Avast Antivirus, your friend is right that McAffee has become junk, Avast is free and very powerful: http://www.download.com/Avast-Home-Edition/3000-2239_4-10019223.html

[Lowly Bantha Cleaner]

It wasn't a virus, it was something as simple as my security settings for my internet explorer. I remember fooling around with them exactly for the reason because I was scared of getting viruses (a user from my family is prone to getting certain ones) so I tweaked around with the settings. Turned out I had it set too high and I was being blocked from being able to log in.

Thanks JT and KH for your help. :thumbsup:

[JediTricks]

Wow, I didn't know it was possible to set them that high, I knew the highest setting would kick out cookies and javascript, but I thought the logins were supposed to tell you when that happened. Anyway, glad you figured it out, next time get Firefox. ;)