URL Malformed- need help!!!

[bmsassoc]

I am having a Win XP issue. After just upgrading from home edition to professional. Each time I boot, I get an run time error message that says " URL is Malformed error # 35752" I get this message every time I boot and can not seem to find a way to correct the problem.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[rpertusio]

You've got a corrupt registry entry. Easily fixed by getting rid of the 'spyware' on your computer. Download/run Ad-Aware (free!) and get rid of Alexa, at the very least. Hopefully that should fix it.

Download Ad-Aware (free!)

- rp

[bmsassoc]

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I've already done that and still have the problem. Any other suggestions????

[rpertusio]

Have you ever installed Bearshare, LimeWire, Kazaa, Grokster, Net2phone or BonziBuddy?

There is/was a trojan included with those installers.

You are infected with this trojan if you have either of these files:
C:\Windows\system\explorer.exe
- or -
C:\Windows\explorer\explorer.exe
Note that the C:\Windows\explorer.exe is OKAY to have

IF you have the first 2, then you need to clean your system of the specific trojan. Grokster has a tool.


- rp

[bmsassoc]

I really appreciate your help. Unfortunately I do not have either of the files you mentioned. I checked the grokster site and ran the fix anyway in case i missed the files......no luck still get at boot up malformed URL run time error 35752

H>>>>E>>>>L>>>>P

[rpertusio]

I don't mean to send you on a wild goose chase.. but..

Start -> Run -> msconfig

On the 'startup' tab, are there any entries that you don't recognize?

(Maybe you can attach a screenshot of that window... simply ALT+PrintScreen, and a copy of the window will be put in your clipboard. Open up Paint, and 'Paste', and your screenshot should show up. Save As JPEG or GIF, and then attach to your post.)

- rp

[bmsassoc]

thanks for staying with me on this. attached are two gif files pg 1 and pg 2 of the start up image.

thanks

bs

[rpertusio]

whoops, you missed the 2nd attachment. I believe you can only attach one at a time.

I looked over the first image. Although you could uncheck some items to improve performance, none of them should be causing the problem you are seeing.

- rp

[bmsassoc]

Here is the attachment and thanks again. What would you suggest I uncheck???
Thanks

BS

[rpertusio]

Ouch! the "Belt.exe" is the one that is probably causing your issues. It is Adware, or.. a 'browser Hijack'.

See Symantec's website for more information about Adware.Binet and how to remove it!

Symantec only updated that page yesterday (Nov. 19th), so it must be fairly new.

I'll post back later about which other boxes you could uncheck. ('Belt' is the only harmful one of the bunch)

- rp