Need Help Fixing Firefox

[Judaeus Apella]

I'm stuck with XP till I get another computer built. Until then, I think my out of date security software missed something, and now my browser is being a total ****. I need to remove what ever is on my computer causing this problem or figure out what else could be causing this. After using Firefox for a short while it freezes, continues, freezes, continues, over and over until you restart it.

I tried installing Adaware, but it wasn't responding after a while, then it started deleting things without my permission. I had to remove it, and it was a nightmare uninstalling it. It kept trying to open by browser and spammed my screen with tons of firewall permissions, it did that too when I installed it but not near that much. What is better than that? Its spring 2013 so I'm sure there's better stuff out by now than last year. So, what should I use? Sorry but I'm not investing anything into a computer I'm going to toss soon. Is there anything free that's good I can use as a temporary fix?

Edit:
Malwarebytes removed some scumware, the the browser problem hasn't gone away.

[yojimbo197]

I'm stuck with XP till I get another computer built. Until then my out of date security software missed something, and now my browser is being a total ****. I need to remove what ever is on my computer causing this problem. Firefox freezes, continues, freezes, continues, over and over untill you restart it after using it for about ten minutes. I tried installing Adaware, but it wasn't responding after a while, then it started deleting things without my permission. I had to remove it, and it was a nightmare uninstalling it. It kept trying to open by browser and spammed my screen with tons of firewall permissions, it did that too when I installed it but not near that much. What is better than that? Its spring 2013 so I'm sure there's better stuff out by now than last year. So, what should I use? Sorry but I'm not investing anything into a computer I'm going to toss soon. Is there anything free that's good I can use as a temporary fix?

Comodo Cleaning Essentials has worked very well for my on W7. Supposedly it works on XP SP2

http://www.comodo.com/business-secur...essentials.php

[yojimbo197]

Malwarebytes anti malware has also worked very well for me. however they had an update this week that is causing problems with other peoples puters.

GMER is another freeware program that can ferret out the nasties. I have used it on my g/fs puter which was infested with trojans and other nasties from all of the CHinese websites she visits. You do need to be careful in using it as it so you dont delete something essential from the registry.

[AMDforME]

Adaware has also been updated numerous times since XP if you haven't done so. Norton offers a no charge downloadable Power Eraser for virus, scumware and rootkits. I have used this without issue on several PCs but it's a use-at-your-own-risk applet as it does find a lot of garbage.

http://security.symantec.com/nbrt/npe.aspx

[Judaeus Apella]

I'm too afraid to trust Norton. Every time I've ever used their (fully updated) software its missed tons of stuff I found with free software. A lot of techs have told me to stay away from it.

I can't use Comodo because I have no idea what to look for. I don't know what's good or bad and I totally refuse to individually look up thousands of registry listings.

I think I'm going to try Malwarebytes first and tell you guys how that goes.

I encourage a discussion about Symantec. I'm curious what you guys think of them. I've always heard nothing but bad things, from users and professionals about them.

[AMDforME]

You can use whatever makes you happy. NPE is not the same as Norton's normal A/V which works fine when properly configured. There are a lot of technically illiterate people who are suppose to be PC literate but are not. Instead of stating facts they repeat meritless opinions. It's the nature of the current PC world that we live in. If they don't know how to fix something they blame the hardware or software.

Adaware also works just fine IME of over 20 years dealing with the scumware. You may have enough issues with your system that a reformat is necessary. Some scumware actually blocks known A/V and malware programs from functioning. NPE can be run from a CD and is the only way some folks can recover their system without re-formating the HD to remove the scumware that has taken control.

Good luck with whatever you try. It's a royal PITA dealing with this stuff daily.

[s1nykuL]

The best solutions have already been suggested except perhaps Spybot Search and Destroy.

What I would like to add is once you have cleaned your system, install Virtualbox and build a XP VM.
This VM can then be used to visit all those dodgy sites and test those "unknown" programs that are likely to have caused these problems in the first place.

Don't use the host machine for visiting sites you do not trust 100% and if you are unsure of what a program might be or do, run it on the VM first.

Adblock and NoScript are the most useful addons for Firefox.

[Judaeus Apella]

I'm pretty sure its from visiting wallpaper sites. Every site I went to blasted me with TONS of ads, to the point that I couldn't even get to any of the images. It was horrid. I think that's what did this.

Anyway, I used Malewarebytes, but it didn't solve the problem. It found a handfull of moderate to minor security threats, nothing serious. If I use my browser, after a while it starts doing this thing where it suddenly stops responding completely, then responds, then stops, over and over and over endlessly. Its almost like the computer is looping something or thinking. Its really strange. I'm using Firefox 20.0.1. Anyone know what could be doing this? Its the only software thats doing this. Everything else runs smooth. Its just the browser.

[jspace]

http://kb.eset.com/esetkb/index?page...nt&id=SOLN2895

[AMDforME]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/04...alse_positive/

[Judaeus Apella]

This problem I had before I used malwarebytes. That's why I used Malwarebytes, I thought my browser was behaving like this because of some scumware, but its not working. Could the browser be "broken"? Maybe reinstalling it would solve it? I doubt it would though. I don't know how to fix this problem.

[NEOAethyr]

Install firefox to the side, or chrome or whatever.
It's likely some dumb plugin/extension or toolbar installed to the browser.

Also take a look at your taskmgr in admin mode, for things that don't belong.
A quick way of getting rid of some of the stuff is to goto the hkey/cu run keys.
And hkey/lm/system run keys.
And then del whatever is in those.
Granted if you had some lame printer startup thing going on that won't be working anymore...
I hate printers lol...

[Judaeus Apella]

Thought I should also mention that I only recently realized that I've been having a lot of problems loading web pages, most web pages, and it started about the same time this other problem started.

So a lot of stalling with the application, and problems loading pages. What does this sound like to anyone who knows firefox?