When I click on Internet Explorer, it takes approximately 15 seconds for my
homepage to fully load.

However, if I then close IE and re-open it again, my homepage is displayed
in 3-4 seconds.

If then shut down IE and try again later (e.g. 30 minutes), the pattern
repeats itself.

Any idea why, and how to speed things up from the start? Nothing I've tried
seems to work.

NOTE: I'm running IE8, but had the same problem with IE7 -- and with Firefox.

Possibly a malware infection?
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Youka wrote:
> When I click on Internet Explorer, it takes approximately 15 seconds for my
> homepage to fully load.
>
> However, if I then close IE and re-open it again, my homepage is displayed
> in 3-4 seconds.
>
> If then shut down IE and try again later (e.g. 30 minutes), the pattern
> repeats itself.
>
> Any idea why, and how to speed things up from the start? Nothing I've tried
> seems to work.
>
> NOTE: I'm running IE8, but had the same problem with IE7 -- and with Firefox.

Nope. It's clean!

> NOTE: I'm running IE8, but had the same problem with IE7 -- and with
> Firefox.

The above suggests that you are not, in fact, "clean!"

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription had
expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription has
since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download the
MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan
(only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware

**Seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup, http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30
or other appropriate forums.**

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002


Youka wrote:
> When I click on Internet Explorer, it takes approximately 15 seconds for
> my
> homepage to fully load.
>
> However, if I then close IE and re-open it again, my homepage is displayed
> in 3-4 seconds.
>
> If then shut down IE and try again later (e.g. 30 minutes), the pattern
> repeats itself.
>
> Any idea why, and how to speed things up from the start? Nothing I've
> tried
> seems to work.
>
> NOTE: I'm running IE8, but had the same problem with IE7 -- and with
> Firefox.

Thanks for the diagnosis. I wasn't sure if this type of behavior (slow
startup, then speed up) was considered "normal" for IE -- and it sounds like
you're saying that it's NOT.

Looks like I'm headed to one of the Hijackthis forums, since . . .

I previously ran Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware, a-Squared, MSRT and Windows
Defender, and a Kapersky Online Scan . . . all of which came back clean.
Also, I'm fully patched, and have never been never without a valid A/V
subscription (currently Avira).

What about 3rd party toolbars? Do you have any installed? If so, disable
all of them and see if your response time improves. I think, given the
scans and precautions you've listed below, that you're likely virus/malware
free. Although.... you might try SpyBot and also Hijackthis.


Youka wrote:
> Thanks for the diagnosis. I wasn't sure if this type of behavior
> (slow startup, then speed up) was considered "normal" for IE -- and
> it sounds like you're saying that it's NOT.
>
> Looks like I'm headed to one of the Hijackthis forums, since . . .
>
> I previously ran Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware, a-Squared, MSRT and
> Windows Defender, and a Kapersky Online Scan . . . all of which came
> back clean. Also, I'm fully patched, and have never been never
> without a valid A/V subscription (currently Avira).

I don't have any 3rd party toolbars installed. In fact, I removed the Google
Toolbar long ago because of the slowdown that it was causing with my IE
browser.

I took took your advice and ran Spybot S&D, and it too -- like all other
tools that I've run -- comes back and says that I am, in fact, CLEAN.

"kermit" wrote:

> What about 3rd party toolbars? Do you have any installed? If so, disable
> all of them and see if your response time improves. I think, given the
> scans and precautions you've listed below, that you're likely virus/malware
> free. Although.... you might try SpyBot and also Hijackthis.
>
>
> Youka wrote:
> > Thanks for the diagnosis. I wasn't sure if this type of behavior
> > (slow startup, then speed up) was considered "normal" for IE -- and
> > it sounds like you're saying that it's NOT.
> >
> > Looks like I'm headed to one of the Hijackthis forums, since . . .
> >
> > I previously ran Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware, a-Squared, MSRT and
> > Windows Defender, and a Kapersky Online Scan . . . all of which came
> > back clean. Also, I'm fully patched, and have never been never
> > without a valid A/V subscription (currently Avira).
>
>
>
>

Are you using the Immunize feature of Spybot? If so, De-Immunize and try
again - the "immunisation" just dumps thousands of sites into the Restricted
Sites zone in IE and in IE8 this causes it to take a lot longer to start up.

Dan

Youka wrote on Wed, 3 Jun 2009 07:33:05 -0700:

> I don't have any 3rd party toolbars installed. In fact, I removed the
> Google
> Toolbar long ago because of the slowdown that it was causing with my IE
> browser.

> I took took your advice and ran Spybot S&D, and it too -- like all
> other tools that I've run -- comes back and says that I am, in fact,
> CLEAN.

> "kermit" wrote:

>> What about 3rd party toolbars? Do you have any installed? If so,
>> disable all of them and see if your response time improves. I
>> think, given the scans and precautions you've listed below, that
>> you're likely virus/malware free. Although.... you might try SpyBot
>> and also Hijackthis.


>> Youka wrote:
>>> Thanks for the diagnosis. I wasn't sure if this type of behavior
>>> (slow startup, then speed up) was considered "normal" for IE -- and
>>> it sounds like you're saying that it's NOT.

>>> Looks like I'm headed to one of the Hijackthis forums, since . . .

>>> I previously ran Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware, a-Squared, MSRT and
>>> Windows Defender, and a Kapersky Online Scan . . . all of which came
>>> back clean. Also, I'm fully patched, and have never been never
>>> without a valid A/V subscription (currently Avira).

I stopped using Spybot S&D's Imunzation feature when I moved to IE8. I also
dropped IE-SPYAD (which adds sites to IE's Restricted Sites zone), and ran
DelDomains to cleanout my IE Restricted Sites zone, after experiencing
problems with my initial IE8 install.

Yet in your earlier reply, you wrote "I took took your advice and ran Spybot
S&D..."

Youka wrote:
> I stopped using Spybot S&D's Imunzation feature when I moved to IE8. I
> also
> dropped IE-SPYAD (which adds sites to IE's Restricted Sites zone), and ran
> DelDomains to cleanout my IE Restricted Sites zone, after experiencing
> problems with my initial IE8 install.

Pardon me but I don't see the confusion. The OP said he had using Spybot
some time ago but based on more recent advice decided to run it and see if
it turned up any problems (which it didn't).


PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
> Yet in your earlier reply, you wrote "I took took your advice and ran
> Spybot S&D..."
>
> Youka wrote:
>> I stopped using Spybot S&D's Imunzation feature when I moved to IE8.
>> I also
>> dropped IE-SPYAD (which adds sites to IE's Restricted Sites zone),
>> and ran DelDomains to cleanout my IE Restricted Sites zone, after
>> experiencing problems with my initial IE8 install.

Exactly, Kermit! Sorry if I didn't make myself clear, PA Bear.

Until recently, I ran Spybot S&D (with its Immunization feature invoked).

When I upgraded to IE8 and ran into problems, I disabled Spybot S&D's
Immunization feature and cleaned out my Restricted Sites zone (using
DelDomians)

When Dan suggested it, I took his advise and ran a one-time, on-demand
Spybot S&D scan (with the Immunization feature still disabled) and the scan
found nothing -- which is what the other malware scans that I previously ran
also found.

Did you disable SDHelper and Tea Timer before you installed IE8?

Youka wrote:
> Exactly, Kermit! Sorry if I didn't make myself clear, PA Bear.
>
> Until recently, I ran Spybot S&D (with its Immunization feature invoked).
>
> When I upgraded to IE8 and ran into problems, I disabled Spybot S&D's
> Immunization feature and cleaned out my Restricted Sites zone (using
> DelDomians)
>
> When Dan suggested it, I took his advise and ran a one-time, on-demand
> Spybot S&D scan (with the Immunization feature still disabled) and the
> scan
> found nothing -- which is what the other malware scans that I previously
> ran also found.

TeaTimer was diabled before IE8 was installed, but SDHelper was not.


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Did you disable SDHelper and Tea Timer before you installed IE8?
>
> Youka wrote:
> > Exactly, Kermit! Sorry if I didn't make myself clear, PA Bear.
> >
> > Until recently, I ran Spybot S&D (with its Immunization feature invoked).
> >
> > When I upgraded to IE8 and ran into problems, I disabled Spybot S&D's
> > Immunization feature and cleaned out my Restricted Sites zone (using
> > DelDomians)
> >
> > When Dan suggested it, I took his advise and ran a one-time, on-demand
> > Spybot S&D scan (with the Immunization feature still disabled) and the
> > scan
> > found nothing -- which is what the other malware scans that I previously
> > ran also found.
>
>

> "Youka" <Youka@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:576BAB38-57C5-4D45-9405-6336AC5BFF9E@microsoft.com...
> When I click on Internet Explorer, it takes approximately 15 seconds for
> my homepage to fully load.
>
> However, if I then close IE and re-open it again, my homepage is displayed
> in 3-4 seconds.
>
> If then shut down IE and try again later (e.g. 30 minutes), the pattern
> repeats itself.
>
> Any idea why, and how to speed things up from the start? Nothing I've
> tried seems to work.
>
> NOTE: I'm running IE8, but had the same problem with IE7 -- and with
> Firefox.

Assuming your "homepage" is an internet page:
1. Care to share the URL address so we can check it out?
2. Have you tried changing your homepage to "blank:about" to see if it is
your homepage or the browser that is slow? [or you can click Start, click
Run, type "iexplore.exe -nohome" (without quotes) and click OK.]
3. Is part of that 15 seconds, connect time with dial-up?
4. Does your Anti-Virus software, or any other programs like Windows
Updates, (or Malware,) automatically check a website for updates when you
first connect?
5. In Internet Options>Advanced, is there a checkmark before "Empty
Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed"?
6. You say "close IE" in one place, and "shut down IE" in the other. Do you
mean close the homepage with IE still open?
7a. Does your "homepage" become a "newer version" because of News updates?
7b. Are your Internet Options | General | Settings set to Check for newer
versions of stored pages either "Every time you start Internet Explorer" or
"Automatically"?
8. Right-click on the homepage and View Source. In the META tags near the
beginning, do you see "HTTP-EQUIV=Expires", or "HTTP-EQUIV=Refresh",
"Cache-Control", or something similar? (If so, copy complete tag and paste
here.)

FWIW. --Richard