I don't understand what is going on

[Cart]

I keep hearing 'clicking' sound when browsing using IE 11. This sound was not present before.

The only thing I did do before this sound showed up is download a free E book 'The Linux Command Line by William Shotts' (under a Creative Commons license) from linuxcommanddotorg.

I scanned the downloaded PDF with my AV - Kaspersky before opening it and nothing showed up.

Continued browsing using IE 11 and a click sound started. This is without me clicking anywhere. A peculiar thing I observed was I could not click inside the search option of the techrepublic website.

Ran Anti Malwarebytes (free version) after running update and it showed up nothing.

Read up on windowsevenforums but the information there is related to system sound in IE. This sound was not there earlier - why now ?

After deleting (as a practice) using CCleaner and %appdata% the sound is not longer there. But am not sure ?

Please help as I am quite confused.

 

 

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello and

 

Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system. If you are not sure which version applies to your system download both of them and try to run them.
Only one of them will run on your system, that will be the right version.

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press Scan button. button.

  

• It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
  

• The first time the tool is run, it makes also another log (Addition.txt). Please attach it to your reply.

[Cart]

Hello,

Please find attached as instructed.

Appreciate your help.

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Fix with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

This fix was created for this user for use on that particular machine.

Running it on another one may cause damage and render the system unstable.

Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop:

Both files, FRST and fixlist.txt have to be in the same location or the fix will not work!

• Right-click on icon and select Run as Administrator to start the tool.
  (XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
• Press the Fix button just once and wait.
• If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run.
• When finished FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.

Please upload it to your reply.

fixlist.txt

[Cart]

Done and attached :-)

Fixlog.txt

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Please re-run Farbar Recovery Scan Tool to give me a fresh look at your system.

• Right-click on icon and select Run as Administrator to start the tool.
  (XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
• Make sure that Addition.txt option is checked. option is checked.

  

• Press Scan button and wait.
  

• The tool will produce two logfiles on your desktop: FRST.txt and Addition.txt.
  

Please attach report into your next reply.

[Cart]

I apologize for the delayed response.

I was hit with a bad case of the flu and was down for some days.

Please find attached the files as per your instructions.

Again, I appreciate your time and effort.

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Fix with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

This fix was created for this user for use on that particular machine.

Running it on another one may cause damage and render the system unstable.

Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop:

Both files, FRST and fixlist.txt have to be in the same location or the fix will not work!

• Right-click on icon and select Run as Administrator to start the tool.
  (XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
• Press the Fix button just once and wait.
• If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run.
• When finishes FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.
  

Please attach it to your reply.

 

---

 

How is your PC behaving now?

fixlist.txt

[Cart]

Please find attached as per instructions.

The PC has been behaving normally except for one thing that I noticed yesterday - whenever I connected to the internet and the start page loads on IE the clicking sound returns.

Just to be sure I have not downloaded any file or book from the internet ever since I sought your help.

When I open any page in a protected browser facility provided by the AV there is no clicking sound no matter how much I navigate between the open web pages.

Also, noticed that after I run the procedure outlined in you last response when I open IE for the first time (post reboot) I get two messages:

1. An unknown program is trying to change your search engine to Bing. (with the usual allow or not allow tabs)

2. An unknown program is trying to change your start page to godotmsndotcom. (with the usual allow or not allow tabs)

At the time of sending this response no clicking sound was present.

Hope this helps.

Fixlog.txt

[Cart]

Sorry, missed including this one -  one more peculiar thing I observed regarding IE 11 -

Whenever I click on a link within a site (amazon or any other) - earlier link used to open in a new tab in the same browser window - now it opens up a new browser window.

And for some reason Amazon sometimes (not often or not frequently) keeps asking to undergo a BOT check - filling up text in images. Although this happens very rarely.

[TwinHeadedEagle]

If you try other browser is the same thing happening?

[Cart]

The other browser I use is Firefox with no script.

Both issues are not present when I use Firefox. Neither the clicking sound or the tab opening issue.

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Can you reset Internet Explorer?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17441/windows-internet-explorer-change-reset-settings

Edited February 15, 2017 by TwinHeadedEagle

[Cart]

IE reset. No funny 'clicking' sound heard so far.

Awaiting instructions...

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Your computer isn't infected. If everything is fine now, we can declare it as solved.

[Cart]

Thank you for your time and efforts.