Message On Screen Won't Go Away

[Rhythm Link]

Hi guys yet again. When I turned on my computer tonight, my screen opened with a yellow rectangle with a red 'R-' and at the bottom right corner outside the rectangle is a white 'x350'. The cursor goes underneath all this, so no way of clicking on it to open properties or delete or anything. Can't seem to get at it or find out what it is or where it's come from. I'm running windows 98.

Has anyone got any clues, what it is, where it's come from or how to get rid of it??

Driving me crazy right in the middle of the screen.

PLEASE HELP!!

Rhythm Link

 

[SavvyLady]

My advice is go to housecalls & run the free online virus scanner.
Click here to do so!

for a free virus scanner you can add to your system... go get AVG. Click here to download AVG

and to protect yourself from hackers etc... Get Zone Alarm
Click here the free version is fine


then there is spyware ... go get Ad-Aware
Click here to download it


this should keep you in pretty good shape

Savvy

 

[Rhythm Link]

Thanks for the suggestion Savvy, but I actually have a really good virus protection program running. Since posting that, I also went and ran it to make sure that nothing had slipped through, but it was updated this morning and nothing is showing up as recently as 10 minutes ago. Any other clues??

Thanks again
RL

 

[SavvyLady]

Great... ok what about the ad-aware? You really need to run that. Spyware bogs a system down badly . Ad-Aware
Click here to download it


Savvy

ps... is the thing you are seeing.. on the desktop/screen or on the taskbar?

And do you have a firewall up?

 

[SavvyLady]

I also would go to system properties at device managers & see if there is a conflict somewhere showing a warning .
could try an Alt-Ctrl-del to see whats running . Maybe you will see there what its coming from.

Savvy

the "R" makes me think its an indicator of something on the right. Im wondering about your speakers now.

 

[Rhythm Link]

Right smack dab in the middle of the screen. Sorry Savvy but I don't know what a firewall is.

 

[SavvyLady]

a firewall is a guard thats applied to your ports to keep hackers out.

you really should have one. And... you said you ran an updated virus scan... does it also check for trojans?


Savvy

 

[Rhythm Link]

Savvy, how do I check to see if my anti virus program checks for trojans? I haven't used my speakers in days. I've also done the sys props and nothing and tried alt clear dlt. nothing. It's got me tossed. I actually ran a system check to pick up any problems, everything ran clean. I just don't get it.

 

[Rhythm Link]

sorry Savvy, I've just checked and yes it does check for trojans.

 

[SavvyLady]

ok ... now Im wondering if you have an active desktop??
To find that out right click on an empty area on the desktop & the menus top item will be Active Desktop... then another menu when you hilight that. If you see a check mark on "show webContent... unckeck it ... you can it it back if you like after we try this.

Savvy

Did you get/scan with Ad-Aware yet?

 

[Rhythm Link]

It's not ticked. I actually ticked it and unticked it to make sure, but it's definitely not ticked. Savvy, thank you soooo much for your help, but I am going to have to head of to bed now. It's 11:00 pm here and I've got a shop to open in the morning. I'll hope and pray it's gone then and this has just been one of those unexplained glitches. If not, you'll see me here same place tomorrow. Again thanks for all your help.

 

[SavvyLady]

RL... sorry I couldn't help you but one of the moderators will look in & advise here too.

Savvy

Check back tomorrow

 

[brianF]

What extra devices do you have attached to the machine, like scanners, camera's, etc.

Also go to start/run/type msinfo32 and press enter, go to the left hand frame, choose software environment, choose startup programs, this should list the programs that load at startup in the right hand column, go to the edit menu, choose select all, back to edit menu, choose copy, paste the list back into this thread.

 

[SavvyLady]

Thanks brian for stepping in here...

Just can't seem to figure this one out.

Savvy

 

[Rhythm Link]

Well Savvy and Brian, as I half expected. I turned on this a.m. and no yellow rectangles with red and white letters and numbers. How bizarre. Everything seems to be functioning normally so far. I tried shutting down and starting up after varying amounts of time a number of times last night without success and rebooting... same result. However, interestingly enough, this morning, my server is playing up, they've got some problems their end, which apparently started last night, so can't help but wonder if there is a connection.

Again many thanks to you both! Don't go to far away guys, 'cos I'll no doubt be back! LOL!