Explorer Edge question

[acme]

My roommates friend said her WIN 10 Explorer shut down and a pop-up reads "Call 800-XXX-XXXX to report to Microsoft to fix the problem" Only way to get rid of it is to uninstall WIN 10 and download WIN 8.1 . She said you can't get rid of it unless you get rid of WIN 10 and start over.
They said it doesn't show up on any antivirus\antimalware, (HitMan Pro, Malwarebytes, Emsisoft antimaleware security)
Anybody seen this? Is this the new way WIN 10 works?

 

[Ink]

Possible of it being unwanted software, I would open a new thread in the Malware Removal Assistance.

Edit:
Explorer Edge, do you mean Microsoft Edge (Web browser)? Perhaps a pop-up or fake Webpage showing this notification. Unable to close the browser?

Or do you mean File Explorer, the file manager in Windows.

 

[acme]

Possible of it being unwanted software, I would open a new thread in the Malware Removal Assistance.

Edit:
Explorer Edge, do you mean Microsoft Edge (Web browser)? Perhaps a pop-up or fake Webpage showing this notification. Unable to close the browser?

Or do you mean File Explorer, the file manager in Windows.

Microsoft Edge and they said she couldn't close the browser even if you sign-off and unplug the computer, it's still there! Had to install 8.1. I don't think Microsoft would do this

 

[Ink]

Did they try and close Edge browser from Windows Task Manager to terminate it's process?

Edge may continue to run in the background, so try a system restart (not shutdown).

In the meantime, I would suggest that your roommate to use a better established browser, until Microsoft add extension support.

Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Cyberfox or Opera are some good alternatives.

 

[acme]

Her boyfriend knows some about computers, he said she did a Control-ALT-Delete and cleared out the Task Manager, but it was still there. I told them to use Google or Firefox but I thought those wouldn't work with WIN 10 yet. I read that somewhere too, maybe it was old news.


.

 

[Kardo Kristal]

Google or Firefox

@acme Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox should both work on Windows 10. I am using Chrome on Windows 10 without problems. Maybe following information helps to solve your issue with Edge browser.

Please try the following method:

1. Close Microsoft Edge via Task Manager
2. Turn off WiFi/Internet connection
3. Open Edge browser (It says cannot open webpage)
4. Close the tab
5. Close the Microsoft Edge

Please report back here.

PS. Found solution to similar problem from here.

I hope it helps.

Regards,
Kardo

 

[Alexc]

Yeah,do as Kardo said and turn off your internet then close it.DO NOT call that number unless you want to be scammed

 

[Rolo]

Microsoft will never ask you to call them to fix a problem.

The problem isn't Edge; the problem is that you have malware.

I assume Edge is set at the default browser and the malware is just launching the default browser to get you to call a number posing as Microsoft whereupon you freely divulge PII and grant access to your computer.

Win10 was downloaded from Microsoft, correct? Not a torrented/shared/megauploaded one I hope--could be Win10 with malware baked in.

I would:

• Get the official ISO and burn it from a known clean computer
• Backup all data you don't want to lose
• Boot from Win10 ISO, during installation, select custom, delete all partitions, and install Win10 to the empty space
• (If Win10 is NOT already activated from the upgrade process, install Win8 this way, then update it, then upgrade to 10; optionally you can perform another wipe/clean install of 10)

Alternatively, you could try to remove the malware but that isn't my first choice since you aren't invested in that install and it's just faster to rebuild than to try to figure out what is going on and in the end, a wiped/clean install is known good.

Before touching the Internet, choose a good browser (like others have suggested), secure it with extensions--especially an ad-blocking one.

 

[Alexc]

@Rolo,It might not be malware,just a webpage with some javascript to prevent it from closing.It also reopens because edge reopens the previous session on startup,so that internet thing should do the trick.I've seen a few videos on it,it's a new scam from the Microsoft cold callers

 

[Rolo]

It also reopens because edge reopens the previous session on startup

A very good point.

...But it persisted through a reinstall...which could happen if it isn't a clean install and/or if the user's browser settings in Win10 are being synced to the cloud, upon which the open tabs return.

I might or might not be malware, hence the Mutually Assured Destruction nuclear option. Just be sure to nuke the settings saved on the cloud also. Besides, where there's smoke, there's fire (may be more than one malware present).

 

[Alexc]

A very good point.

...But it persisted through a reinstall...which could happen if it isn't a clean install and/or if the user's browser settings in Win10 are being synced to the cloud, upon which the open tabs return.

I might or might not be malware, hence the Mutually Assured Destruction nuclear option. Just be sure to nuke the settings saved on the cloud also. Besides, where there's smoke, there's fire (may be more than one malware present).

I could send you the videos I watched on the subject

 

[acme]

@acme Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox should both work on Windows 10. I am using Chrome on Windows 10 without problems. Maybe following information helps to solve your issue with Edge browser.

Please try the following method:

1. Close Microsoft Edge via Task Manager
2. Turn off WiFi/Internet connection
3. Open Edge browser (It says cannot open webpage)
4. Close the tab
5. Close the Microsoft Edge

Please report back here.

PS. Found solution to similar problem from here.

I hope it helps.

Regards,
Kardo

I'll pass this on to them. I'll tell them to sign-on here. They are my roommates friends

 

[JakeXPMan]

I had this problem on Windows 7, Internet Explorer 11.

Browser hijacked... with a message (system error, memory error) call microsoft for assistance. I tried x'ing out of the popup, but it was stuck and repeating with a different number.

I finally got it to close with Task Mgr., after re-boot it was gone. Scanned with AV and MBAM, no malwares or future issues. It was just a scam as said above.

I never have problem with Firefox or Opera. Hint hint...

 

[jamescv7]

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...t/1768f671-90d9-4dfb-88c5-679a3664634a?auth=1

Unfortunately there is no any settings to revert everything for Microsoft Edge. One of the option is apply the IP address on the host file to block that pop up.

Or put it in Airplane Mode and clean all your tracking data on Edge.

 

[acme]

Microsoft will never ask you to call them to fix a problem.

The problem isn't Edge; the problem is that you have malware.

I assume Edge is set at the default browser and the malware is just launching the default browser to get you to call a number posing as Microsoft whereupon you freely divulge PII and grant access to your computer.

Win10 was downloaded from Microsoft, correct? Not a torrented/shared/megauploaded one I hope--could be Win10 with malware baked in.

I would:

• Get the official ISO and burn it from a known clean computer
• Backup all data you don't want to lose
• Boot from Win10 ISO, during installation, select custom, delete all partitions, and install Win10 to the empty space
• (If Win10 is NOT already activated from the upgrade process, install Win8 this way, then update it, then upgrade to 10; optionally you can perform another wipe/clean install of 10)

Alternatively, you could try to remove the malware but that isn't my first choice since you aren't invested in that install and it's just faster to rebuild than to try to figure out what is going on and in the end, a wiped/clean install is known good.

Before touching the Internet, choose a good browser (like others have suggested), secure it with extensions--especially an ad-blocking one.

She said it was downloaded from the 'Windows Update' in the Control Panel.
They had another attack on Google Chrome They deleted it on the Task Bar I think.