about:blank - Microsoft Internet Explorer

Question

I'm running Windows XP (SP2), with Internet Explorer 6.0.2900. I keep having a problem when closing a window. Wyen I click on the 'X' in top right corner to close a window, the window contents disappear, but I'm left with a blank screen (labeled 'about:blank - Microsoft Internet Explorer'), which I can't close by clicking on the top-right 'X.' The only way I can get the blank window to close is by calling up the Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del), highlighting 'about:blank - Microsoft Interner Explorer,' and clicking 'End Program.   How can I eliminate this problem?

abach · Answer

It may be a spyware program. Try using a spyware remover, such as Spy Sweeper, to scan your computer.

gator6x4 · Answer

Go to the two locations listed below and read about 'About Blank'. Good Luck if you have 'About Blank' on your computer. Very hard to get rid of. http://www.pchell.com/support/aboutblank.shtml http://www.securiteam.com/securityreviews/5RP0L0UD5U.html

ky331 · Answer

there is indeed [a rather old piece of] malware --- a homepage hijacker --- by the name of about:blank.

but about:blank can also be used to designate that the user simply wants to open IE, without it automatically loading any particular web page.

Tools / Internet Options / (HomePage) Use Blank

This second case is simply a user choice, and not malware.

it's important to distinguish between these.

since the problem only occurs upon trying to exit IE, it sounds more like a "bad" installation of IE --- or a conflict with something else running --- than malware.

Message Edited by ky331 on 11-29-2007 10:54 AM

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about:blank - Microsoft Internet Explorer

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