Strange (and worrying) popup

[emanday]

When I fired up my PC this morning it did its usual thing, opening Live Messenger (which isn't set to log in automatically) and Outlook.

There also appeared a small popup window titled "Browser Choice" which claimed to provide a way to make a choice between browsers. Instructions were to make sure you were connected to the internet and to click on OK. I didn't do that of course! Instead, I clicked on the "Close Window" white cross in red square at the top right.

Instead of closing the window, as it should have done, it opened Internet Explorer and took me to a screen with logos for four of the main browsers under each of which were buttons to either install or view further information about them. I've altered the web address to prevent anyone clicking it. It was...

xxx.browserchoice.eu>BrowserChoice>browserchoice_en.htm.

I immediately closed IE, ran an AVG scan as well as the other "nasties killers" on my PC. They found nothing, but I'm still not convinced!

Has anyone else had this?

[Maisie]

Hi

I use Firefox so I haven't, but my other half has because he uses IE. It's OK and part of Microsoft's settlement with the EU competition people.

See below

http://microsoftontheissues.com/cs/blog ... ct-it.aspx

Maisie

[bleckie]

Hi
I believe it has something to do with the last court case microsoft were invollved in.
The now have to offer the user a choise of browser other than internet explorer.
Yours Aye
BruceL

[AndrewP]

If Internet Explorer is the browser you use and intend to keep using, then select it from the list and it should go away.

All the best,

AndrewP

[emanday]

Thanks folks. I knew someone would know what was going on.

I feel a lot better now .

[ninatoo]

I would download a program called Malwarebytes from the internet. Then click on the search for updates tab and after it has downlaoded them, run a scan. There are some nasties around. I just yesterday had a bad one called XPDefender and if it weren't for Malwarebytes I would still have it, as my antiviral program "Avira" didn't pick it up in the scan.

Nina

[emanday]

Nina,

I already have Malwarebytes installed it didn't have any more problem with the popup than AVG etc... Now that the reason for the popup has been explained to me I understand why they were OK with it.

However, I'm still a bit annoyed at Microdaft's high-handed way of forcing the opening of the web page after I tried to close the popup. I feel it is yet another example of their "Higher Being" attitude to their users.

[ninatoo]

Oh yes, now I see it is from them....I need to not speed read at peak hour in my house!