Getting rid of Internet Explorer when using Fire Fox

How do you fully get rid of explorer?

I have an explorer based virus on my computer that generates a lot of pop ups - they come up as explorer based, not firefox based. Explorer isn't listed seperately under add/remove files in the control panel.

Does anyone know how to completely disable it?

 

I think you would have to do shit in RegEdit
That's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing

 

control panel.....add/remove programs.....add/remove windows components

 

you want to remove the spyware, not explorer.

Spybot S&D
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/


you need IE to perform windows updates.
[and the rare and occasional IE only site]

 

I don't think that you have a virus. Try this

go to start > all programs > administrative tools > services. In your services right click on the one that says "messenger" and then click on properties. Click on stop..and select "disabled" next to where it says "startup type". Now reboot your system and see if that fixed it. If that didn't work then more than likely your system is infected with spyware. If you're not already running a spyware detection/removal program then you should. Make sure that you at least run 2 different programs. Trotsky mentioned two of the best freeware programs available for that. Run a full scan with both of those and remove any spyware that they happen to find. If that doesn't get rid of your problem then I suggest you download Hijack This, which you should be able to find easily with google. Save it in C:\HJT Do not try to run the program from the desktop because it will not work properly. Once you've installed it run a scan and then post the log file here. I personally haven't tried to get rid of IE for the reasons that Trotsky mentioned above. However a program called nlite is supposed to do this. You can find it here http://nuhi.msfn.org/. However I have a feeling you are going to need IE eventually and I would highly recommend that you not do this seeing as how it doesn't appear that you are an advanced user (no offense). If you are that unhappy with IE then I would recommend that you check out the Avant, and Maxthon browsers which use the IE engine.

 

best thing anyone running xp can do is before you do anything, install xpantispy

it'll disable all those pesky little ms kooties