Ever since i've installed litestep, my internet explorer windows have been crashing like crazy. It's getting super annoying ctr+alt+del'ing a window out every 3 minutes. Anyone have a solution?

IE crashing? What apps do you have bound up in IE, then?
If you're still using IE, I have to give you two links:
http://www.safer-networking.org
http://www.lavasoftusa.com
I've never seen LS do anything to IE, but I only use IE for Windows Update.

Actually, I have both spybot and ad-aware due to the mass ammounts of spyware...I don't understand what you mean when you ask what applications I have "bound" up in IE...It seems to happen when I try opening more then one internet explorer window. Perhaps I should try a new browser?

Spyware is usually the culprit, so I as obligated, there :).

Many apps use parts of Explorer and IE all the time, and add toolbars and such.
One fix would be to try uninstalling any updates to IE that you have and updating again.

you say IE crashes...yet you say you are killing the task. which is it?

IE just stops responding...the hourglass mouse icon comes up and i ctr+alt+del and end the internet explorer window. and Cerbie, this didn't happen until i got LS...I do have an abundance of spyware, but i find it too much of a coincidence the fact that this only started the night i downloaded litestep. speaking of spyware, (i don't want to completely trash the subject of this thread..) any program that i've ever had (adaware, spybot, spyhunter, spywareblaster...) has not worked whatsoever. many say that the spyware/viruses have been removed and or quarantined but the problems persist...and eventually worsen. i've discovered the main problem being purityscan (sear1 etc.) but any solution that's been posted on the internet, i've tried and they have not worked. mostly being editing the registry etc. i would back up my crucial files (and i have many many mp3's) and just redo everything but i would have no clue on how to go about this. thanks for the help.

well the problem could be that one of these wonderful spyware apps depend on exploder being the shell. We have found in the past that many programs out there like to cut corners using parts of the explorer shell thinking "why would anyone not want explorer?"

As for removing of the stuff...most commonly you will find that these apps dig so deep that you can't remove them. Normally you will find a .reg file here or there that reloads it back into memory, or you will have some open exploit on your machine that you keep getting infected through. Good luck on killing them off though.

open regedit and go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\ and disable all your spyware.
then get the startup cpl from http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml and disable the rest of it. restart and erase the damn thingies.

Syro..do you want me to delete everything in the browser helper objects folder? cause I can't determine what's spyware, all six folders there say the same thing..."(default)". i'm bout to try that program at the link you gave me now. thanks for the concern :)

sorry, i should have been a bit more specific.

to know what is what, you get the clsid and go to HKCR\CLSID\

there you look for each of them to see what it does and what file it loads, if you dont remember installing it delet it from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\

you can find more info about this in LINK

I really feel like a dumbass but i've searched everywhere and I can't find any string that starts with HKLM or HKCR...the only folders in my registry are named HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT | HKEY_CURRENT_USER | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | HKEY_USERS | HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

possibly things are just named differently?

HKLM = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
HKCR = HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

;)

....

I can't believe I didn't piece that together.

*shoots himself in the face*

:D