Strange icon appearing on my taskbar...

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2007-03-15 04:36pm

Any idea what this means? It goes away when I click on it and my Internet connection seems to have random interruptions that weren't happening when this wasn't showing up.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2007-03-15 04:51pm

Do you have wireless connections (such as a wireless router)?

TimothyC · Post by **TimothyC** » 2007-03-15 05:03pm

It looks like a generic windows warning icon. I've seen it before but I don't remember what it is for.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-03-15 05:22pm

MariusRoi wrote:It looks like a generic windows warning icon. I've seen it before but I don't remember what it is for.

I've seen icons like that pop up for Norton antivirus before. Not sure what else could cause it though.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2007-03-15 05:58pm

If we're talking about the exclamation mark in the yellow triangle, that's either a generic Windows warning icon (clicking/right-clicking on it should give you more details), a warning icon by installed third party software, or a hint that you have contracted spy/adware that WANTS you to install third-party software.
If you're talking obout the '3' icon or whatever that is at the right edge of the screenshot no clue.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2007-03-15 06:13pm

Generic warning icon. I got it when my old modem was dying on me and I couldn't make an internet connection.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2007-03-15 06:25pm

I know it looks like a generic warning icon, but it's not behaving like one. When I click on it, rather than telling me what's up the damned thing vanishes.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2007-03-15 06:34pm

Rogue 9 wrote:I know it's a generic warning icon, but it's not behaving like one. When I click on it, rather than telling me what's up the damned thing vanishes.

It's possible that it's disappearing because the problem is transient. If it's something like memory useage or what not then that would fit. I know because I had the same thing in running Hearts of Iron: Doomsday on my laptop and the virtual memory would always overload.

It's possible that your internet connection or modem are going out. That would do it and might not be permanent. Or it may have nothing to do with your actual internet.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2007-03-15 06:35pm

immediately suspect spyware/virus, grab Hijack This and run Housecall, see what happens.

Resinence · Post by **Resinence** » 2007-03-15 10:49pm

Security Center uses that icon to warn you about important things like... out of date AV/Anti-malware, no firewall active (It could also mean a virus has disabled you're Firewall/AV if you didn't do it yourself.) as well as warning you of an infection if you are using windows defender.

Generally I see that icon for security related stuff.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2007-03-15 11:51pm

Uh, Security Center typically uses a different alert icon and will also pop up a balloon

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2007-03-16 01:36am

Resinence wrote:Security Center uses that icon to warn you about important things like... out of date AV/Anti-malware, no firewall active (It could also mean a virus has disabled you're Firewall/AV if you didn't do it yourself.) as well as warning you of an infection if you are using windows defender.

Generally I see that icon for security related stuff.

I've seen that icon used for some horrifically hard to remove malware, as well.

Phantasee · Post by **Phantasee** » 2007-03-16 03:55am

I doubt its anything benign. Definitely follow Darwin's suggestion. Window's Security Center uses a yellow shield for updates, and a red shield when something is up. That's malware of some sort.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2007-03-16 04:06am

If it's what I think it is, you'll need this.

http://siri.urz.free.fr/Fix/SmitfraudFix.exe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware_Quake

http://www.spywareremove.com/removeSmitfraud.html