Please help me out, this annoyance is intolerable.
 

OK, I have a problem, as the subject suggested, and I assume this is the place to post it. My computer works pretty much fine, except for one thing, and it is annoying as all hell.

Everytime I open a window of either the Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer variety, I receive an error message that goes a little something like this:

WinTools.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Every time I click a link or type in a new address on the Internet, it gives me this message, somtimes more than once. After I close it, I can proceed as planned, so it doesn't seem to be causing an actual PROBLEM, but its just so freaking annoying.

I realize that the information given may be pathetically inadequate. I know next to nothing about the actual workings of computers, so if I need to elaborate, please let me know and I will to the best of my ability. But someone please help me, it would be greatly appreciated.

im a fan of reinstalling windows when i start to get errors like this. But im not exactly the best with computers so i just reformat / install windows or just reinstall windows to fix bugs.

WinTools.exe sounds like a program (or spyware) installed on your machine (NOT part of the normal windows install).

Check this thread for some programs that you can use to get ride of spyware (I personally suggest AdAware).

WinTools may have an "Add/Remove Program" entry. Go to Start Menu->Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs and see if WinTools is in there. If it is, remove it!

Good luck.

from: http://www.ozforcesnation.com/news.php?nid=12614400

you're infected, buddy.

Well, thats great. I can only assume that this is my sister's doing, because I have accepted nothing of the sort or anything. I followed Latch's advice, and it worked actually. The problem seems to be gone, so thanks Latch, but if you guys know for a fact that that will not stop a virus, please let me know.

You may want to get yourself a virus scanner, just as a general rule.

AVG has a free version. Check it out here

Most of the major anti-virus sites (McAfee, Norton/Symantec/TrendMicro) also have free online scanning (they'll scan your system for you using your browser).

Thanks for all the tips, guys, much appreciated.

If you use IRC make sure that you have disabled the 'auto-except' for DCC connections and receives. If you had this enabled, any bot or skript-kiddie could send you any file they wanted.

-SF

Again, big thanks to all you guys for the tips. I seem to have put an end to it.

Even so, I'm pretty sure you still have to open the file for it to infect your computer. Be very wary of what files you open, especially with any files with 'win' in them.

Hey all, I'm having trouble also and think I'm infected too. When I try to open Norton, I get Symantec integrator could not initialize the current frame class. Please make sure that you did not directly run the integrator.
I also have open windows flashing this morning even after rebooting.
If I go with AVG do I need uninstall Norton first?

Any other suggestions or tips?

I realized that adding my problem to this several day old thread might go unanswered, so I will create a new thread.