Problems with All Music Guide site

[Head Man]

Has anyone else been having problems with the AMG site recently?

A couple of days ago I started having problems with it freezing almost every time I use it. Sometimes this happens on the initial page, other times it happens later. I've tried allowing pop-ups but it's still happening.

I'm using the latest version of IE and Windows XP. Any suggestions as to what the problem might be?

Edited November 15, 2007 by Head Man

[coooltrane]

Has anyone else been having problems with the AMG site recently?

A couple of days ago I started having problems with it freezing almost every time I use it. Sometimes this happens on the initial page, other times it happens later. I've tried allowing pop-ups but it's still happening.

I'm using the latest version of IE and Windows XP. Any suggestions as to what the problem might be?

Use Firefox.

[Claude]

You probably encountered a new pop-up ad that shows up irregularly when browsing the Allmusic site.

I posted about on the SH forum: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost...mp;postcount=39

My Opera browser wasn't able to block it, although it has a pop-up blocker. When it shows up, the ad page replaces the allmusic page I'm viewing.

[brownie]

Has anyone else been having problems with the AMG site recently?

A couple of days ago I started having problems with it freezing almost every time I use it. Sometimes this happens on the initial page, other times it happens later. I've tried allowing pop-ups but it's still happening.

I'm using the latest version of IE and Windows XP. Any suggestions as to what the problem might be?

Use Firefox.

Good advice!

I use Firefox. No problem with AMG!

[couw]

I posted about on the SH forum: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost...mp;postcount=39

don't click the OK/cancel button after the fake scan is done as the thing will try to install some crap.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/default.aspx

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic105302.html

[couw]

I use Firefox. No problem with AMG!

the problem is with the ads shown at the AMG site (and many other sites). Your browser has nothing to do with it. Just that security settings for Firefox and Opera are a bit more user friendly than those of IE. You can block the malware-scan site in your hosts file (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_file).

[Claude]

The ad only shows up occasionally on AMG, so you can't quickly check if your browser is affected by it.

[Quincy]

I had a giggle when (even after hitting Cancel) it did it's fake scan, listing all sorts of Windows files. I'm using a MacBook.

This blog link includes a short Youtube video where the author explains the tricky behavior of the redirect ads.

Edited November 15, 2007 by Quincy

[rostasi]

I had a giggle when (even after hitting Cancel) it did it's fake scan, listing all sorts of Windows files. I'm using a MacBook.

This blog link includes a short Youtube video where the author explains the tricky behavior of the redirect ads.

Interesting video - never have seen that happen - probably won't.

It always involves greed doesn't it?

[Head Man]

I'm still more than a little confused - so what's new!

Does this mean that the only answer to the problem is to replace IE by Firefox? If that's the case then the majority of people accessing the AMG site must be having the same problem as me. Surely there must be some way of tinkering with IE to overcome the problem.

Edited November 18, 2007 by Head Man

[Claude]

The best answer is to complain to AMG that they are linking to scam ads normally used on free porn or warez sites (not that I ever browse such sites )

[riverrat]

I'm not sure it would directly relate to the problems you are having, but there is also a plug in for Firefox that screens out sidebar ads that make so many pages slow to load. These are different from pop-ups- they are all the extraneous crap that pages are designed to load before you get to see that actual content you are interested in.

I have intermittent problems with AMG- sometimes when I'm doing a number of different searches, it seems to slow down and not work very well- which makes me suspicious that the site is set up in some way to discourage people from using it extensively in one session. But then I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist, especially WRT corporate America...

[Guest Bill Barton]

No brilliant solutions to offer but I'd agree that the pop-up ads on AMG are becoming increasingly annoying and hilariously stupid. I haven't noticed it slowing anything down. But then this white elephant PC is pretty darned slow to start with...

[JSngry]

When this phukker starts to load,just hit the back button once or twice. That'll take care of it.

[Kalo]

My main problem with AMG is the relentless banality.

I do, however, appreciate the information, taken with the proverbial grain of salt (to add my own banality to the mix).

[MoGrubb]

Google's faster'n AMG.

[RDK]

The best answer is to complain to AMG that they are linking to scam ads normally used on free porn or warez sites (not that I ever browse such sites )

I emailed AMG about this yesterday, and to their credit I received a response from them in less than 24 hours....

Hi Ray,

Thank you for your feedback. We have pulled all of our ads from that provider in an attempt to find the rogue ad. If you are still having troubles, we'd like to know. (Since responses to this email address are not seen, the best way would be to use the same "contact" link you used to generate this message.) Thank you for visiting AMG!

Best Regards,

AMG

[Head Man]

The best answer is to complain to AMG that they are linking to scam ads normally used on free porn or warez sites (not that I ever browse such sites )

I emailed AMG about this yesterday, and to their credit I received a response from them in less than 24 hours....

Hi Ray,

Thank you for your feedback. We have pulled all of our ads from that provider in an attempt to find the rogue ad. If you are still having troubles, we'd like to know. (Since responses to this email address are not seen, the best way would be to use the same "contact" link you used to generate this message.) Thank you for visiting AMG!

Best Regards,

AMG

I've used the site a few times today with no problems. Looks like your e-mail has fixed it, at least for the time being.

Well done!

[Man with the Golden Arm]

SpyWare is to AMG what superfluousness is to Thom Jurek.

oops, other thread.

[Claude]

Thanks Ray

It seems that you've woken them up. From the home page:

Hello allmusic.com readers,

We are aware of the malware affecting some of allmusic.com's ads, and we're working on rooting out the problem advertisements as effectively as possible. Thanks for your patience, and we apologize for any inconvenience this situation has caused. To learn more about the malware-infected ads and other affected sites, check out this article: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2215734,00.asp

Edited November 20, 2007 by Claude

[couw]

check out this article: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2215734,00.asp

another story, perhaps a bit clearer:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/13/do...ibutes_malware/

[mjzee]

Yes, this is the ad I complained about here:

Album Covers

So it wasn't the website's doing, and I encountered it the first time I accessed the website.

I too own a Mac, so (hopefully) it didn't install anything. Safari did not block the pop-up, even though I have "Block Pop-Up Windows" checked.

Edited November 22, 2007 by mjzee