Possible Browser Hijack Browser Hijacker

I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
When I switch on the computer a window comes up
saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the settings"
Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
It does this all the time.

Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser Hijacker

Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
worked this one out by now.
Please assist me with this problem.
I have Windows 2000.
Thanks...........Peter.

Use "ADD/REMOVE A WINDOWS COMPONENT" to temporarily remove
Internet Explorer, then initiate a full system scan from
BETA1, instruct BETA1 to remove any detected threats, add
Internet Explorer component back to windows, Internet
Explorer should perform normally.

Glenn
>-----Original Message-----
>I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
>When I switch on the computer a window comes up
>saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the settings"
>Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
>It does this all the time.
>
>Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
>right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser Hijacker
>
>Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
>worked this one out by now.
>Please assist me with this problem.
>I have Windows 2000.
>Thanks...........Peter.
>.
>

Glenn. Thanks very much for that.
I'm not very technical so........If I remove Internet
Explorer with Add/Remove, run Beta1 as you said, my
question is How do I re-install Internet Explorer. I don't
have a disk. Sorry for the ignorance but appreciate your
help. I await your reply.
Thanks......Peter
>-----Original Message-----
>Use "ADD/REMOVE A WINDOWS COMPONENT" to temporarily remove
>Internet Explorer, then initiate a full system scan from
>BETA1, instruct BETA1 to remove any detected threats, add
>Internet Explorer component back to windows, Internet
>Explorer should perform normally.
>
>Glenn
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
>>When I switch on the computer a window comes up
>>saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the
settings"
>>Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
>>It does this all the time.
>>
>>Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
>>right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser
Hijacker
>>
>>Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
>>worked this one out by now.
>>Please assist me with this problem.
>>I have Windows 2000.
>>Thanks...........Peter.
>>.
>>
>.
>

Sorry to jump in on someone else's thread, but IE cannot be removed in
2K/XP. All "add/remove windows component" will do is remove the icon (notice
that the size is 0.0 MB? IE6 SP1 is about an 11 or 12 MB install in 2K).
Nevertheless, you can put it back by repeating the process (start ->
settings -> control panel -> add/remove programs -> add/remove Windows
component (button on the left) -> scroll down and check/uncheck Internet
Explorer -> next -> finish).

Mark

"plattbp@aol.com" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0ec401c5017b$e8d58640$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Glenn. Thanks very much for that.
> I'm not very technical so........If I remove Internet
> Explorer with Add/Remove, run Beta1 as you said, my
> question is How do I re-install Internet Explorer. I don't
> have a disk. Sorry for the ignorance but appreciate your
> help. I await your reply.
> Thanks......Peter
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Use "ADD/REMOVE A WINDOWS COMPONENT" to temporarily remove
>>Internet Explorer, then initiate a full system scan from
>>BETA1, instruct BETA1 to remove any detected threats, add
>>Internet Explorer component back to windows, Internet
>>Explorer should perform normally.
>>
>>Glenn
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
>>>When I switch on the computer a window comes up
>>>saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the
> settings"
>>>Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
>>>It does this all the time.
>>>
>>>Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
>>>right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser
> Hijacker
>>>
>>>Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
>>>worked this one out by now.
>>>Please assist me with this problem.
>>>I have Windows 2000.
>>>Thanks...........Peter.
>>>.
>>>
>>.
>>

Mark thanks for that.
I am totally non-technical so please can you explain what
I can do in easy language for me.
I have Windows 2000......The rest of my problem story you
can see above & below. WoW! this is frustration.
Thanks very much......Peter
>-----Original Message-----
>Sorry to jump in on someone else's thread, but IE cannot
be removed in
>2K/XP. All "add/remove windows component" will do is
remove the icon (notice
>that the size is 0.0 MB? IE6 SP1 is about an 11 or 12 MB
install in 2K).
>Nevertheless, you can put it back by repeating the
process (start ->
>settings -> control panel -> add/remove programs ->
add/remove Windows
>component (button on the left) -> scroll down and
check/uncheck Internet
>Explorer -> next -> finish).
>
>Mark
>
>"plattbp@aol.com" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message
>news:0ec401c5017b$e8d58640$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>> Glenn. Thanks very much for that.
>> I'm not very technical so........If I remove Internet
>> Explorer with Add/Remove, run Beta1 as you said, my
>> question is How do I re-install Internet Explorer. I
don't
>> have a disk. Sorry for the ignorance but appreciate your
>> help. I await your reply.
>> Thanks......Peter
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>Use "ADD/REMOVE A WINDOWS COMPONENT" to temporarily
remove
>>>Internet Explorer, then initiate a full system scan from
>>>BETA1, instruct BETA1 to remove any detected threats,
add
>>>Internet Explorer component back to windows, Internet
>>>Explorer should perform normally.
>>>
>>>Glenn
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
>>>>When I switch on the computer a window comes up
>>>>saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the
>> settings"
>>>>Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
>>>>It does this all the time.
>>>>
>>>>Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
>>>>right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser
>> Hijacker
>>>>
>>>>Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
>>>>worked this one out by now.
>>>>Please assist me with this problem.
>>>>I have Windows 2000.
>>>>Thanks...........Peter.
>>>>.
>>>>
>>>.
>>>
>
>
>.
>

Peter - before you go to more lengths, lets try something simpler:

Please restart your system in Safe mode--press the F8 key regularly before
the initial splash screen for the OS comes up as you start your machine,
then chose Safe mode.

Once started in Safe mode, please scan with Microsoft Antispyware--doing a
full scan, rather than a quick scan, and repeating the scan until no
infection is found.

If you have seen a number of items flagged by the program, or if some of
them are trojans, I'd recommend also scanning with your antivirus, in a
similar manner.

Let's see if that will clean the machine without trying more complex stuff.

"plattbp@aol.com" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0f3501c50189$e9be0920$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Mark thanks for that.
> I am totally non-technical so please can you explain what
> I can do in easy language for me.
> I have Windows 2000......The rest of my problem story you
> can see above & below. WoW! this is frustration.
> Thanks very much......Peter
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Sorry to jump in on someone else's thread, but IE cannot
> be removed in
>>2K/XP. All "add/remove windows component" will do is
> remove the icon (notice
>>that the size is 0.0 MB? IE6 SP1 is about an 11 or 12 MB
> install in 2K).
>>Nevertheless, you can put it back by repeating the
> process (start ->
>>settings -> control panel -> add/remove programs ->
> add/remove Windows
>>component (button on the left) -> scroll down and
> check/uncheck Internet
>>Explorer -> next -> finish).
>>
>>Mark
>>
>>"plattbp@aol.com" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote in message
>>news:0ec401c5017b$e8d58640$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>>> Glenn. Thanks very much for that.
>>> I'm not very technical so........If I remove Internet
>>> Explorer with Add/Remove, run Beta1 as you said, my
>>> question is How do I re-install Internet Explorer. I
> don't
>>> have a disk. Sorry for the ignorance but appreciate your
>>> help. I await your reply.
>>> Thanks......Peter
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>Use "ADD/REMOVE A WINDOWS COMPONENT" to temporarily
> remove
>>>>Internet Explorer, then initiate a full system scan from
>>>>BETA1, instruct BETA1 to remove any detected threats,
> add
>>>>Internet Explorer component back to windows, Internet
>>>>Explorer should perform normally.
>>>>
>>>>Glenn
>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
>>>>>When I switch on the computer a window comes up
>>>>>saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the
>>> settings"
>>>>>Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
>>>>>It does this all the time.
>>>>>
>>>>>Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
>>>>>right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser
>>> Hijacker
>>>>>
>>>>>Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
>>>>>worked this one out by now.
>>>>>Please assist me with this problem.
>>>>>I have Windows 2000.
>>>>>Thanks...........Peter.
>>>>>.
>>>>>
>>>>.
>>>>
>>
>>
>>.
>>

Hi Peter:

Your biggest problem seems to be getting through the initial scan. Here's a
pretty simple way to handle it. You might want to print this out so that you
will have it handy while you're working.

Start MAS and select File -> Check for Updates (let's make sure you have
current definitions before doing anything)

Now restart your computer in Safe Mode:
Start -> Shut Down -> Restart
When you see the white progress bar that says "Loading Windows," press the
F8 key

You will get a text menu that lists a lot of boot options, but the first one
should be "Safe Mode". Select it and let Windows finish loading (you
shouldn't need network support since you updated your definitions before you
went into Safe Mode). You'll probably see a long list of text lines scroll
down the screen - don't worry about it; that's what is supposed to happen. A
Safe Mode boot takes much longer than booting normally, but eventually you
will get the initial logon screen (at 640x480 resolution). Log on to Windows
with any account that has local administrator privileges (use the
Administrator account, if necessary). You'll be at a 640x480 desktop with
"Safe Mode" in the four corners of the screen and your operating system,
build number and service pack number at the top of the screen. Other than
the low resolution and color depth, the desktop should be what you'd
normally see for the account you are using.

To speed up what we're about to do, let's clean up your hard disk before we
start on anything. Click Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools ->
Disk Cleanup. You definitely want to clean out Temporary Internet Files and
the Recycle Bin, but if there is anything else in there that will free up
some disk space aside from compressing files, go ahead and select it. The
whole point of the exercise is that MAS doesn't have to scan something if it
isn't there and those Temporary Internet Files folders carry a lot of
useless junk. Repeat the process for any other drives (you can ignore
floppies and CD drives).

Launch MAS again. Click the link on the right side that says "Spyware Scan
Options". Select "Run a Full System Scan". Make sure that all three boxes
are checked. Click the "select" link and make sure that all of your hard
drives are selected. Click OK. Click "Run Scan Now" and let it do its thing.
Get rid of anything that it detects, restart the system into Safe Mode again
and run another scan. Keep doing that until MAS says that it finds nothing
on your system. Once that happens, shut down completely. Then power up again
and let Windows boot normally.

As for the popup message, read it. The message says, basically, "something
wants to change your browser settings from xxxx to yyyy." If this is
something that you want to happen, click "Allow", otherwise click "Block".
For some things, checking the "remember this" box won't help you very much
and you'll get the same pop-up over and over again, but those usually come
up when you log on instead of later (hopefully this will be fixed in the
final version).

There is a Broswer Setting Restore tool that should come up shortly after
installing. Check through the URLs for your current settings and default
settings. Make sure that they are what you want them to be. For the most
part, you should be concerned with the settings for your current home/start
page, current search page, default home/start page, and default search page
as almost everything else points to files on your local drive (which is
normal).

The default setting for IE 6's homepage is
http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redi...er=6&ar=msnhome (which is
a simple redirect to msn.com)

The rest of the *default* settings should point back to someplace within one
or more of Microsoft's websites. (Yo, devs! The ability to copy/paste these
settings from the Restore Browser Settings window would be really nice -
hint, hint) Your current settings may be different. Just check them to make
sure that they are what you want them to be.

Mark


"plattbp@aol.com" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0f3501c50189$e9be0920$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Mark thanks for that.
> I am totally non-technical so please can you explain what
> I can do in easy language for me.
> I have Windows 2000......The rest of my problem story you
> can see above & below. WoW! this is frustration.
> Thanks very much......Peter

Uninstalling IE before running MAW is not going to get rid of lop.com
spyware. You'll find more about this software at the URL below:
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/lop.htm

--
_______________________________________
Hyperlinks used to ensure advice is current
Sandi - Microsoft MVP since 1999 (IE/OE)
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org

"Peter" <plattbp@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1aa601c5015a$7ede7600$a401280a@phx.gbl...
>I am using Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1.
> When I switch on the computer a window comes up
> saying "Internet Explorer URL wants to change the settings"
> Do you want to BLOCK or ALLOW? Don't know!
> It does this all the time.
>
> Then after a Scan I have a LOP spyware (Think that is
> right) which says: Possible Browser Hijack Browser Hijacker
>
> Beta 1 cannot remove this. Surely Microsoft must have
> worked this one out by now.
> Please assist me with this problem.
> I have Windows 2000.
> Thanks...........Peter.