ALL major search engines broken in ALL browsers

[Guest]

None of the major search engines are working in IE OR Firefox on XP Pro (NOT browser related
Tried QHOSTS removal from Symantec
Tried CWShredder already
It is NOT defaulting to Google - I can't even open the Yahoo or Google web pages
I have run both Spybot and AdAware - both say I'm clean
Housecall from Trend also gives the all-clear

So what on earth is wrong?

 

[PA Bear]

Check your system for "hijackware":

Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm

CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html

Run these tools in the following order with nothing else running in
background:

1. CWShredder (fix all found)

2. Ad-Aware (fix all found)

3. Spybot (RTFM but generally fix everything in red)

Important: You *must* seek updates for Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc., before each
and every use, even "right out of the box". But even they can't catch
everything, 24/7. When all else fails, HijackThis
(http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware. **Post
your files to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or
http://forum.mvps.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**

[Alternate download pages for many of the above tools may be found at
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.]

Also update your virus definitions and then run a full system scan. From
now on, do both daily.

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957
--
HTH - Please Reply to This Thread

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), AH-VSOP

AumHa Forums
http://forum.aumha.org

What You Should Know About Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/articles/spyware.asp

 

[MoonDancer]

Had same problem. It seems to have sorted itself out
though. Must have been an internet problem.

-----Original Message-----
None of the major search engines are working in IE OR

Firefox on XP Pro (NOT browser related)

 

[Guest]

hi,

Search for the hosts file and delete all entries other than the on that looks like 127.0.0.1 localhost I have included a sample hosts file copy at the end. Open IE --> tools --> Internet options--> advanced tab and uncheck the enable 3rd party browser extensions. Restart the computer and try again

Just to be sure you could also goto start --> run and then type in "msconfig" and click on the tab that says startup then click on "Disable all" restart and try getting on to the search page like Google.co

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp

# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows

# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Eac
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address shoul
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least on
# space

# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individua
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol

# For example

# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source serve
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client hos

127.0.0.1 localhos

 

[C. A. Upsdell]

Search for the hosts file and delete all entries other than the on that

looks like 127.0.0.1 localhost I have included a sample hosts file copy at
the end. Open IE --> tools --> Internet options--> advanced tab and uncheck
the enable 3rd party browser extensions. Restart the computer and try again.

Where is the hosts file in WinXP Pro? I did a search on hosts.*, could not
find anything except two files that come with SpyBot.

 

[H Leboeuf]

Try the removal tools from other sites.

Unable to use any major Search Engines?
Qhosts virus/trojan, ALERT!.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html

http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100719.htm

http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/trojqhosts1.html

Removal tools that have been used with success.
http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/CIS/Software_Services/virus/index.html
http://software.brown.edu/dist/w-cleanqhosts.html

To protect against an other attack, be sure to install hotfix 828750 which
fixes the exploit that this virus uses.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/828750/default.asp