Default Search Engine

[Reg Edit]

I installed XP SP2. I used to be able to type in a name in the address bar,
such as 'CNN', and then hit 'CTRL-Enter' on the keyboard and it would take
me to http://www.cnn.com. After installing SP2, and after typing 'cnn' and
hitting CTRL/Enter, IE6 does a search and uses http://www.almightysearch.com
as the default search engine. How do I get rid of
http://www.almightysearch.com as my default search engine? I hate something
being installed on my computer without my authorization. Is
almightysearch.com a microsoft product? How do I give it its walking papers?
Thanks.

 

[Guest]

in ie tools options advanced uncheck both of the "install
on demand" apply and then run ad-aware lavasoftusa.com or
spybot safer-networking.org and update first and scan.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

I installed XP SP2. I used to be able to type in a name in the
address bar, such as 'CNN', and then hit 'CTRL-Enter' on the keyboard
and it would take me to http://www.cnn.com. After installing SP2, and
after typing 'cnn' and hitting CTRL/Enter, IE6 does a search and uses
http://www.almightysearch.com as the default search engine. How do I
get rid of http://www.almightysearch.com as my default search engine?
I hate something being installed on my computer without my
authorization. Is almightysearch.com a microsoft product? How do I
give it its walking papers? Thanks.

First eliminate any scumware.
See
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
won't. Also, each needs to be updated before every use, even when just
downloaded. There's also a lot more to do than just those two programs.
CWShredder is also available here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/cwshredder.zip
**Post your HijackThis log to
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/ for expert analysis, not here.**
Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
may be found on this page:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.
If trying everything at that site does not fix the problem please post back
in the same thread.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

 

[Reg Edit]

Thanks, guys. I ran ad-aware and it straightened right up. That one snuck up
on me before I realized what had happened.