Search engines not working

[Ed Halverson]

I can browse to any place on the web, but when I try to
use a search engine (Yahoo, Google, ect..), I get page
cannot be displayed.

Any ideas?

Thank You in advance.

 

[Chris]

-----Original Message-----
I can browse to any place on the web, but when I try to
use a search engine (Yahoo, Google, ect..), I get page
cannot be displayed.

Any ideas?

Thank You in advance.
.

Hi, I am having the exact same problem! If anyone has a
solution, or if the person who posted this has a
solution, PLEASE email me at (e-mail address removed)

 

[Allen Casteel]

I have a very similar problem -- cannot navigate to any
search engines. However, when I try to go to Google or
AltaVista I get redirected to the 'cPanel' website. It
says 'www.google.com' in the Address bar, but it is
clearly a different site. I cannot use any search
engines! Can somebody help?

Thanks,
Allen Casteel
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Chris]

-----Original Message-----
I can browse to any place on the web, but when I try to
use a search engine (Yahoo, Google, ect..), I get page
cannot be displayed.

Any ideas?

Thank You in advance.
.

I searched this message board and found something, as I
have been having the same problem. Check this link out:
http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/CIS/Software_Services/viru
s/index.html

 

[Ed Halverson]

Go here and read.

http://computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/78790.html

 

[Mike Burgess]

Chris,
Trojan Qhosts hijacks the HOSTS file, however unlike normal redirectors,
this one hides the HOSTS file in the "Windows\Help" folder. It then
creates entries that redirects *all* major search engines to a website.
Note: this website has now been removed, thus the DNS errors.
Some users have reported multiple HOSTS files in various locations
[more info]
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Microsoft has released a cumulative patch for this vulnerability:
Simply go to Windows Update [hotfix 828750]
[more info]
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-040.asp

[Manual Removal Method]
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
[or]
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100719.htm
Note: not all machines are affected by the same Registry changes
but the user needs to verify in any case, if changes exist.

You can detect "Qhosts" via a new beta version of HijackThis
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/beta/hijackthis.zip
[more info]
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=12127

For instruction on using HijackThis!
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
_______________________________________
Mike Burgess http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Spyware, Adware, Parasites, Hijackers, Trojans, with a HOSTS file
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [updated 10-07-03]
Please post replies to this Newsgroup, email address is invalid
--

 

[The Doc]

I encountered the exact same problem with regards to
google and other search engines no working. This is how I
solved it and it should work for everyone.

-Click Start and then search.
-In the all or part of a word box type 'hosts'
-When the search has identified these, there will most
likely be one which is in the c:/windowshelp file or
something which includes windowshelp
-Open this via notepad (right click and select notepad)
-Then, check and this should reveal various web page
addresses such as google, lycos, etc.,
-If this is the case, DELETE this entire file as it was
put there by Qhost and hosts should never be in the help
file
-After this, reboot your PC and all should be well with
all the search engines.

I sincerely hope that this works as it was an infuriating
problem.

The Doc.