Web Search Window

[Lou]

On the left hand side of the browser page is the search
window. Normally, this can be customized for default
search engines like Alta Vista and launched by hitting
the search icon.

Somehow a search company has downloaded their own default
search engine. Everytime we boot, this loads into the left
hand window. If we reset original settings and reboot it
still shows up. The customize seach button has been
disabled. Intermittently this program launches a full
screen page wiith about 50 different search topics. This
takes about three minutes to load before it can be closed.

I cannot figure out how to get rid of this program. Any
ideas?

 

[Norm]

Lou, one thing that comes to mind is your "hosts" file. You'll find it in
Windows\system32\driver\etc. Double click it and open with notepad. Delete
all entries except for the line 127.0.0.1 localhost, save it and then
reboot. No guarantees this will fix your problem but it won't hurt either.
If IE works fine after the above procedure go back and right click on the
hosts file, select properties and make it a read only file.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

On the left hand side of the browser page is the search
window. Normally, this can be customized for default
search engines like Alta Vista and launched by hitting
the search icon.

Somehow a search company has downloaded their own default
search engine. Everytime we boot, this loads into the left
hand window. If we reset original settings and reboot it
still shows up. The customize seach button has been
disabled. Intermittently this program launches a full
screen page wiith about 50 different search topics. This
takes about three minutes to load before it can be closed.

I cannot figure out how to get rid of this program. Any
ideas?

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 need to be updated before every use, even when just
downloaded. There's also a lot more to do than just those two programs.

If trying everything at that site does not fix the problem please post back
in the same thread.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
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