Browser Wont Search

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark
  • Start date Start date
M

Mark

IE 6, Browser will not search. I can access typed url's,
but searching using the address bar will not function. my
browser will also return page not found to sites such as
google.com. I have uninstalled, reinstalled, and looked
at every option I know to look at. Any suggestions?
 
Borrowed from Jim (MVP)

You've apparently gotten infected with the QHosts trojan. Read here for
information:

http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=description&virus_k=100719
http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/virus.aspx?ID=37191


Try the following:

1. Be sure that you install hotfix 828750 which fixes the exploit that this
virus uses:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/828750/default.asp

2. Update and run a complete Anti-Virus software check of your system. Most
of the major AV companies have updated their latest signatures to detect
this virus (for Network Associates, be sure to get the EXTRADAT.exe update
from the above page as well as your regular update).

3. If running your AV doesn't clean it up, go to this page, read the
directions CAREFULLY (particularly about the Restore option) and download
and run the removal tool:

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

If that still doesn't clean it up (and a number of people are reporting that
it did not), then follow the Manual Removal instructions there. The
following is courtesy of Mike Burgess:

"Does a HOSTS file still exist in Windows\Help?
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.
[more info]
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm (bottom of page)
Run the beta version of HijackThis (link on Hosts page)

--
Regards,
Ramesh [MS-MVP]
AIM: SRamesh2k


~ Please reply to newsgroup ~


IE 6, Browser will not search. I can access typed url's,
but searching using the address bar will not function. my
browser will also return page not found to sites such as
google.com. I have uninstalled, reinstalled, and looked
at every option I know to look at. Any suggestions?
 
I had the same problem . This is from google support team it worked for me !
Good Luck Mark !

If you are unable to access Google, we suspect that clearing your
computer's host file should solve the problem.

To access your computer's host file in Windows, open the Notepad program.
Click on File, then Open. You will see a new window asking which file to
open. Make sure the drop down menu labeled "Files of type" at the bottom
of the window is set to "All Files" instead "Text Documents."

For Windows XP, Window NT, and Windows 2000, go to
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts.

For Windows 98, Second Edition and Windows Me, go to C:\Windows\hosts.

Once you have opened this file, remove any line containing google or
www.google.com and save the file.

If this process does not resolve the situation, it is likely that the
Qhosts-1 Trojan program is installed on your computer. The Qhosts-1 Trojan
program is a virus that creates and embeds a fake host file on your
computer. The Trojan program may have been installed on your system
automatically without your knowledge when you downloaded an otherwise
harmless piece of software, such as a peer-to-peer networking program.
Alternately, you may have been tricked into clicking on a disguised
download button while visiting a website. It is also possible that a
pop-up downloaded this program onto your computer.

You can read more about Qhosts-1 at:

http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100719.htm
http://sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
 
Thank you for the info! Problem solved.
-----Original Message-----
I had the same problem . This is from google support team it worked for me !
Good Luck Mark !

If you are unable to access Google, we suspect that clearing your
computer's host file should solve the problem.

To access your computer's host file in Windows, open the Notepad program.
Click on File, then Open. You will see a new window asking which file to
open. Make sure the drop down menu labeled "Files of type" at the bottom
of the window is set to "All Files" instead "Text Documents."

For Windows XP, Window NT, and Windows 2000, go to
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts.

For Windows 98, Second Edition and Windows Me, go to C:\Windows\hosts.

Once you have opened this file, remove any line containing google or
www.google.com and save the file.

If this process does not resolve the situation, it is likely that the
Qhosts-1 Trojan program is installed on your computer. The Qhosts-1 Trojan
program is a virus that creates and embeds a fake host file on your
computer. The Trojan program may have been installed on your system
automatically without your knowledge when you downloaded an otherwise
harmless piece of software, such as a peer-to-peer networking program.
Alternately, you may have been tricked into clicking on a disguised
download button while visiting a website. It is also possible that a
pop-up downloaded this program onto your computer.

You can read more about Qhosts-1 at:

http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100719.htm
http://sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html













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