S
Shannon
When I try using various search engine, I get different
error messages telling me that I have downloaded a
malicious program. I am not sure if I should follow there
instructions. When I run Norton AntiVirus Full System
Scan, nothing shows up.
When I am on msn.com and try to use their search engine, I
get the message:
Are you looking for a search engine?
If you are seeing this page, it is because you have
downloaded a malicious program that is keeping you from
visiting the page you intended.
Please visit the following URL for information on fixing
this problem:
http://www.tweakxp.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3367
And when I try to use google.com, I cannot enen get to the
website. I get the message:
Are you trying to get to Google?
Your computer is running software that doesn't allow you
to use Google.
You're seeing this page because your computer is trying to
send you to a website that is pretending to be Google.
Over the past few weeks, you may have seen a website that
looks like Google, but launches pop-up windows and does
not work like Google. That page is not affiliated with
Google in any way and is intended to deceive you.
Why is this happening?
Most likely a program was installed on your computer
automatically and without your knowledge when you
downloaded an otherwise harmless piece of software. Or you
may have been tricked into clicking on a disguised
download button while visiting a website.
What can I do about it?
This problem can be fixed fairly easily, but will require
that you make changes in a file that is part of your
computer's operating system. You should always be cautious
when making these kinds of adjustments, as they may affect
the performance of your computer. If you are not
comfortable doing this yourself, you may want to print out
this page and show it to someone whose technical knowledge
you trust.
What steps do I take?
The first step is to remove the entry for Google from your
hosts file. This entry is telling your computer where to
send your computer instead of to Google.
In Windows, open the Notepad program. You can do this by
going to the Start menu in the lower left of your screen,
selecting "Programs," then "Accessories,"
then "Notepad."
In the Notepad menu, click on "File," then "Open." You
will see a new window asking which file to open. You may
need to change "Files of type" to "All Files" instead
of "Text Documents". The actual file to open is listed
below:
If your computer is running Windows XP, Window NT, or
Windows 2000, the file is located in the folder found by
following this path:
My Computer >Local Disk(C) >Windows >System32 >Drivers
If your computer is running Windows 98, Second Edition or
Windows ME, the file is located in the folder found by
following this path:
My Computer >Local Disk(C) >Windows >hosts
Once you have opened this file, remove entirely any line
of text that contains "google.com", "www.google.com" or
other Google domains (such as "google.co.uk"). To remove
the text, highlight it by dragging your pointer across the
line while holding down the mouse button. Once the text is
highlighted, hit the Backspace or Delete button, then
save the file by going to the File menu and
clicking "Save." You can now exit Notepad.
What else can I do?
You might want to try software that attempts to detect and
uninstall programs like this one. While we do not have a
relationship with anyone who offers this software and we
cannot endorse a particular product, the most popular
programs for doing this seem to be Spybot Search and
Destroy and LavaSoft's AdAware. The particular program
affecting your computer is relatively new, so these
products might not be able to detect and repair this type
of problem yet.
The next step is to learn more. You can visit
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/ to review information
about a number of known self-installing software programs.
Several articles on the web may be helpful, such as
·
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/14/1050172507212.
html
· http://news.com.com/2100-1023-877568.html
· http://news.com.com/2100-1023-257592.html
Investigate individual programs using search engines. Try
keywords such as "spyware," "scumware," and "adware."
Once you're informed, take action. Help your family and
friends avoid these annoying programs. If you can find the
site that installed this software on your computer, let
them know how you feel about it. You might also want to
track down companies that benefit from having your web
visits redirected, and share your feelings with them.
Finally, it's quick and easy to file a complaint with the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This U.S. government
agency handles complaints about deceptive or unfair
business practices. To file a complaint, visit:
http://www.ftc.gov/ and click on "File a Complaint
Online", or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. Or write to:
Federal Trade Commission
CRC-240
Washington, D.C. 20580
If your complaint is against a company in another country,
you can file it at http://www.econsumer.gov/.
When I got to netscape.com, I can use their search engine
and it works just fine. I have not tried any other
sites. I would appreciate if someone would tell me what
to do.
error messages telling me that I have downloaded a
malicious program. I am not sure if I should follow there
instructions. When I run Norton AntiVirus Full System
Scan, nothing shows up.
When I am on msn.com and try to use their search engine, I
get the message:
Are you looking for a search engine?
If you are seeing this page, it is because you have
downloaded a malicious program that is keeping you from
visiting the page you intended.
Please visit the following URL for information on fixing
this problem:
http://www.tweakxp.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3367
And when I try to use google.com, I cannot enen get to the
website. I get the message:
Are you trying to get to Google?
Your computer is running software that doesn't allow you
to use Google.
You're seeing this page because your computer is trying to
send you to a website that is pretending to be Google.
Over the past few weeks, you may have seen a website that
looks like Google, but launches pop-up windows and does
not work like Google. That page is not affiliated with
Google in any way and is intended to deceive you.
Why is this happening?
Most likely a program was installed on your computer
automatically and without your knowledge when you
downloaded an otherwise harmless piece of software. Or you
may have been tricked into clicking on a disguised
download button while visiting a website.
What can I do about it?
This problem can be fixed fairly easily, but will require
that you make changes in a file that is part of your
computer's operating system. You should always be cautious
when making these kinds of adjustments, as they may affect
the performance of your computer. If you are not
comfortable doing this yourself, you may want to print out
this page and show it to someone whose technical knowledge
you trust.
What steps do I take?
The first step is to remove the entry for Google from your
hosts file. This entry is telling your computer where to
send your computer instead of to Google.
In Windows, open the Notepad program. You can do this by
going to the Start menu in the lower left of your screen,
selecting "Programs," then "Accessories,"
then "Notepad."
In the Notepad menu, click on "File," then "Open." You
will see a new window asking which file to open. You may
need to change "Files of type" to "All Files" instead
of "Text Documents". The actual file to open is listed
below:
If your computer is running Windows XP, Window NT, or
Windows 2000, the file is located in the folder found by
following this path:
My Computer >Local Disk(C) >Windows >System32 >Drivers
If your computer is running Windows 98, Second Edition or
Windows ME, the file is located in the folder found by
following this path:
My Computer >Local Disk(C) >Windows >hosts
Once you have opened this file, remove entirely any line
of text that contains "google.com", "www.google.com" or
other Google domains (such as "google.co.uk"). To remove
the text, highlight it by dragging your pointer across the
line while holding down the mouse button. Once the text is
highlighted, hit the Backspace or Delete button, then
save the file by going to the File menu and
clicking "Save." You can now exit Notepad.
What else can I do?
You might want to try software that attempts to detect and
uninstall programs like this one. While we do not have a
relationship with anyone who offers this software and we
cannot endorse a particular product, the most popular
programs for doing this seem to be Spybot Search and
Destroy and LavaSoft's AdAware. The particular program
affecting your computer is relatively new, so these
products might not be able to detect and repair this type
of problem yet.
The next step is to learn more. You can visit
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/ to review information
about a number of known self-installing software programs.
Several articles on the web may be helpful, such as
·
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/14/1050172507212.
html
· http://news.com.com/2100-1023-877568.html
· http://news.com.com/2100-1023-257592.html
Investigate individual programs using search engines. Try
keywords such as "spyware," "scumware," and "adware."
Once you're informed, take action. Help your family and
friends avoid these annoying programs. If you can find the
site that installed this software on your computer, let
them know how you feel about it. You might also want to
track down companies that benefit from having your web
visits redirected, and share your feelings with them.
Finally, it's quick and easy to file a complaint with the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This U.S. government
agency handles complaints about deceptive or unfair
business practices. To file a complaint, visit:
http://www.ftc.gov/ and click on "File a Complaint
Online", or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. Or write to:
Federal Trade Commission
CRC-240
Washington, D.C. 20580
If your complaint is against a company in another country,
you can file it at http://www.econsumer.gov/.
When I got to netscape.com, I can use their search engine
and it works just fine. I have not tried any other
sites. I would appreciate if someone would tell me what
to do.