Help with search from address bar, please

[Dianne]

First let me say, I've searched back over all of the posts for an answer to
this. Nothing I've tried has worked so far. I also posted this in the help
& support group but got no replies.

Here's the problem:

Something has hijacked my ability to search from the address bar. I used to
go directly to MSN search. Now I get this:
http:// searchterm and a "cannot find that page" screen.

Here is what I tried:

This happened to me once before and a restore system to an earlier time
solved it, so I did a system restore - did not work.

I've run Adaware 6, SpyBot Search & Destroy, BHO Demon - all come out
clean - still does not work

Checked and triple checked all preferences for search in IE 6.0
Options/Advanced

Ridded the registry of all reference to what I think was the culprit (an
unwanted installation of a program called "MyDailyHoroscope" by
"Enconfidence")

Ran complete check for viruses with my virus protection program.

Re-installed XP Pro over existing Windows to repair any defects.

Any other suggestions? Please help!

Dianne
Remove shoes before emailing me:
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Rock]

First let me say, I've searched back over all of the posts for an answer to
this. Nothing I've tried has worked so far. I also posted this in the help
& support group but got no replies.

Here's the problem:

Something has hijacked my ability to search from the address bar. I used to
go directly to MSN search. Now I get this:
http:// searchterm and a "cannot find that page" screen.

Here is what I tried:

This happened to me once before and a restore system to an earlier time
solved it, so I did a system restore - did not work.

I've run Adaware 6, SpyBot Search & Destroy, BHO Demon - all come out
clean - still does not work

Checked and triple checked all preferences for search in IE 6.0
Options/Advanced

Ridded the registry of all reference to what I think was the culprit (an
unwanted installation of a program called "MyDailyHoroscope" by
"Enconfidence")

Ran complete check for viruses with my virus protection program.

Re-installed XP Pro over existing Windows to repair any defects.

Any other suggestions? Please help!

Dianne
Remove shoes before emailing me:
(e-mail address removed)

Run Cwshredder. If that doesn't work run HijackThis and post the log to
one of the specialty forums for malware issues, _NOT_ this one:

Cwshredder
http://aumha.org/freeware/freeware.php#cwshred

HijackThis
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155

Forums to Interpret HijackThis Logs:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/

 

[Malke]

First let me say, I've searched back over all of the posts for an
answer to
this. Nothing I've tried has worked so far. I also posted this in
the help & support group but got no replies.

Here's the problem:

Something has hijacked my ability to search from the address bar. I
used to
go directly to MSN search. Now I get this:
http:// searchterm and a "cannot find that page" screen.

Here is what I tried:

This happened to me once before and a restore system to an earlier
time solved it, so I did a system restore - did not work.

I've run Adaware 6, SpyBot Search & Destroy, BHO Demon - all come out
clean - still does not work

Checked and triple checked all preferences for search in IE 6.0
Options/Advanced

Ridded the registry of all reference to what I think was the culprit
(an unwanted installation of a program called "MyDailyHoroscope" by
"Enconfidence")

Ran complete check for viruses with my virus protection program.

Re-installed XP Pro over existing Windows to repair any defects.

Thank you for the thorough post. Did you update the spyware removal
programs to the latest reference files first? Did you do all your
scans in Safe Mode? Did you disable System Restore, reboot, and then go
back into Safe Mode for scanning? If not, you need to do this. In
addition to Ad-aware and Spybot, I also use CWShredder along with a
combination of HijackThis and About:Buster (from Major Geeks). I always
go through a system and manually delete known malware, but you really
have to know the operating system if you do this.

Malke

 

[Kelly]

Hi Diane,

Rename your hosts file: Go to: Windows\System32\DRIVERS\etc

Then run this edit:

Set IE Search to Default (Line 229)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

 

[Dianne]

Thank you all so much! Got an answer from Ramesh in the help & support
group also. This is the fix he suggested and it worked::

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/RepairDefaultPrefix.reg

Thanks for all the suggestions and info.

Dianne
Remove SHOES before emailing me:
(e-mail address removed)