Need to remove a clear search toolbar from my browser

[Brett]

A program recently loaded, without my knowledge, a clear
text search toolbar onto IE 6.0. The company that sent
this file obviously does not want me to know who they are
because when I right click on the toolbar to deactivate
it, there is no name - only a blank white space where the
name of the toolbar would normally be found.

I have tried locking the toolbars, adding links to the
link toolbar that make it too large for the page in hopes
that this new search toolbar won't appear and searching
through programs all of the programs loaded onto my
system that might be the suspect. All, to no avail.
Unfortunately, everytime I launch a browser, even if I de-
active this annoying search toolbar, it always reappears.

The toolbar is made to look like a an IE application - it
has the same green 'GO' block w/ white arrow and a small
fill in box with the words 'Enter the search term'.

Does anyone know how I can get rid of this once and for
all?

Thank you for your help.

 

[DVarnau]

Brett,
Ad-aware from http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ and Spybot from
http://security.kolla.de/ can remove some items like this. You might give
them a try.

For a toolbar, here's the hands-on method:
With IE not open, run regedit and make your way to this key
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\]
Export that key (just in case) then delete the offending sub-key
representing your unwanted toolbar.

Go to http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm for some recommended security
settings.

Don

 

[Joe]

Try uninstalling it from Add/Remove Programs which is
located in control panel. You can prevent them from
reinstalling again by clicking on the "default" button
which is located in Control Panel --> Internet Options -->
Advanced Tab.

 

[Ramesh [MS-MVP]]

First option is to run Ad-Aware scan (www.lavasoftusa.com). If the toolbar
entries are not removed still,

ToolbarCop:
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/utils/ToolbarCop.exe

Manual Procedure:
Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe)
Go to the following location and check each GUID sub-key. One of which is
the malware toolbar entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions

Also, check here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions
{check the values in the right-pane to identify the malware toolbar.)

Spot the entry and delete the appropriate key (backup the registry first)

--
Regards,

Ramesh (MS-MVP)
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

~ Please reply to newsgroup ~


A program recently loaded, without my knowledge, a clear
text search toolbar onto IE 6.0. The company that sent
this file obviously does not want me to know who they are
because when I right click on the toolbar to deactivate
it, there is no name - only a blank white space where the
name of the toolbar would normally be found.

I have tried locking the toolbars, adding links to the
link toolbar that make it too large for the page in hopes
that this new search toolbar won't appear and searching
through programs all of the programs loaded onto my
system that might be the suspect. All, to no avail.
Unfortunately, everytime I launch a browser, even if I de-
active this annoying search toolbar, it always reappears.

The toolbar is made to look like a an IE application - it
has the same green 'GO' block w/ white arrow and a small
fill in box with the words 'Enter the search term'.

Does anyone know how I can get rid of this once and for
all?

Thank you for your help.