Seach Function

[Dave D]

I posted this earlier, but I can't access the older
postings at present, so... When using Windows XP
Professional, going to the Start button, and then going to
the Search function, and choosing Internet Search, it
seems as though the default search tool/window has been
changed to a new one that has links I don't want on the
PC. I don' know when this rogue search function appeared,
as I had never tried a search this way before. How can I
rid my computer of this, and return to the default
search? Thanks.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi Dave

Which page opens? It could be that your Browser has been 'hijacked'. Try either/both of the following programs to check for spyware:

Ad-Aware - www.lavasoftusa.com
Spybot - http://security.kolla.de

 

[Will Denny]

Hi Dave

If you invoke an Internet search, your browser is going to open.

 

[Alex Nichol]

It isn't occuring in the actual browser, only via the
approach I mentioned. I have spyware already, so I am not
sure that is the answer.

It may be the QHosts trojan, for which there is a removal tool at
http://software.brown.edu/dist/w-cleanqhosts.html

Does a HOSTS file still exist ?
(In XP that would normally be in Windows\system32\drivers\etc)

Trojan Qhosts hijacks the HOSTS file, however unlike normal redirectors,
this one hides the HOSTS file it then uses in the "Windows\Help" folder.
It then creates entries that redirects all major search engines to a
website.

So if there is one in Windows\help, copying the one from drivers\etc
over it should handle the symptoms, though not clean things up