Searching from Address Bar

[Margie]

I have always searched from my address bar without any
problems. Suddenly, the only websites that show up are
shopping websites. I have no idea why this is suddenly
happening or how to fix it.

 

[Jurren Bouman]

I have always searched from my address bar without any
problems. Suddenly, the only websites that show up are
shopping websites. I have no idea why this is suddenly
happening or how to fix it.

I'd suggest you install and run the "Ad-aware" program, which you can
download from this website:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/
This will remove any spyware from your computer. Update the 'reference'
file first before you run the program.

Seems you can also use the "HijackThis" program, which can be downloaded
from this website:
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
Please read the documentation first before using the program.

You might also have a look at this website:
"Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites"
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

 

[war17]

Some website has hijacked your homepage.

1. Use the following scanners to find and remove the website.

SpyBot S&D searches your harddisk for so-called spy- or adbots;
http://security.kolla.de/
or
Adaware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
or
CWShredder
http://www.spychecker.com/program/cwshredder.html

2. Some porn websites redirects links to their websites using your HOSTS
file. Do a search for the HOSTS (without extension) file and remove the
entry.

3. If still no joy, download HijackThis from Spywareinfo download page

http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php

Run the program and you will find many entries. Most are OK. Post the log. I
will find the problem for you.

4. For future preventive maintenance, make sure programs cannot just
download on your computer without your permission. From the Internet
Toolbar, go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced. Make sure "Enable
Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)" and "Enable Install On Demand
(Other)" are unchecked.

 

[Margie]

I used both SpyBot and Adaware and updated both of them
and removed all problems found. Now when I search from the
address bar, I no longer get those shopping websites but
it doesn't search at all now. It keeps saying "page can
not be displayed" and "server not found". But when I enter
an actual website address or click on my favorites, it
works fine. It just won't search at all.

 

[Guest]

I now have the same problem as you. Did you ever find a solution

----- Margie wrote: ----

I used both SpyBot and Adaware and updated both of them
and removed all problems found. Now when I search from the
address bar, I no longer get those shopping websites but
it doesn't search at all now. It keeps saying "page can
not be displayed" and "server not found". But when I enter
an actual website address or click on my favorites, it
works fine. It just won't search at all

-----Original Message----
Some website has hijacked your homepage

1. Use the following scanners to find and remove the website
SpyBot S&D searches your harddisk for so-called spy- or

adbots

http://security.kolla.de
o
Adawar
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware
o
CWShredde
http://www.spychecker.com/program/cwshredder.htm
2. Some porn websites redirects links to their websites

using your HOST
file. Do a search for the HOSTS (without extension) file and remove th
entry

3. If still no joy, download HijackThis from Spywareinfo download pag
http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.ph
Run the program and you will find many entries. Most are

OK. Post the log.
will find the problem for you

4. For future preventive maintenance, make sure programs

cannot jus
download on your computer without your permission. From the Interne
Toolbar, go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced. Make sure "Enabl
Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)" and "Enable Install On Deman
(Other)" are unchecked

--

Warre
For additional help, post i
http://groups.msn.com/HelpforInternetExplorerorWindowsME/ omepag

 

[Scott]

I now have the same problem as you. Did you ever find a solution?

Nope, it's still doing it. I can't figure out what's going on. Ideas?
Anyone? This is a definite stumper!

----- Margie wrote: -----

I used both SpyBot and Adaware and updated both of them
and removed all problems found. Now when I search from the
address bar, I no longer get those shopping websites but
it doesn't search at all now. It keeps saying "page can
not be displayed" and "server not found". But when I enter
an actual website address or click on my favorites, it
works fine. It just won't search at all.

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi Scott and Joe - Download and run:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/RestoreSearch2.REG to restore
your search functions.

Note that this symptom often indicates the possibility of other malware.
You might want go to this page at Jim Eshelman's site, here:
http://aumha.org/a/noads.htm and wait a little bit (be patient), while an
analysis of a number of possible parasites on your machine will be made to
help you identify and remove them. NOTE: You will need to disable Ad
Blocking in Zone Alarm 3.x, if present or any other Ad Blocking software
which interferes with Java Scripting for this scan to work. You should get
a message between the two lines of **** giving the results of the scan.

For the general hijack case, the best way to start is to get Ad-Aware 6.0,
Build 181 or later, here: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/.
UPDATE and run this regularly to get rid of most "spyware/hijackware" on
your machine. If it has to fix things, be sure to re-boot and rerun
AdAware again and repeat this cycle until you get a clean scan. The reason
is that it may have to remove things which are currently "in use" before it
can then clean up others.

Another excellent program for this purpose is SpyBot Search and Destroy
available here: http://security.kolla.de/ SpyBot Support Forum here:
http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi. I recommend
using both normally. After UPDATING and fixing things with SpyBot S&D, be
sure to re-boot and rerun SpyBot again and repeat this cycle until you get a
clean "no red" scan. The reason is that SpyBot sometimes has to remove
things which are currently "in use" before it can then clean up others.


Note that sometimes you need to make a judgement call about what these
programs report as spyware. See here, for example:
http://www.imilly.com/alexa.htm


A currently common parasite which can cause this symptom is some malware
called CoolWebSearch. Do the following:

Download and run: http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip to remove the
parasite. Be sure to close all instances of IE and OE. Always download a
new copy of this application, as it is updated almost daily.,

Then download and run:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/iegentabs.reg to restore your
tabs and remove any restrictions that the parasite has put in place.

Be sure that you also download and install hotfix Q816093, here:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=816093

which blocks the exploit upon which this parasite family depends.


Once you get things cleaned up, you might want to consider installing the
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard here to help prevent this kind of thing from
happening in the future:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html (Prevents malware Active
X installs) (BTW, SpyWare Blaster is not memory resident ... no CPU or
memory load - but keep it UPDATED) The latest version as of this writing
will prevent installation or prevent the malware from running if it is
already installed, and it provides information and fixit-links for a variety
of parasites.
http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareguard.html (Monitors for attempts to
install malware) Keep it UPDATED. Both Very Highly Recommended.


--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In