Self Duplicating Desktop Icons and Unwanted search engine

[Guest]

When I boot down the computer and boot back up, many of my desktop icons are all of a sudden being duplicated. I delete the duplicates, but when I boot down/up again, multiple copies of the same icons are reproduced again. I checked for viruses, but Nortons said I have none.
Also, on my tool bar now is BlazeFind search engine shortcut. I did not load it(knowingly)but cannot find a way to remove it. Related, Lycos Search is in my programs, and when I go to Add/Delete programs, and try and delete it, it won't delete the program.
Any help?
Allen

 

[Phil]

You've got spyware, adware, a trojan, a search engine hijacker, or a home
page hijacker.

Update and run these tools weekly
Spybot -- http://www.safer-networking.org/
Ad-aware -- http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

CWShredder: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html

 

[Guest]

Phil,
Thank you very much for your quick response. I have spent the last several hours downloading and running the three programs you suggested. Even went to Microsoft updates(mine are all current)like cwshredder recommended. Problem still persists, but I thank you very much for the help. Any other suggestions?
Allen

 

[Phil]

Those programs are to get rid of the blaze find search engine hijacker. The
other desktop problem I don't have an answer for, sorry.

 

[Guest]

Once again, thank you Phil. I didn't know the programs you told me about existed, so you definately helped. I've contacted Symantec to see if they have software that can delete the Blaze search engine and solve the self-duplicating destop icons.
Allen

 

[Alex Nichol]

When I boot down the computer and boot back up, many of my desktop icons are all of a sudden being duplicated. I delete the duplicates, but when I boot down/up again, multiple copies of the same icons are reproduced again.

One possibility. The desktop is in fact the sum of two folders -
C:\Documents and Settings\AllUsers\Desktop, and
C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\Desktop

so you see the sum of the two. It maybe that the pointer in registry
that should point to the yourname one is in fact pointing to AllUsers,
so you see that one twice over. Use TweakUI - one of the XP Powertoys
from (if you have installed XP SP1)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

If you have not installed SP1, the earlier version can be found at
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

Once installed you will find it in Start - All Programs - Powertoys for
Windows XP

Its My Computer - Special Folders, look in the dropdown for Desktop and
see if it is pointing to the AllUsers one; if so, use Change location
and browse that to point to the yourname one. (or the other way round,
crossing them over, might work, but would be undesirable)

 

[Guest]

Alex,
Thank you very much. After I ran shredder, spybot, and ad-aware, multiple times the desktops stopped replicating(each one replicated at least 19 times over a period of a week, but then suddenly stopped).
Still can't for the life of me get rid of BlazeFind off my tool bar. Even went looking for it in the Registry, but it's hiding real good.
Once again, thank you.
Allen

 

[David Nimon]

Go here:

http://www.blazefind.com/index.php?section=help-bar

See if that helps.

--
David Nimon
dnimonREMOVE@##sympatico.ca

Alex,
Thank you very much. After I ran shredder, spybot, and ad-aware, multiple

times the desktops stopped replicating(each one replicated at least 19 times
over a period of a week, but then suddenly stopped).

Still can't for the life of me get rid of BlazeFind off my tool bar. Even

went looking for it in the Registry, but it's hiding real good.

Once again, thank you.
Allen

icons are all of a sudden being duplicated. I delete the duplicates, but
when I boot down/up again, multiple copies of the same icons are reproduced
again.

 

[Guest]

Thank you David, actually my Ad-aware picked it up and I deleted it that way. Also, after I did that I was able to delete from Add/Delete the Lycos Search Engine that just would not delete off from the Add/Delete Programs section of my Computer. So for right now, all is good again.
Allen

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Alex. your a life saver. All is well in computer land now.
ALWAYS SEARCHING

You have replied to a message that is over 2-1/2 years old!

Sorry to tell you that Alex died almost two years ago.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
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