Unwanted Modification to IE 6.0

[Larry]

A program called "ISEARCH" has been attached to my IE and
now automatically loads its own search page at startup.
It has also overwritten my "about:blank" startup page to
whatever the search page address is. I've tried
everything including uninstalling and re-installing IE,
but I can not get rid of this unwanted program. Any
suggestions please.

 

[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
CoolWebShredder
http://www.spychecker.com/program/coolwebshredder.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/program/hijackthis.html

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, turn off ActiveX in Security tab.

 

[oops!!]

Larry,

Download, install and run (FIX) Cool Web Shredder:

http://www.zerosrealm.com/downloads/CWShredder.zip

You may need to fix your registry after that:

http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/RepairTabs.reg
1) Restores the missing Tabs in IE (usually spyware related)
2) Unlocks the grayed-out Home Page section
3) Removes the Administrator message in Internet Options

Download Ad-Aware from here:
http://lavasoft.element5.com/support/download/
Install, UPDATE and run.
You may need to reboot and run again to clean all the nasties that cannot be
deleted at once ("in use").

Also excellent is SpyBot Search & Destroy available here:
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download
Install, UPDATE and run.
You may need to reboot and run again to clean all the nasties that cannot be
deleted at once ("in use").

Even if Ad-Aware and SpyBot S&D are similar, they do clean different things.
You should have both of them and use REGULARLY.

You can also install "preventive" software that will help you control these
nasties:

SpywareBlaster:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Avoids malicious Active X installs.
Advantage: no system resources used!!!
Just download, install and UPDATE.

SpywareGuard:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
Monitors for attempts to install malicious software.

All of them extremely useful but you must keep them UPDATED.

Zee

 

[Larry]

Thank you for your help. It is much appreciated.

 

[Larry]

Thank you for your help. It is much appreciated.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

A program called "ISEARCH" has been attached to my IE and
now automatically loads its own search page at startup.
It has also overwritten my "about:blank" startup page to
whatever the search page address is. I've tried
everything including uninstalling and re-installing IE,
but I can not get rid of this unwanted program. Any
suggestions please.

From Mike Burgess:
First, rename your HOSTS file as "iSearch" hijacks that also,
preventing you from reaching many "anti-spyware" sites (including mine
Then download and run Ad-Aware (see below)

They also disable several other IE toolbar functions!

Copy and paste the below to Notepad
"File Types" drop-down menu = all files
Save as: UnlockToolbar.reg

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explor
er]
"NoBandCustomize"=dword:00000000
"NoToolbarCustomize"=dword:00000000
"Btn_Search"=dword:00000000
"SpecifyDefaultButtons"=dword:00000000

To use: right-click and select: Merge

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
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