Unwanted search bar in desktop toolbar

[Dave]

I don't know if anyone can solve this but it's worth a
shot....for some reason theres an unwanted search bar in
our desktop toolbar and it wont go away...I've tried
running ad-aware hoping that maybe it was adware and
spyware but that didn't get rid of it. How can I get rid
of it? Is there anyway I can remove it manually? Also I
have a problem on my other computer. It constantly
freezes up now ever since my brother logged on to his
desktop. We had no problems until he did. Every single
program freezes up and takes forever to close. So I
removed his desktop hoping that would work and it did a
bit. The computer is starting to slightly run better.
Another problem I have with it is that I keep getting
errors from internet explorer. It will some times happen
when ever I'm using internet explorer or sometimes after
I'm closed out. I don't remember what it exactly says
I'll post the error that comes up later when I got to use
it. And one other thing I get is that my computer keeps
saying I'm low on virtual memory. Whats up with that? I
don't understand why its saying that. This even occurs
when I don't have a lot of programs open. Can some one
explain the whole virtual memory thing to me? I think it
says Windows is running out virtual memory resources or
something like that. It appears in a yellow box down in
the right hand corner by the task bar. Can anyone help me
out here? And yes I am running Windows XP. I don't know
who manufactured my computers since they were custom
made. Well my one computer I do know who it was made by
but then when we got it wiped out by a different computer
tech. So yeah it's a custom made comp.

 

[Tom R]

I don't know if anyone can solve this but it's worth a
shot....for some reason theres an unwanted search bar in
our desktop toolbar and it wont go away...I've tried
running ad-aware hoping that maybe it was adware and
spyware but that didn't get rid of it. How can I get rid
of it? Is there anyway I can remove it manually? Also I
have a problem on my other computer. It constantly
freezes up now ever since my brother logged on to his
desktop. We had no problems until he did. Every single
program freezes up and takes forever to close. So I
removed his desktop hoping that would work and it did a
bit. The computer is starting to slightly run better.
Another problem I have with it is that I keep getting
errors from internet explorer. It will some times happen
when ever I'm using internet explorer or sometimes after
I'm closed out. I don't remember what it exactly says
I'll post the error that comes up later when I got to use
it. And one other thing I get is that my computer keeps
saying I'm low on virtual memory. Whats up with that? I
don't understand why its saying that. This even occurs
when I don't have a lot of programs open. Can some one
explain the whole virtual memory thing to me? I think it
says Windows is running out virtual memory resources or
something like that. It appears in a yellow box down in
the right hand corner by the task bar. Can anyone help me
out here? And yes I am running Windows XP. I don't know
who manufactured my computers since they were custom
made. Well my one computer I do know who it was made by
but then when we got it wiped out by a different computer
tech. So yeah it's a custom made comp.

This is my standard answer to people that ask me what to do about an
infected computer, they don't have to be done in this order but I've found
it works best.
TR

Download and run CWSherdder from this site:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

I would also download and run Ad-Aware, (free) be sure to update it after
you install it. http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

You should also run Spybot Search and Destroy 1.3, (free) be sure to update
it.
(If you have version 1.2 uninstall it and dowload 1.3)
http://www.safer-networking.org




Then run at least two of these free online virus scan programs,

F-Secure http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml

RAV http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/

Panda: http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/

BitDefender http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php



After you are sure the machine is clean, download and install
SpywareBlaster(free) to help keep it that way

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html





Download the 30 day trial version of
RegSupreme. It seemed to clean a lot of other leftover things.
http://www.macecraft.com/brief_rs/


Microsoft has a free trial that is good for a year,
It includes an antivirus and a firewall.
www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/