Can't use serach engines

  • Thread starter Thread starter Todd
  • Start date Start date
T

Todd

Don't know whats wrong but i can use the internet for
everythign but search engine. I have WIndows Melenium and
my cable company that i use for my internet says that
there is soemthing wrong with Melenium. Is this true?
Can i fix this problem. Someone please help if you know
 
It has to do with the Hosts file.
I had this for 2 days until I found out how to fix it.
Now this may seem time consuming, but it is what fixed
mine.

1- Download Spybot and Ad Aware (Free downloads - look
them up on a search that does work - maybe alta vista or
lycos)
2 - Read the instructions and clean up the spyware and
adware
3- Download the **BETA** version of HIJACK THIS
4- Run it
5 - Save the log it produces
6- Post the log
here :http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/index.php?
s=8a236cdf61469fbad3bddbe810be0374&act=SF&f=11
7- Usually within an hour one of the mods will tell you
what to do (Basically they will guide you to "delete"
certain files)

Once I did this, ALL SEARCH ENGINES RETURNED.

Like I said, it seems like a lot to do, but keep 2 things
in mind:
1 - It fixes your immediate problem
2 - You will now have 3 tools that will help you in the
future.

Hope this helps.
Michael
 
I saw Todd's email and am having the same problem. I am
running on Windows XP. Initially, I was unable to get
into the internet. I restored my default settings under
internet options, under tools. I was then able to access
the internet with one exception, I can not access a
search engine such as google.

Any suggestions?
 
Hi Joe - You've apparently gotten infected with the QHosts trojan. Read here
for information:

http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=description&virus_k=100719
http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/virus.aspx?ID=37191


Try the following:

1. Be sure that you install hotfix 828750 which fixes the exploit that this
virus uses:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/828750/default.asp

2. Update and run a complete Anti-Virus software check of your system. Most
of the major AV companies have updated their latest signatures to detect
this virus (for Network Associates (McAfee), be sure to get the EXTRADAT.exe
update from the above page as well as your regular update).

3a. If running your AV doesn't clean it up, go to this page, read the
directions CAREFULLY (particularly about the Restore option) and download
and run the removal tool:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.removal.tool.html

3b. An alternative that by report may work better than the Symantec tool is
the Brown University Removal Tool, here:

http://software.brown.edu/dist/w-cleanqhosts.html

If that still doesn't clean it up (and a number of people are reporting that
it did not with the Symantec tool), then follow the Manual Removal
instructions at the link in 3a. The following is courtesy of Mike Burgess:

"Does a HOSTS file still exist in Windows\Help?
Trojan Qhosts hijacks the HOSTS file, however unlike normal redirectors,
this one hides the HOSTS file in the "Windows\Help" folder. It then
creates entries that redirects all major search engines to a website.
Note: this website has now been removed, thus the DNS errors.
[more info]
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm (bottom of page)
Run the beta version of HijackThis
(http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/beta/hijackthis.zip)
_______________________________________
Mike Burgess http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Spyware, Adware, Parasites, Hijackers, Trojans, with a HOSTS file
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [updated 9-30-03]
Please post replies to this Newsgroup, email address is invalid"


Just to follow up on this - there may be multiple different HOSTS files on
your machine with the trojan's settings some of which cannot not be removed
by the Removal Tools, and you'll need to do a search to find and just delete
them all, or clean them per the manual directions at the Symantec site.

4. You probably will then need to restore your HOSTS file if you plan to use
it for DNS speedup and/or ad blocking. Download the Hosts File Reader:

http://members.shaw.ca/techcd/VB_Projects/HostsFileReader.exe

To create a new Default version of HOSTS, run the program, click the "Read
Hosts File" button, click the button labeled "Reset Defaults" and click
"Save Changes." Note that this is NOT a recreation of your original HOSTS
file, but a brand new "initialized" one. Now go to normal HOSTS file
location (Windows XP\2000 Location: - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC or
Windows 98\ME Location: - C:\WINDOWS) and rename the "hosts" file that it
created to "HOSTS" (no quotes, all caps, no extension). If you've been using
your HOSTS file for ad blocking (see
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm Blocking Unwanted Ads with a Hosts
File), then you'll need to reset the new default you've created up for that
purpose. (Recommended, BTW - it also blocks a lot of "malware" as well as
offensive advertising.)



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



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