Spyware Removal Problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Was having problems with my homepage, favorites and search engine changing. Additionally, when I would type an address in the address bar (say: www.anypage.com) it would show it as searching "http://ehttp.cc/?www.anypage.com".

I took the following steps:

- reset homepage in "Internet Options".
- deleted unwanted bookmarks from "Favorites" folder.
- removed all related/suspicious addresses from "Regedit"
- removed suspicious commands from startup in "msconfig"
- ran Ad-Aware 6
- ran Spybot S&D

This seemed to solve the problem, even when I would shut down and reboot the system. However, when my computer later froze up I was forced to shut down using the power button. When I turn the system back on, I had found that I was back to having everything changed back.

I have gone through this several times, but it all returns when I have to use the power button to shut down the system. Is there anything I can do? Is reformatting and reinstalling my whole system a bad idea to get rid of this?

ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Chris
 
Was having problems with my homepage, favorites and search engine changing. Additionally, when I would type an address in the address bar (say: www.anypage.com) it would show it as searching "http://ehttp.cc/?www.anypage.com".

I took the following steps:

- reset homepage in "Internet Options".
- deleted unwanted bookmarks from "Favorites" folder.
- removed all related/suspicious addresses from "Regedit"
- removed suspicious commands from startup in "msconfig"
- ran Ad-Aware 6
- ran Spybot S&D

This seemed to solve the problem, even when I would shut down and reboot the system. However, when my computer later froze up I was forced to shut down using the power button. When I turn the system back on, I had found that I was back to having everything changed back.

I have gone through this several times, but it all returns when I have to use the power button to shut down the system. Is there anything I can do? Is reformatting and reinstalling my whole system a bad idea to get rid of this?

ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris,

Ad-Aware and Spybot are a good start. But sometimes they don't find
everything, or simply remove the symptoms. Use HijackThis too, and
expert advice at SWI Forums (all free). Instructions:
http://216.180.233.162/~swicom/forums/index.php?showtopic=5187
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=5187

Check your browser security:
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/sid-f75c331738d95ecee4ac720283244311/index.php
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/

Make sure you have all the security updates from Microsoft. Check
regularly.

Get a firewall and / or NAT router for protection.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Chuck;
Last I looked the Spyware info forums are down . I believe the link below
will take you to the site they are recommending until they are back online.
http://forums.net-integration.net/
Hope this helps.

changing. Additionally, when I would type an address in the address bar
(say: www.anypage.com) it would show it as searching
"http://ehttp.cc/?www.anypage.com".the system. However, when my computer later froze up I was forced to shut
down using the power button. When I turn the system back on, I had found
that I was back to having everything changed back.use the power button to shut down the system. Is there anything I can do?
Is reformatting and reinstalling my whole system a bad idea to get rid of
this?
 
Greetings --

To deal with issues caused by any sort of "adware" and/or
"spyware,"such as Gator, Comet Cursors, Xupiter, Bonzai Buddy, or
KaZaA, and their remnants, that you've deliberately (but without
understanding the consequences) installed, two products that are
quite effective (at finding and removing this type of scumware) are
Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search & Destroy from
www.safer-networking.org/. Both have free versions. It's even
possible to use SpyBot Search & Destroy to "immunize" your system
against most future intrusions. I use both and generally perform
manual scans every week or so to clean out cookies, etc.

Additionally, manual removal instructions for the most common
varieties of scumware are available here:

PC Hell Spyware and Adware Removal Help
http://www.pchell.com/support/spyware.shtml

Additionally, Look in the C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up and C:\Documents and
Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up folders, and in the
system registry, primarily in the
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run keys.

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310560


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


Chris said:
Was having problems with my homepage, favorites and search engine
Click to expand...
changing. Additionally, when I would type an address in the address
bar (say: www.anypage.com) it would show it as searching
"http://ehttp.cc/?www.anypage.com".
I took the following steps:

- reset homepage in "Internet Options".
- deleted unwanted bookmarks from "Favorites" folder.
- removed all related/suspicious addresses from "Regedit"
- removed suspicious commands from startup in "msconfig"
- ran Ad-Aware 6
- ran Spybot S&D

This seemed to solve the problem, even when I would shut down and
Click to expand...
reboot the system. However, when my computer later froze up I was
forced to shut down using the power button. When I turn the system
back on, I had found that I was back to having everything changed
back.
I have gone through this several times, but it all returns when I
Click to expand...
have to use the power button to shut down the system. Is there
anything I can do? Is reformatting and reinstalling my whole system a
bad idea to get rid of this?
 
Back
Top