Hi,

Don’t know if anyone out there can help.

My family computer has been invaded with a programme, which when we click search from the Google page, redirects us to another, seemingly random, search site. At least it’s not sending use to malicious sites, but would want to wipe this hidden programme out because the only way around it at present is to use the ‘feeling lucky’ option.

What’s the best way to remove this? Hope someone can help on this self-inflicted problem.

Mark

Obtain avast and maybe also something like adaware. Run them. Stop using Internet Explorer.

I've just downlodad AVG 8.5 and running it at this very moment Is Avast beter; and what should I replace Exporer with?

You can use Firefox instead of IE for 99% of the time. It is a lot better than IE for keeping out nasties.

You should also think about getting a firewall. Switching on the built in XP one is a start but one of the free ones from Comodo or ZoneAlarm (is that still free?) would do the trick. If you have a router you might be able to switch on it's firewall.

Steer clear of internet shopping and banking until you are sure all teh nasties are off the machine.

I've found ASquared to be a very good free antispyware tool. Updates are big though.

AVG will do. I personally prefer Avast, that's all.

Thnaks for the help on this, and as a quick update:-

I ran AVG, but the problem remains

I've run Asquared, and that took hours, and the when I clicked the quaritine button it promptly closed down the computer.

One thing I've noticed is that if I go from my newly installed AVG tool bar, I have no problem and it goes directly to the site. The other point is that the google page seems to have gone to a igoogle form with adverts and info on it. I thought that it was a google change, but perhaps this is the rogue programme.

Perhaps too late; but how do you install a firewall?

A recent AVG update on my home machine changed my google search default page to Yahoo and I had to change a setting in AVG to allow me to change it back. It maynot be this but might be worth a check?

May be of use

SpywareBlaster | Prevent spyware and malware. Free download.

and Avast! is a very good all-round antivirus / anti malware program. Free version requires registration every 12 months.

FREE antivirus software with spyware protection: avast! Home Edition

I had issues not so long ago with Malware that neither AVG, AdAware or Spybot picked up.

I searched the web and got a recommendation to use this software

Malwarebytes.org

followed by CCleaner - Home

And it destroyed the lot

i've been using Avira since AVG missed a Trojan , seems ok , except for the updates which have been difficult to get , something to do with the server their end

I'm really grateful and impressed with the help I've got here.

I'm going to try the Malware option, but at this point I'vr only sucseeded in making matters worse and now have 'Antivirus 2010 pro' popping up every 5 mins demanding £49. The dd/remove option doesn't work as it says its write protected.

As above...

Malwarebytes Anti-malware will sort this out

Malwarebytes.org

Once compromised, loading a spyware removal/AV app will only become compromised itself.

Run a free online scan at McAfee, Trend, Panda etc. Then you'll know what infection you're dealing with so you can take further steps.

Just get a friend who knows what they're doing to come around, back up your data and reformat your machine would be my advice. And then for the love of all that's holy, don't use IE again and don't download and run random executables. Preferably get your computer mate to create you an unprivileged user for you to log in with.

As above...

Malwarebytes Anti-malware will sort this out

Malwarebytes.org

Seconded.

Try this before doing anything drastic.

Reformat is the only way really...

There's a way of getting rid, bit it's a complete pig. Had this myself a while back. It comes from a Javascript exploit in PDF files. At present, doesn't appear to have a pay-load as such, just redirects searches.

Also, it's browser independent...

I'll go with the format as well. I have removed very persistent malware, but TBH it's actually quicker and better to reformat.

I would reformat, that way you know its gone for good. If you go down the reformat route. Once you've reformatted and upated windows, download this. This program allows you to create images of a hard drive so that you can restore the image should something go wrong in the future. Just remember to store the image on a seperate hard drive if available.

Could also give SpyBot a go - The home of Spybot-S&D!

Antivirus 2010 pro, that's your problem, I had to get rid of the 2009 version on a machine and it was a nightmare. Have a look here:

Remove Antivirus Pro 2010 (Uninstall Guide)

I couldn't download programs to the infected computer and used a memory stick to transfer stuff between two computers, every time the stick was put in the infected computer it automatically infected the stick.

The program would rebuild itself after uninstalling it and during the clean up I lost windows explorer (completely blank desktop, only wallpaper showing), but there is a way of navigating using the keyboard and I eventually got it back.

For those of us of a cirtain age, I seem to have got myself into a postion of 'the old lady who swallowed a spider to catch a fly' in that I now get a 'blue screen oin starting up and it locks up completley. (This is done on a friends computer) Doomed I think, and all of my own making in downloading a suspect spywere removal tool.

Is there anyway of getting past such a dead blue screen to try malwhere or reformatting?

For those of us of a cirtain age, I seem to have got myself into a postion of 'the old lady who swallowed a spider to catch a fly' in that I now get a 'blue screen oin starting up and it locks up completley. (This is done on a friends computer) Doomed I think, and all of my own making in downloading a suspect spywere removal tool.

Is there anyway of getting past such a dead blue screen to try malwhere or reformatting?

Personally, again, i would reinstall. If your computer came with a Recovery CD you need to boot from this to start the reinstall procedure. To do this you may need to enter the BIOS and change the boot configuration to CD/DVD first. If you have a recovery partition then your manual should tell you what keys to press ay boot time to enter the recovery procedure. Please bear in mind that you should imagine all your documents to be lost if you go down the reinstall route. Have you backed up?

I suspect the very fact that I'm asking trhis question means that it's belond my capability to do the job - but what is BOIS, I where do I go from there?

I do have a recvery disk I could use; if I knew how.

Mark

Find a helpful friend. Get them to back up the data, and format/re-install.

I suspect the very fact that I'm asking trhis question means that it's belond my capability to do the job - but what is BOIS, I where do I go from there?

I do have a recvery disk I could use; if I knew how.

Mark

Sorry Mark,

The BIOS is the Basic Input Output System. That basically controls the computer before the Operating System takes over. In the BIOS you have the option to change the boot order - this is the function which controls what device boots first. Usually this is set to the Hard drive because the Operating System is installed on that. To boot from the CD/DVD drive you need to change this order in the BIOS to boot from CD/DVD first then save it. You then need to place the recovery madia in the CD/DVD drive before restarting or rebooting the computer. When the machine starts up again it reads the data from the CD/DVD instead of the Hard drive and it will go through the recovery procedure. How you enter the BIOS is computer dependant but when you switch on the computer you'll probably see details flash up on the sceen. Watch carefully and it will probably tell you what key is needed to be pressed to enter SETUP or the BIOS or ckeck any manuals that came with the computer for this information.

HTH.

Edited 5 October, 200916 yr by Guest