Off topic question for the I.T people.

[Benny]

I have a search engine that keeps poping up instead of my I.E web home page.Every time I delete it it came back, now it won't go away and my internet options bar gives me a mesage that I must contact my administrator to gain access to the options bar.
Well this is a home PC not a net work at work, I also have spy bot that won't dig it out either.

Please help with some advice on how to rid the PC of this darn "search everything"web search engine page.

Thanks, Benny

[Giant_Jackpot]

Have you tried SpyBot search and destroy? It's free on the web. Just Google it and you will find it. It does not get everything but the latest version cleaned up some lingering problems I was having. I had a similar problem to yours and after updating my Norton Anti-Virus and running a scan, it went away.

[MN Mike]

You might also want to try Ad Aware too, I use both to kind of give that garbage the 1 - 2 punch. Make sure that you check for updates before you run the programs, that is important. You can get ad aware by searching for it at download.com. Once you have scanned your computer, make sure you change your homepage before you open your browser again.

If that doesn't work maybe you can let us know what it is, there are some that need a little extra effort in making them leave.

Good Luck......

Mike

[DTro]

Spybot for sure, even when there is no problems.

If you don't know already. Pull down the tools menu and select internet options. Your homepage address will be there. If the address is something other than your normal home page you use, change it back. Sometimes websites will automatically change your homepage, however most of the time you are prompted (if ever in doubt always choose NO). I've had it happen where it changed automatically, and every time you open explorer it goes to the new homepage and popups galore.

[This message has been edited by dtro (edited 05-01-2004).]

[JohnMickish]

I had the same problem once, I downloaded the new version of Kazaa (music sharing software) and there was a search engine attached to it, could not have Kazaa without it. I had to remove that whole program to eliminate the search engine. If you are having the same issues there is a way around it for this one particulare issue.

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It still beats workin'

[smallies24]

You have to be a little careful if you want to use Ad Aware and Spybot at the same time. For the sake of keeping it short they just don't always "play nice" together. Spybot is a more powerful and more user friendly program, I'd try it first. Updating your virus software and running a scan may do the trick as mentioned above as well.

[Benny]

I have Spy Bot, but it keeps coming back.The other thing is the program also shut me out of the internet option bar.
I have to sign on as administrator to get access, or go into safe mode to access the area to change it.

I have Norton Internet security but that program is way to agressive and I spend more time getting around it's protacals than working on line.

So this "search every thing" may be linked to another softwere?How do I find out witch one?

Thanks, Benny

[Bryce]

Maybe Fisher Dave is in the search engine business? j/k

[Uncle Grump]

Benny

There are a couple of virus out there that change your home page URL to some other value Norton will let you know if you have it (the virus), but you have to remove it manually. This - depending on the virus - involves editing the registry. I had one of them - it kept wanting to take me to sites w/ pics of neked women.- took me 3 trys to nail the sucker - it had its hooks everywhere.

To be on the safe side - in addition to SpyBot and Adaware, I would make sure I had the most up to date virus defs, and then run a full system scan - scan every file on your machine.

Good luck.

UG

[Justfishing]

go to Komando.com This is a site for Kim Komando who does a radio show about computers. http://komando.com/

Go to her section Kims shareware and find Kim's Best Picks. Shareware means FREE...yes free. It has links to Spybot. Also get Trojan Remover and Zone Alarm.

Zone Alarm is a firewall. In case you have not used a firewall you have to "train them". Dont let that scare you. Everytime a program asks to coneenct to the internet you will get a message. Progams that you know tell it ok. If you are unsure of the program use the search function to search function to find the program and properties (right click on the program to find PROPERTIES) to find what the program is associated with. If you can block the outgoing messages created by spyware and trojan horses you will not be getting their return incoming messages. Let us know how it turns out.

[This message has been edited by Justfishing (edited 05-01-2004).]

[Justfishing]

Benny

I reread your comments. Spybot has an Advanced mode and an easy mode. Somehwere in the advanced mode you can block you access to internet options. I looked at mine and couldnt find it. There the easiest way to fix it may to be to uninstall and then reinstall. Then run it in the easy mode.

[trollingforeyes]

I have used Spybot along with Norton Utilities, witch also included the antivirius. These have helped many of the above issues. Also I have had to got into the internet options and reset my home page....

Good Luck

[schr0563]

I had a similar problem to yours. After downloading software from Lavasoft, all of the extra toolbars, changed homepages, and crazy pop-ups stopped. The software had found 113 infected files that it destroyed in order to restore my normal operations. Somewhere I read that this specific download (Ad Ware) is good at getting at even the hardest top destroy viruses. Just thought I'd give my .02

[Markley]

I do this way to much here on our computers.
This is what I usually do:
1. Reset homepage
2. Install google toolbar
3. Run AdaWare (install update)
4. Run Spybot Search & Destroy (install update)
* Don't run both at the same time. Spybot finds a few things that Adaware didn't find.

[jegerjack]

I have a felling that you have the same thing I have ran into before. More than likely the spyware software you download will not work. You more than likely will need to find the exe file in your net registry and you will have to del from there. I would suggest copying the url and paste it into google. There you should see what some people have had to go through in dele it.

JegerJack

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"What did the old man trade for these guys, a used puck bag?"

[Surface Tension]

When your able to get to your tool bar under administrator click on Tools/Internet Options/General Tab/Homepage. Type in the URL to what ever home page your want. Fishingmn.com for example.