Someone visited a porn site on my computer with Internet
Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Win2k with all security
updates. Now there are two "Toolbars" on IE that I have
tried to delete in "Views" and everytime I launch again
they are back. Also porn site windows launch automatically
and each one I close launches several more. At the
conclusion of this cycle, which can only be stopped by
closing IE, there are Icons all over the desktop for
spurrious programs such as "Spyware killer", "Internet
accelerator", "Delete evidence", "Popup Killer", "Hot
Matchup", "IFriends", etc. I have tried uninstalling
Internet Explorer and when I replace it they are all back.
Is there any way to clear this crap without rebuilding the
hard drive? I am now using Mozilla Firefox for Internet
browsing but it's disconcerting to think there are programs
and settings lurking on the hard drive just waiting for IE
to be launched so they may spring out again.

There are some really nasty hijacks going on these days but I would suggest you at
least try running the free version of AdAware on your computer. Delete your temporary
internet files and cookies first and then when you open AdAware be sure to update it
by selecting "check for updates now" . If it does not seem to help try running it in
safe mode also. See the links below for tips on minimum security configuration
settings for Internet Explorer and more advanced methods to eliminate parasite
problems. --- Steve

http://www.download.com/3000-2094-10045910.html?legacy=cnet
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm

"Austin Travis" wrote in message
news:125301c48ecb$4c7185b0$3a01280a@phx.gbl...
> Someone visited a porn site on my computer with Internet
> Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Win2k with all security
> updates. Now there are two "Toolbars" on IE that I have
> tried to delete in "Views" and everytime I launch again
> they are back. Also porn site windows launch automatically
> and each one I close launches several more. At the
> conclusion of this cycle, which can only be stopped by
> closing IE, there are Icons all over the desktop for
> spurrious programs such as "Spyware killer", "Internet
> accelerator", "Delete evidence", "Popup Killer", "Hot
> Matchup", "IFriends", etc. I have tried uninstalling
> Internet Explorer and when I replace it they are all back.
> Is there any way to clear this crap without rebuilding the
> hard drive? I am now using Mozilla Firefox for Internet
> browsing but it's disconcerting to think there are programs
> and settings lurking on the hard drive just waiting for IE
> to be launched so they may spring out again.

Thanks, I did run Ad Aware with the latest ref file, NAV
(with latest defs) and followed links given in some other
responses to similar questions on the newsgroup. I succeded
in getting rid of the automatic page accesses by following
the directions in deleting elements of the reg files
andresetting defaults in "Internet" "Control Panel" but
still haven't gotten rid of the two search bars which are
"TheSearchMall.Com" and "Begin2Search.com". I will follow
the links you suggested in the reply :)

>-----Original Message-----
>There are some really nasty hijacks going on these days
but I would suggest you at
>least try running the free version of AdAware on your
computer. Delete your temporary
>internet files and cookies first and then when you open
AdAware be sure to update it
>by selecting "check for updates now" . If it does not seem
to help try running it in
>safe mode also. See the links below for tips on minimum
security configuration
>settings for Internet Explorer and more advanced methods
to eliminate parasite
>problems. --- Steve
>
>http://www.download.com/3000-2094-10045910.html?legacy=cnet
>http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
>
>"Austin Travis" wrote in message
>news:125301c48ecb$4c7185b0$3a01280a@phx.gbl...
>> Someone visited a porn site on my computer with Internet
>> Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Win2k with all security
>> updates. Now there are two "Toolbars" on IE that I have
>> tried to delete in "Views" and everytime I launch again
>> they are back. Also porn site windows launch automatically
>> and each one I close launches several more. At the
>> conclusion of this cycle, which can only be stopped by
>> closing IE, there are Icons all over the desktop for
>> spurrious programs such as "Spyware killer", "Internet
>> accelerator", "Delete evidence", "Popup Killer", "Hot
>> Matchup", "IFriends", etc. I have tried uninstalling
>> Internet Explorer and when I replace it they are all back.
>> Is there any way to clear this crap without rebuilding the
>> hard drive? I am now using Mozilla Firefox for Internet
>> browsing but it's disconcerting to think there are programs
>> and settings lurking on the hard drive just waiting for IE
>> to be launched so they may spring out again.
>
>
>.
>

OK. Good luck. Some have luck trying multiple parasite scan programs. SpyBot Search
and Destroy and SpySweeper are also recommended programs to try with their latest
updates. --- Steve

http://www.webroot.com/ --- SpwSweeper.

wrote in message
news:02bd01c48eed$d15bbc60$7d02280a@phx.gbl...
> Thanks, I did run Ad Aware with the latest ref file, NAV
> (with latest defs) and followed links given in some other
> responses to similar questions on the newsgroup. I succeded
> in getting rid of the automatic page accesses by following
> the directions in deleting elements of the reg files
> andresetting defaults in "Internet" "Control Panel" but
> still haven't gotten rid of the two search bars which are
> "TheSearchMall.Com" and "Begin2Search.com". I will follow
> the links you suggested in the reply :)
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>There are some really nasty hijacks going on these days
> but I would suggest you at
>>least try running the free version of AdAware on your
> computer. Delete your temporary
>>internet files and cookies first and then when you open
> AdAware be sure to update it
>>by selecting "check for updates now" . If it does not seem
> to help try running it in
>>safe mode also. See the links below for tips on minimum
> security configuration
>>settings for Internet Explorer and more advanced methods
> to eliminate parasite
>>problems. --- Steve
>>
>>http://www.download.com/3000-2094-10045910.html?legacy=cnet
>>http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>>http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
>>
>>"Austin Travis" wrote in message
>>news:125301c48ecb$4c7185b0$3a01280a@phx.gbl...
>>> Someone visited a porn site on my computer with Internet
>>> Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Win2k with all security
>>> updates. Now there are two "Toolbars" on IE that I have
>>> tried to delete in "Views" and everytime I launch again
>>> they are back. Also porn site windows launch automatically
>>> and each one I close launches several more. At the
>>> conclusion of this cycle, which can only be stopped by
>>> closing IE, there are Icons all over the desktop for
>>> spurrious programs such as "Spyware killer", "Internet
>>> accelerator", "Delete evidence", "Popup Killer", "Hot
>>> Matchup", "IFriends", etc. I have tried uninstalling
>>> Internet Explorer and when I replace it they are all back.
>>> Is there any way to clear this crap without rebuilding the
>>> hard drive? I am now using Mozilla Firefox for Internet
>>> browsing but it's disconcerting to think there are programs
>>> and settings lurking on the hard drive just waiting for IE
>>> to be launched so they may spring out again.
>>
>>
>>.
>>

Thanks Steve - I fixed the toolbars with HiHackThis!

>-----Original Message-----
>There are some really nasty hijacks going on these days
but I would suggest you at
>least try running the free version of AdAware on your
computer. Delete your temporary
>internet files and cookies first and then when you open
AdAware be sure to update it
>by selecting "check for updates now" . If it does not seem
to help try running it in
>safe mode also. See the links below for tips on minimum
security configuration
>settings for Internet Explorer and more advanced methods
to eliminate parasite
>problems. --- Steve
>
>http://www.download.com/3000-2094-10045910.html?legacy=cnet
>http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
>
>"Austin Travis" wrote in message
>news:125301c48ecb$4c7185b0$3a01280a@phx.gbl...
>> Someone visited a porn site on my computer with Internet
>> Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Win2k with all security
>> updates. Now there are two "Toolbars" on IE that I have
>> tried to delete in "Views" and everytime I launch again
>> they are back. Also porn site windows launch automatically
>> and each one I close launches several more. At the
>> conclusion of this cycle, which can only be stopped by
>> closing IE, there are Icons all over the desktop for
>> spurrious programs such as "Spyware killer", "Internet
>> accelerator", "Delete evidence", "Popup Killer", "Hot
>> Matchup", "IFriends", etc. I have tried uninstalling
>> Internet Explorer and when I replace it they are all back.
>> Is there any way to clear this crap without rebuilding the
>> hard drive? I am now using Mozilla Firefox for Internet
>> browsing but it's disconcerting to think there are programs
>> and settings lurking on the hard drive just waiting for IE
>> to be launched so they may spring out again.
>
>
>.
>