VANITY: Help! Downloaded "search.com" Adware

02-16-04 | self

[mamaduck]

My husband allowed a download of Adware, which turns out to be a program that takes over your computer and internet with popups and shorcut bars, etc. I am running into dead ends trying to find out how to get rid of this thing. Can anyone help??

search.exe, search.com are the referrences I can give you. My homepage now has a passthrough via search.com. I now have an extra toolbar on my desktop, and on my internet page. AND lots and lots of popups.

It originally came with some extra folders in my favorites file (including adult sites). These seem to have deleted and stayed deleted. I have deleted cookies, and my history, and my temporary internet files. Changed my home page address. And this things just keeps coming back!

From what I have found out it seems to be an internet tracking software as well.

[mamaduck]

Sorry this is garbled. Help!

[William McKinley]

Googe "Ad-Aware". Then download it and run it.

[evolved_rage]

get spybot search and destroy. www.pcworld.com is a nice safe place to download it.

[Sender]

Yes, Ad-aware from Lavasoft.com will get rid of it for free.

[Charles Martel]

Ad-Aware is good; so is Spybot-Search & Destroy; also available for download (search Google.com)

[go star go]

go to lavasoft and download adware. ru it and it'll clean the ad trojans off your pc.

[aomagrat]

Try this site.

http://www.spywareguide.com/spydet_599_coolwebsearch.html

[JoJo Gunn]

For Ad-Aware:

http://www.lavasoft.de/

For SpyBot:

http://www.safer-networking.org/

I highly suggest to all Spywareblaster, which helps "immunize" against the scum.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

As with all programs, check for updates at least weekly!

[Always Right]

Make sure it is Lavasoft Adware or spybot. There are several "adware" programs that make you think they are Adware.

[Old Sarge]

I add my voice to SpyBot. Works wonders as a cookie-killer.

[Drango]

Make sure it is Lavasoft Adware or spybot.

Ditto that...there may be others but these two are known to be good. (and I think its Lavasoft Adaware)

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Ad-Aware. Not Adware. That's what started the trouble to begin with. :)

[js1138]

After you get the spyware removed, use spyware blaster to prevent new infections.

[Fiddlstix]

I can add nothing to the replies you have received concerning the problem except to say thanks to those who've replied to you.

Things like this should serve as a warning of caution to others.
Beware of what you download and install on your computers.
God Bless

[Bush Cheney]

Contact your local computer guru, if you have one.

[mamaduck]

Wow! you guys are so fast! Thanks for the good advice, I'll go see what I can do.

[kylaka]

Go into Windows Control Panel, choose Add or Remove Programs,
locate AdWare, and click "remove". That should remove all vestages of it from your computer, including any registry entries.

[Viking2002]

Yeah, Spybot is a good one. Be aware that if you're also running iMesh, Kazaa, or any other file sharing apps, it'll disable them, too.

[countrydummy]

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.binet.html

[Drango]

That should remove all vestages of it from your computer, including any registry entries.

Can't speak to adware per say, but many spyware/malware such as Gator cannot be removed from the registry by the add/remove function. Thata why you need to use Ad Aware or Spybot.