Cool Web Search has me hostage

browser is jacked up

[vstar]

Recently this MSN browser took over my IE browse functions and I have tried everything I know to get IE back but this “Cool Web Search – The Search Engine You Can Trust” http://auto.search.msn.com/response.asp?MT=fr&srch=5&prov=msn&utf8
has taken over and I can’t get rid of it. I just joined this forum and I don’t know where I should have posted. so I did it here. I tried a search and couldn’t find anything that was helpful. I have done the usual IE as default and the custom settings and even did a “fix it” thing that Comcast offers but that dang thing is still taken over as my browser. Please help I am going crazy and ready to take the .357 to this machine.

[edited by: lawman at 1:05 am (utc) on June 30, 2003]
[edit reason] delink [/edit]

[DaveAtIFG]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld vstar! :)

I suspect you've acquired a BHO, a Browser Helper Object. BHO Demon [definitivesolutions.com] is a free BHO manager which helps you identify, enable, and disable BHO's.

From the BHO Demon page:

Also, there is no restriction on what a BHO can do your system; it can do anything any other program can do: read or write (or delete) anything on your system. Usually, software is installed on your system explicitly by you; when you do so, you are, in effect, saying that you trust the vendor. BHOs, however, have a history of being installed without the users knowledge (fine print notwithstanding)

So far, most surreptitiously installed BHO's have been relatively benign, but they CAN be written to delete critical system files or even format your hard disk. Using IE is simply asking for trouble!

Bullet Proof Software's Spyware Remover at $29 will identify, manage and remove these BHOs as well as most adware, spyware, and thiefware. There are probably other commercial programs that are equally effective.

[ewanfisher]

I hate spyware. I would agree with DaveAtIFG and recommend using AdAware that can be downloaded for free. It always works for me. :)

[Ally_Cat]

Adaware should do the trick - my boss caught a similar "disease" last week and Adaware had no trouble removing it. :)

[vstar]

Thanks to all of you for your help I downloaded BHO Demon and Ad-Ware and I am looking at the instructions before I proceed. As I am new to this forum I don't know my way around yet. I was wondering how I go about posting a reply to an individual post in the string.

[martinibuster]

It has been recommended in various tech magazines that "spybot search & destroy" should be used together with adaware. They both find things the other doesn't.

Additionally, spybot can "immunize" your computer to prevent future infections from any particular spyware.

[miles]

I just had one of my computers fixed. Not related to the bug issues, but a pain none the less. I have had spy ware on my machines. Adaware seems to be the best thing and its free.

Oh yeah if you going to use a .357 make sure you have a good back stop and proper hearing protection.

[vstar]

Miles- I am thinking that I am going to do a format. I just got a DVD burner so it shouldn’t be too bad doing a save. I hate to go to such extremes but I think it is the only way to be totally sure that everything is cleaned out. I will install the Ad-Aware and the other things after that and pay better attention to what I am doing in the future. As far as the .357 goes, I just got caught up in the heat of the moment and have since reconsidered that course of action and realize how ridiculous that statement was when in fact a 9mm would be quite adequate and would most likely negate the need for a back stop, however I will take you advise of earplugs since it may be a 2 clip job.