Internet "Optimizer"

[rossored]

Help!

Has anyone else had this annoying f'ing thing dumped on their PC?

Sometimes, I'll click a page or type in a web address that I know is there, and yet instead I get redirected to some crummy search engine page called "Internet Optimizer" with the usual load of useless links on it.

I have tried everything : AVG can't find any viruses/trojan horses, I've deleted all cookies and temporary internet files, run AVG again and still no luck. I also run ZoneAlarm Pro firewall and still the blighter has got in so I assume it must be in something I've downloaded ( no, nothing pervy - thats on my other PC )

Can anyone suggest anything else to get rid of the SOB, short of chucking my laptop out of the window or setting fire to it?

Any help appreciated

RR

 

[options]

Bit of a long shot. But is it in. Start, control panel, add or remove?

 

[riddle]

Rosso,
Take a look at http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/ to scan your browser for parasites, and
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/InternetOptimizer.html for instructions on cleaning up.

Steve

 

[options]

Or Lavasoft.

 

[magnet]

rossored
If this resides on your computer as an 'index.dat' file you need a special program to remove it.
Type in 'index dat.' in your search and you will find first of all a free downloadable index'dat file viewer - which will show all those files on your computer.
If this identifies a problem you need a program like Smartpro to remove these files - you can download a trial version of this

 

[oatman]

Run this hijack test. http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
If you don't understand go to pcpitstop forums who will sort thru the results for you. Nice people.

 

[blash]

I had a similar problem.

Make sure there isnt a file called c:\windows\help\hosts

If there is rename/delete it

 

[OldBear]

I have used Spybot search and Destroy to remove some redirection problems from IE. You can get a download from http://spybot.eon.net.au/. Do read the info about the tool and how it works, it does remove spyware and other malware from your machine, but you do need to review its finding to make sure it is not removing something that one of your applications is using.

Also check your hosts file, this is a plain text file and can be opened using Notepad. Its location is dependant on the operating system you run, check for it in c:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc (on Win2K), or c:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc on XP.

This is my hosts file (default)

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.127.127.127 elite
# Start of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy
# End of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy

Open the hosts file in notepad and check for entries that look like
123.456.789.123 www.google.co.uk
The effect of this entry in a hosts file would be to send the browser to the server at 123.456.789.123 whenever a request to go to www.google.co.uk was entered in the browser.
This may be causing the redirection, so delete the line(s) and go back to a basic hosts file like the 1 above. You may have to remove the .txt extension that notepad always likes to add when you save the file. HTH

 

[rossored]

Thanks for your help everyone.

Having run spybot I discovered that my machine was filthier than a $20 hooker.

Now she's a nice clean girl again.

RR

 

[neil]

Spyware

"Having run spybot I discovered that my machine was filthier than a $20 hooker.

Now she's a nice clean girl again.

RR"

Thanks for that tip.

I downloaded it and cleaned out a lot of rubbish I didn,t know was there!

 

[oatman]

Now stay clean http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

 

[eminem]

Riddle, thanks for doxdesk. Found "winshow" on my PC that had made a home for itself in windows and was repsonsible for a persistent pop-up which I had resgined my self to live along side. Got rid of the little bleeder at last and haven't had it pop-up since - famous last words no doubt.

Cheers.

 

[neil]

Oatman

Will the software you mention co-exist with the spywaree prog. I used or should I delete one to make way for the other?

 

[oatman]

Sorry, just seen this.
Spywareblaster runs in the background all the time to stop the stuff installing in the first place. I also run Sygate firewall and AVG antivirus. I regularly run Adaware and Spybot, not together. what one misses the other should get :cheesy:
I've been "done" once(msblast) when I reinstalled and went on the internet without a firewall. Otherwise I've stayed "clean".

Good luck.

 

[bonsai]

rosso
try tools/internet options/advanced
kill -search from address bar -