They Broke Google!

UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
<div class="IPBDescription">at least for me</div> Google is my main source of information, but, some spyware has gone and turned my google results page to nothing but adds, and i cant find anything anymore.

Same thing with everyseach engine ive tried, so im think that since this isnt happening to anyone else, it must be some spyware doing it. I cant find anything that looks bad under program files, and norton, ad-aware, and spybot search and destroy all say that im clean. But im still getting constant pop-ups, even when im not using IE, despite the fact that im using the latest version of freesurfer.

Anyone have anything else i can try short of formatting.

Comments

  • Dirty_Harry_PotterDirty_Harry_Potter Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9500Members
    i think others had this problem earlier here, try to Search for 'broken google' or something along those lines, or just google alone. I think i've seen 2-3 topics about this.

    its some specific file that's messed up, so its redirects you everytime you try to get to a search engine. iirc.
  • Nil_IQNil_IQ Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15520Members
    edited December 2003
    I had this problem and I can help thee my brother.

    First of all, you need to get rid of the spyware that's causing the problem. Once you've done that you should (hopefully) have just a blank screen instead of ads.

    *edit* I should have said really, I suggest you use <a href='http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/' target='_blank'>ad-aware</a> for the spyware removalage. *edit*

    Once you get to this stage (or before if you don't mind the spyware changing it back after a day or so <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif'><!--endemo--> ) you need to find your "hosts" file. This is, quite literally just a notepad file named "hosts". Once you find it, take a look inside. You'll probably find a lot of "interesting" entries under popular search engines, when I had this it was re-directing me to popups for EVERY SINGLE search engine you could possibly think of.

    Now all you need to do is delete the offending articles. That's it. Just leave it blank and your computer should run fine.

    The actual location of the "hosts" file varies by operating system, but for windows 98 it is in C:\Windows. (I know it's different for windows XP though, just do a search for it)

    Well I hope this helped you as it once helped me. Also consider downloading <a href='http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/' target='_blank'>ad-aware</a>, it's free and I find it catches 90% of spyware.
  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    Nothing found called or containing "hosts" and google still doesnt work.

    Yes, i allready have adware and spybot search and destory
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    in windows xp, hosts is in windows\system32\drivers\etc , and it's called simply 'hosts' with no extention...
  • l3igDl3igD Join Date: 2003-11-20 Member: 23262Members
    I did a search (cause im having problems almostlike this) and I found 2 hosts files one in C:/i386 and C:/windows/i386 (I'm on windowsXP compaq computer)

    Both of these had nothing to erase...

    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--># Copyright © 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

    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The problem I am having is when a page would carry me to the "refresh page" instead it carries me to a adware page and alot of pop ups happen. I have run ad aware and almost everything else. Even delete alot of temp. files...cookies..and other internet files. Nothing helps.
  • KeyserKeyser Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13591Members
    Try going to <a href='http://www.gogole.com' target='_blank'>http://www.gogole.com</a>

    It's the same site, it just sneaks around the spyware and such.
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    very odd indeed... I assume both spybot and ad-aware have been updated too? maybe do a ctrl-alt-delete and see what programs are running and tell us or end task if there's anything suspicious...
  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    edited December 2003
    I try to keep my task manager pretty clean, currently all i have running is IEXPLORER.EXE, aim.exe, Fs20.exe, and Qttask.exe

    I dont have to worry about all the things that are listed under system processes right?
  • taboofirestaboofires Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9853Members
    Spybot search and destroy is better than adaware, but you can run both! Hurray for freeness!
  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    I had a problem very similar to this... said something like "This is a DoubleClick Advertising Server"...blah blah blah. It fixed itself after a while tho, which was the weird part.
  • Vulgar_MenaceVulgar_Menace Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22118Members
    haha. Google.ca works fine.

    [/Canadian patriotism]
  • XiileXiile Join Date: 2003-02-22 Member: 13818Members
    <a href='http://www.alltooflat.com/geeky/elgoog/' target='_blank'>elgooG.</a>
    <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    So, ive scanned with spybot and adware, delted my history, cookies and offline content, cleared by host file, goten popup blockers, blocked my ports, rescrited my downloads, and i still cant get rid of all these spyware pop-ups, and i still cant use google or any other online seach site.

    Any ideas on what to do?
  • PolarizePolarize Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3187Members
    <a href='http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/8027.html' target='_blank'>http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard...forum/8027.html</a>

    hope it helps...probably wont, since its a different problem. but this morning when i booted up my comp it said something about a file missing, then when i went to my homepage, it went to this ad site. then i set it back to default, but it set itself again. try it and see if it works.
  • MoquiaoMoquiao Join Date: 2003-05-09 Member: 16168Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Vulgar Menace+Dec 15 2003, 09:46 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Vulgar Menace @ Dec 15 2003, 09:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> haha. Google.ca works fine.

    [/Canadian patriotism] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    lol

    i run lots of things

    Norton AV.firewall
    Kaspersky AV
    zone alarm
    Spybot S&D
    Ad-Aware
    Warnet
    Sophos AV
  • StormLiongStormLiong Join Date: 2002-12-27 Member: 11569Members
    reformat your whole hard drive mayb?
    hehe
    tht wuf be extreme
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