Internet problems- need advice please

[Finch]

Hi i have been wresteling with a annoying thing on the internet for several months.

The problem is www.findthewebsiteyouneed.com . For some reason while ago it somehow made itself my homepage. No matter hoe many times i change the internet settings, it always brings me to www.findthewebsiteyouneed.com whenever i log in.
That in itself would not be so bad, but the thing downloads its own serch engine and toolbar(without asking you first!) so whenever i click serch, it brings me to a page filled with ads plus the serch engine ir pretty useless. The site also has popups that immidiatly begin downloading (again, they doesnt ask you if you want it- they  put it there) whatever the popup contains onto my computer. and its hard to find and delete the files The downloads have titles like userfiles23 and such- i cant tell them apart from normal software. I think some unfound file the site downloaded keeps bringing me to the site and redirecting me there. I cant tell most apart from essential software. What do i do?
Help!

 

[joseph]

The answer to your prayers.

spybot search and destroy

download this program and run it. It will remove all sorts of bad things from your computer including the program that is setting your web page.

joe

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

I'll second Joe's suggestion.  Spybot S&D is a good program.  I usually run it once a week to make sure I haven't picked up some adware or spyware (or in your case a homepage hijacker) while cruising the net.

BCK

Edit: One other thing. The first time you run Spybot S&D, make sure you have selected the option to back up the stuff you tell it it is OK to delete. There is some software that won't run without the spyware or adware that is packaged with it. These are usually programs that you download for "free" off the net. Once you're sure you won't have this problem with a program you use, then I would let Spybot delete any junk it finds.

 

[Finch]

uhh ok it takes a hour to download but ill try it as soon as i can get to it

 

[Travis]

Well, I thrid that what joseph said. It maybe to late but I suppose more support helps. Right?

Travis

 

[fatboy]

The other one that is good that does the same job, and is possibly a smaller file size, is Adaware.
You can get it here Adaware site

I also have my browser set to over ride the default cookie handling setting so that it prompts me for first party cookies and rejects third party cookies automatically.

Cheers, Troy.

 

[Finch]

Thanks, fatboy, but i already downloaded Spybot S&D

And everyone! it works great! my problems are fixed! thanks a bunch everyone!

 

[Finch]

correction, it says it immunized but the site still pops up

thats the problem with these people (in this case browser hijakers) there always a step ahead finding new ways to exploit you

 

[adnedarn]

Well, I don't know about the other... But, I stand behind Adaware. It has worked very well for me. And solved alot of other peoples problems like what you are having now. I never herd of the first ones name ever even come up in conversations with people online.
Andrew

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

Finch,
Spybot S&D has an option that you can check that runs Spybot when you start your system.  It's under system settings.  Check the box that says "Run program once at next system startup".  Then reboot your computer.  It will take a lot longer for Spybot to run it's checks than it does when Windows is running.  It least it does on my computer.  Also, make sure you have the newest updates.  One more thing, there's nothing wrong with having both Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D on your computer.  As Andrew says, it's a good program.  I found it more intuitive to use than Spybot S&D.  You may like it better.

BCK

Edit:

Quote[/b] (Finch @ Feb. 27 2004,20:16)]correction, it says it immunized but the site still pops up

Did you click the "Check for problems" button to run the spyware search?  After Spybot does a search it will either tell you "Congratulations...." or present a list of things that you can have it delete.  Be careful to not delete the file with your "Autocomplete" data.  Else you'll have to manually re-enter your user name and passwords the next time you log on to the forum and other sites that use this type of information.  You can have Spybot exclude this from it's search (right click it to bring up options).  You can also exclude cookies from sites that allow you to log in automatically.  You want to keep the TerraForum cookies as they keep track of where in a topic you last read so that you don't have to start at the first page of a topic each time you check the topic.  If you have more questions feel free to ask.  I've screwed up my machine enough times I should be able to at least tell you what you don't want to do!

 

[joseph]

As BCK hinted at, you hit the wrong button. Immunize can be useful in preventing problems but it isn't what you are looking for.
Start spybot in 'easy mode'.
Click on search for updates.
When that is done click on 'search and destroy' on left side.
At bottom of screen click on 'search for problems'.

That'll fix it.

joe

 

[Finch]

Terraforums gave me cookies?? well its too late, those are gone now...

 

[trashcan]

Yes, they save your username and password so you don't have to log in every time you come back.

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

You'll get them back when you browse the forums. You'll just have to log in manually the first time and all the topics you check will open on the first post instead of the last (most resent) post.

BCK