Don't know how it got there but whenever I open internet explorer it comes up with a website "find that webpage" or something like that. I go into tools>options and change the homepage, but whenever I shut down and open again its back again!

It is driving me nuts. Sometimes some popups come up as well. I know there are some popup killer software downloadable for free on the net (don't know where to find them though) - will these help this damn homepage stealer?

ta:cry

Get SpyBot Search and Destroy or Adaware. That'll fix it.

http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download 

http://www.lavasoft.de 

Andrew

you have some form of low quality spam/virus. my PC had one a while ago. if you can find and download AD-AWARE (think thats what its called) do so and run it. it should find and get rid of the problem. if this doesnt work then u will either have to put up with it or wipe your computer and start from scratch. even wiping explorer and reloading it to your computer doesnt work (i have tried)

Hey dasdubber, I have been having the exact same problem the past month. Then i ran spybot search and destroy and ad ware, it got rid of those annoying popups and most of the problems. But with that 'find that webpage' it is basically 'hijacking' your tool bar...thats what i was told. It is sooooooooooooo annoying!! Anyways good luck with running those probs other than that take it to a comp tech or you may have to format.

thanks guys - currently downloading them, touch wood it'll clear things up!

otherwise i can recommend webroot spy-sweeper software.

i have an ftp for this if you would like..pm me for info

zac

If none of those programs fix it try something called CWShredder. From http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

It will fix really nasty stuff.

Try a Google of that name if Ad aware or spybot don't work. There are heaps of web sites with instructions on how to get rid of stuff like that.

Are You running windows 98 or XP ??

I used to have all that sort of trouble for a few years until I got Windows XP... Now very few pop ups.. maybe one a month.. and that other - highjacking of Your tool bar is gone forever... and I thought I was the only one having those sorts of problems....
-- I used popup stopper a few times - thanks Jen..

Good Luck

Lee --

hey EgeWorks,

i have a varian of the cws smartsearch trojan, and i also have the latest version of that program, but i find that it still doesn't work. so if anyone else has this trouble, go to google and type cws remover..you should come up witha few suitable alternatives.

zac

Zac,

Thanks for letting me know about that, can't stand all these dodgy people doing this crap to other people's computers.

Remember guys and girls, keep these programs up to date and run them every couple of weeks. Your computer will thank you by running better.

[size=4]It should be the death penalty for whoever is making computer viruses and $100,000 to the person who dobs them in..
I wouldn't mind being a dobber for $100,000

I just wish they would stop THEM...

I have been scanning My computer every night with Nortons Anti Virus Professional version.. it takes over an 1 1/2 hours to do.. it has picked up 3 viruses this morning that came from NZ in emails saying : here is a voice mail message for you.
My Sister picked up a virus in Her computer during the week. her anti virus software run out of date and she signed up via the internet for it again, but nothing happened apart from paying $50 or $60 for the program she didn't get... She was going to buy Nortons professional the next day and scan her computer..
Someone is sending emails with viruses using My yahoo address.. I keep receiving bounced emails from computers that reject them...
I keep changing My passwords for extra long ones - A Word [NOT in Dictionary] numbers plus another Word [again not in a dictionary]... to make it extra hard to guess it...
I had to sign in again to MSN yesterday as someone had been trying to guess My password.. too many times...

Lee -- and this is just in Scone.!!
[/size]

Viruses hey? They suck. Get a mac. Then sit back and laugh.

I doesn't matter what version of windows you have it's important for your PC to have a strong security software. I recommend you to use Kaspersky. I use it too and that's why I recommend it cause for my this one was the best.

Try malwarebytes to get rid of what you got. This is the main one just about every one at evga forum use.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php 

haha viruses. I laugh It pays to be a geek.

I had a similar problem around 12 months back and it turned out to be some sort of corruption with the wireless router. Any computer either wired or wireless through it had the re-direct problem and popups. Wouldn't even update windows or virus checker. Did a "restore to factory default" on router as a last resort and problem was fixed, never to return. That was after a lot of wasted time running Spybot etc etc.

Worth a try.

DH

Talk about a thread from the dead. Looks like riha15 might have vested interests in a certain product?

Or maybe we're just bored in the cold weather!

DH

I'm with Vlad on this, Malware bytes is an awesome piece of software - it's free and doesn't slow my machine to a crawl like Nortons did.

the only time I ever used internet explorer was to download Mozilla Firefox

Yes! Mozilla Firefox - internet browser.

Open Source software is the answer. I have just purged most of my Microsoft products, MS Office, Internet Explorer etc.

And loaded the equivalent programs from Open Source, Open Office, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird.

Less susceptible to viruses etc.

And the best thing about all the Open Source stuff,..... is....... its free...... = more money to spend on Volkswagens....

I've coupled Malware Bytes with Avira Antivirus (another great piece of freeware) and have found them to be really effective.

I just run malware bytes every month or so as a preventative. Avira auto updates every time I log on and scans once a week, so you don't need to think about it.

I found removing nortons from other machines often speeds them up no end - kinda like turning the aircon off in an old small 4 banger auto - the processor doesn't need to work as hard on doing one thing, so as a whole it goes better. I normally switch it for Avira, which works fine.

I know I'm going to have my simile ripped apart, but I think it is apt.

I got a virus last night in the form of anti virus software.

It even tells me I have a virus and asks if I want to get rid of it then takes me to a porn site. Funny thing is I can't get onto any other site (even here) without it telling me the site may contain viruses. If it wasn't so annoying it would be amusing.

Unfortunately i'm not a geek (kudos to those who are) so it'll cost me $60+ to get rid of it at the local computer shop.

avg is still free but when installing watch out of install toolbar option and paid version
malware is good
but remember never click on a popup that tells you you have a virus and it can fix it!!!
i do a lot of download and never had to many viruses
good firewall help

only one word to fix comp problems = Mac

Keep living inside that reality distortion field. Security through obscurity only gets you so far.