Recently when I opened up my Window Explorer, the toolbar completely changed. It added a whole bunch of junk, my Google search bar was replaced with some search engine I never heard of. I got rid of a lot of the junk, but couldn't delete it all. I also got my Google bar back up. There is a small search bar at the bottom right of my screen that I can't get rid of.
Here are the problems I've been having since.
On ECCIE, if someone posts a link within ECCIE (either in chat or another thread), my computer freezes up. If they post a link outside ECCIE, it usually works fine. It will not remember my handle on ECCIE like it used to. If I am in chat, and go to a lady's profile, I cannot click on her showcase or reviews unless I refresh the page. Also, I cannot access ECCIE through my Favorites anymore (it say something like path doesn't exist).
Outside ECCIE, I cannot access my Yahoo account. I enter my handle and password, and when I hit the Login button, nothing happens. On some websites, it no longer remembers my login information like it used to.
I have a Dell desktop, three years old, with Windows 7 pre-installed. If anyone knows how I can get back what I had before I end up taking it to Geek Squad, it will be most appreciated.
- ca1962
- 05-19-2013, 07:20 AM
- sweet_k47
- 05-19-2013, 09:00 AM
Simply do a system restore, choose a date that is before the problems started, just do a search in windows 7 for system restore and go from there, very simple to do.
- Roger.Smith
- 05-19-2013, 10:29 AM
Like Sweet said, do a system restore. Download, install, and run Malwarebytes if System Restore can't run or fails.
- pyramider
- 05-19-2013, 11:33 AM
I always just face the Northwest and cuss Bill Gates.
- Jewish Lawyer
- 05-19-2013, 12:30 PM
- Muffman
- 05-19-2013, 12:52 PM
Look for the name of that search bar in the Uninstall/Install list under the Control Panel. Uninstal it.Also look for it under addons and plugins in IE. Uncheck or uninstall it. Download Superantispyware free and install, update the definitions and run that sucker. Mix, stir, repeat and stop going to those hinky Russian porn sites. 
- ca1962
- 05-19-2013, 02:30 PM
Thanks everyone. It seemed to work. One question I now have is it says there are 16 important Windows Updates to install. If I install them, will it be messed up again?
I also notice when I click on the Windows button at the bottom left, I get two choices for Internet Explorer, one just says Internet Explorer and the other says Internet Explorer (16 bit) - it is the latter one that works now (the other one still has all the junk on the toolbar). The 16-bit option disappeared at the time all this bad stuff happened.
Roger.Smith - it was particularly satisfying seeing a Chelsea supporter help out an Arsenal fan.
I also notice when I click on the Windows button at the bottom left, I get two choices for Internet Explorer, one just says Internet Explorer and the other says Internet Explorer (16 bit) - it is the latter one that works now (the other one still has all the junk on the toolbar). The 16-bit option disappeared at the time all this bad stuff happened.
Roger.Smith - it was particularly satisfying seeing a Chelsea supporter help out an Arsenal fan.
- Sidewinder
- 05-19-2013, 02:58 PM
Reboot into Safe Mode With Networking.
Download and run Malwarebytes. Let it upate itself, then do a full scan. Let it do its thing, including killing anything it finds.
Now reboot to normal mode and UPDATE YOUR ANTIVIRUS AND ANTIMALWARE SOFTWARE.
If you have a known uninfected PC available, search for the name of the nasty toolbar and see if there are special instructions for killing it. Some of the nastier stuff out there installs a few extra "guardian" processes, to reinstall the badness if it is deleted, and also to restart the guardian processes if one of them is killed. For some of these, there are special programs to kill them off.
I spent the better part of a day a while back cleaning up one of these things.
Download and run Malwarebytes. Let it upate itself, then do a full scan. Let it do its thing, including killing anything it finds.
Now reboot to normal mode and UPDATE YOUR ANTIVIRUS AND ANTIMALWARE SOFTWARE.
If you have a known uninfected PC available, search for the name of the nasty toolbar and see if there are special instructions for killing it. Some of the nastier stuff out there installs a few extra "guardian" processes, to reinstall the badness if it is deleted, and also to restart the guardian processes if one of them is killed. For some of these, there are special programs to kill them off.
I spent the better part of a day a while back cleaning up one of these things.
- TexasCowboy
- 05-19-2013, 03:22 PM
Lots of good advice here for you.....When looking at the wrong sites this happens at times....Shut the computer down such as a hard shutdown by pressing the power button....Wait a few minutes and press the power button again and use Safe Mode and use System Restore look for a restore point a week or two before this happened and you will be good to go....
- TexTushHog
- 05-20-2013, 01:48 AM
What version of Windows and Explorer are you using?
- ca1962
- 05-20-2013, 11:30 AM
- Juan Pablo de Marco
- 05-20-2013, 03:54 PM
Ubuntu is the way...
- Boogeyman
- 05-23-2013, 01:19 AM
Sidewinders advice is good,, select the "free" version of malwarebytes, also, you may want to change from IE to firefox or opera, they are less susceptible to bad stuff. Make sure your anti-virus is up to date, if you dont use one, AVAST and AVG both have very good free anti-virus programs. Make sure your firewall is up, and good luck,, these things can be a freakin nightmare to remove.