Dear Lizzy,
As you might have understood from the information in the comments,
Hotbar is a programme, an adware, that detects your keyboard moves,
and according to that, bombs you with advertisement. It disguises
itself as an innocent programme that adds graphic features to your
computers. Worse, it looks to some people like a Microsoft
administrative announcement. I have seen its advertising more than
once recently, and it is very aggressive.
If you want to know more in general about spyware, adwares and
spamwares, read my answer about Xupiter, another such problem:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=62734
Getting Rid of Hotbar
=====================
Again, it would be recommended to check my previous answer, since much
of it (it was a much broad answer, because of the differences in
pricing) is relevant to you.
The first thing you could do is try HotBar's own removal instructions,
hidden well in their site:
"To uninstall Hotbar from your computer please follow these steps:
1. Click "Start", "Settings" and choose "Control Panel".
2. Choose "Add/Remove Programs".
3. Find "Web Tools by Hotbar".
4. Click the "Add/Remove" button located at the bottom right hand side
of the window.
5. Check both browser and email toolbars
6. Press the "Uninstall" Button.
You can also try using our uninstaller [here they give a link to
download the uninstaller].
After download is complete, locate the file "HBUnInst.exe." on your
computer.
Double-click this file to start the uninstall process and follow the
on-screen instructions."
http://hotbar.com/HelpDesk/Faq/Main.htm
What they forget to add, about the first option of removal, that it
leaves some residue in the computer, see:
DoxDesk, Parasite detection & information, HotBar,
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/HotBar.html
PC Hell have similar instructions, under "Hotbar Removal Instructions
and Help" http://www.pchell.com/support/hotbar.shtml
You might also download an anti-spyware programme, such as:
"Ad-Aware" <Download it from ZNet here -
http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/info.html?fcode=63806&b=help>
Zone Alarm <http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2610364,00.html>
Or Spybot mentioned in the comment.
Here's another discussion, on Google Groups:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=ee6fhw75CHA.2192%40TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl
I hope this helped. In order to answer your question, except from
using my knowledge on the subject, I also used the search term "hot
bar". If you need any clarifications on this answer, please let me
know before you rate/tip it. |
