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Q: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer ( No Answer,   18 Comments )
Question  
Subject: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
Category: Computers
Asked by: russ123-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 01 Mar 2005 19:44 PST
Expires: 31 Mar 2005 19:44 PST
Question ID: 483266
remove search bar http://www.grudzrldmziwxnzce.us/NW1/Itt7h289zkB_rPXMPq24ETyQLie3Rt1h0XNIhrhJplCBPvNwHf6RprIn9NMw.htm
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: willcodeforfood-ga on 01 Mar 2005 21:00 PST
 
This is not a registered domain and the page name looks kind of suspicious.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: fyannaco-ga on 01 Mar 2005 23:28 PST
 
A program called HijackThis specializes in removing unwanted browser functions:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/

Be sure you're removing the right function, though, as HijackThis will
list all browser functions and startup keys, among other things.

If you post your HijackThis log, I can tell you exactly which entry to remove.

There are also numerous anti-malware scanner programs which can remove
the bar from your registry.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

I hope this helped you.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: oshoanswers-ga on 02 Mar 2005 00:04 PST
 
I would recomment using the microsoft anti spyware beta available for
download at http://www.micrsoft.com

You will find a link to download it in the main page of the site itself.

It will remove browser helper objects like searchbar and other spyware
with minimal complications.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: phossil-ga on 02 Mar 2005 07:33 PST
 
you could install any adware like from www.lavasoftusa.com or a
SpyWare like Pestpatrol (www.pestpatrol.com) to detect and remove your
browser helper object.

You could desinstall any unwanted program installed recently (removing
from windows or via regedit).

If you have activated the latest optimal windows restauration you
could restore the system.

I hope it helps.
Phossil.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: russ123-ga on 02 Mar 2005 10:28 PST
 
It's FINALLY gone & went into 'Search Hell ' I guess ?
I got a Free Download from Microsoft, copy & paste; 
As to the search bar, it's  "spyware".  Go to
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads.  There is a free spyware removal program
there that would probably take care of it.  It's a Beta, but works great,
and is free.
 It only took about 2 days for it to FINALLY recognize that
www.Google.com is the search bar I had prior to my computer being '
Hijacked '& as I said above, has " gone into Search Hell ".
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: russ123-ga on 02 Mar 2005 22:07 PST
 
Belay the last Email I sent, the God D_ _ _ _d  Search Bar 
' Search Now ! ' is back., despite my Restarting My Computer  3 times
to ensure it was Dead.
So, Unfortunately I am still looking for an answer to the original Question
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: russ123-ga on 02 Mar 2005 22:22 PST
 
To; fyannaco-ga 
From: Russ123-ga
 I went to http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/ & downloaded a file called 
' Hijack this '
I unzipped it, ran it & I have its ' Hijack this Log on My Desktop.
My Q-2-U is, Exactly how do I post the results of the Run log here so
you can tell me which ones to delete ?
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: dotnetbytes-ga on 03 Mar 2005 08:46 PST
 
This Search Bar you are referring to sounds like "Cool Web Search"  A
very insidious and nasty spyware program.  I unfortunally got infected
with it a few months back and it took me about 3 hours going through
the registry to remove all of it.  It hides in some of the Automatic
run areas of the registry so when it is removed, it just reinstalls
inself the next time you boot up.  My variatation actually infected my
Word documents as well and placed vbs macros in my startup MS Word
Files.  Luckily, if this is your problem there is a solution for that
particular piece of nasty code --- cwshredder.  Since the folks
putting out the evil cool web search keep updating it to make it more
difficult to remove, CWShredder is updated almost weekly to keep up
with it.
You can download it from here: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3019.html
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: darkmage202-ga on 03 Mar 2005 10:29 PST
 
You can find a book called "windows XP Timesaving techniques" by Woody Leonard.
Ask him a question by email at talk2woody@woodyswatch.com .His website
is at www.wopr.com and www.woodyswatch.com
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: mark_bett-ga on 03 Mar 2005 16:58 PST
 
Often SpyWare reinstalls itself upon restart.  My recomendation is to
rerun the microsoft anti-spyware beta tool (right now its probably the
best on eout there).  Its a free download you can find at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en

after downloading and running that but BEFORE you restart your computer go to:
Start> Run
and type in:
MSCONFIG
then press "OK"

The far right tab should be STARTUP.  Select that and browse through
the list for any programs that look suspicious.  Basically your goal
will be to UNCHECK as many things as you can.  What this is doing is
preventing programs from loading when your computer starts up... You
aren't uninstalling them, just telling them not to load automatically.
 If you change your mind and want to add them you can follow the smae
process and recheck the box.  After removing as much stuff as you can
(stuff you dont recognize etc.) go ahead and restart your computer. 
Typically most current antivirus software that is kept up to date will
prevent this type of Spyware/Malware from being installed.  I would
suggest updating or installing new anti-virus software to help prevent
this from happening in the future.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: hummer-ga on 03 Mar 2005 17:21 PST
 
Hi russ123,

Follow the tutorial at Major Geeks' website. It is important that you
do the steps in a methodical manner.

Major Geeks' How to: Spyware, Trojan And Virus Removal
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

There is another good tutorial is here:
KRC Anti-Spyware Tutorial
http://www.greyknight17.com/spyware.htm

Good luck,
hummer
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: checkmate-ga on 04 Mar 2005 17:04 PST
 
It sounds like you have the download dropper trojan.  Search the
symantec site for that and look at the symptoms.  Also, go to
downloads.cnet.com and get Webroots spysweeper program and run that
it's probably the best spyware remover around.  Hijaack this also
helps alot.  The problem is you may end up with a system that has to
be reloaded from the 'damage' (screwed up files, etc) done.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: odmark-ga on 05 Mar 2005 01:47 PST
 
First I would have tried Internet Explorer's " Tools | Manage Add-Ons ",
selecting and disabling each suspect add-on.

But I don't see an option for deleting an add-on even after you've disabled it.
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: rohit24-ga on 07 Mar 2005 11:20 PST
 
I would recommend BHODemon, I've tried this program and was able to
remove a very nasty SEARCH toolbar
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: jo_d84-ga on 09 Mar 2005 00:24 PST
 
http://www.computing.net/webdevel/wwwboard/forum/1074.html
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: jo_d84-ga on 09 Mar 2005 00:25 PST
 
http://www.webuser.co.uk/cgi-bin/forums/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=hijackthis&Number=143703&page=19&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=93&part=
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: gabandgil-ga on 14 Mar 2005 15:31 PST
 
I had it and got rid of it with Hijack This. It's the only way, I
tried everything else.

You need to edit the registry and remove certain entries. If you're
not comfortable with that, go here and send the Hijack This log file:
http://www.antispywarecompare.com/contact.htm

They'll tell you what to delete. 

Lastly, to prevent this you need anti-spyware with shields. No
freeware, no cheap-ware, you need to spend $30 to keep it from
happening again.
http://www.antispywarecompare.com/spy_sweeper_personal.htm
Subject: Re: How can I remove A Unwanted Search Bar, ' Search Now ! ', of off my computer
From: dtip-ga on 25 Apr 2005 07:07 PDT
 
Search Now seems to be a sponser program of Messenger Plus.  I guess I
agreed to installing it when I installed Messenger Plus.  I went to
add/remove programs and clicked on remove Messenger Plus.  It gave me
the option to uninstall the sponser program.  That did it for me. 
Search Now is gone.

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