# Why is my Google being ghey?? -pic



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

For a while now, the search engine is [email protected]!?

It always brings up info.co.uk / mmonstermarket or similar.

It's pretty useless now

evidence:-










any ideas?


----------



## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

yup you've got some sort of malicious software on your PC


----------



## reign (Oct 6, 2008)

get avast, and run your browser through the scan. You may have to delete your browser and re download it again, once your system is clear.


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Wonderful, do you jave to pay for avast? Can't find the freebie?

Would AVG and Spybot be ok?


----------



## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

joe_0_1 said:


> Wonderful, do you jave to pay for avast? Can't find the freebie?
> 
> Would AVG and Spybot be ok?


yeah that should do the job as well as avast. you might need to do a full format and re install windows though. See how AVG and spybot does first though.


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Cheers, would someone mind linking me to it, I can't get it through goggles -_-


----------



## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition


----------



## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

If AVG and spybot detected it i'd be suprised, to be honest, by all means give them a try, and if they don't sort it out download a copy of sunbelt vipre.

Rmorgan84's advice is always the best approach though - reformat and reinstall windows.


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Re-formatting and reinstalling windows is a ball ache though 

I don't have the serial code either


----------



## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

joe_0_1 said:


> Re-formatting and reinstalling windows is a ball ache though
> 
> *I don't have the serial code either :*(


----------



## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

just fyi: you can use the magical jellybean keyfinder to get your serial key


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

LMFAO 

It's not a Nigel copy, I just don't have the serial disc / packaging etc. I'm not too fussed, its a very old PC


----------



## Mixman (Dec 18, 2007)

I got a malicious spyware with AVG, I have just started using Windows Live Onecare and it cleaned everything and speeded my PC up. Free 90 day trial but instead of paying the £37.99 to them I got a licence for £7 from ebay. Seems to work very very well.


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Mixman said:


> I got a malicious spyware with AVG, I have just started using Windows Live Onecare and it cleaned everything and speeded my PC up. Free 90 day trial but instead of paying the £37.99 to them I got a licence for £7 from ebay. Seems to work very very well.


Could you link me


----------



## Mixman (Dec 18, 2007)

joe_0_1 said:


> Could you link me


http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-gb/default.htm


----------



## syncopix (Apr 9, 2008)

I really wish people wouldn't advise reformatting a PC when it really isn't necessary. I thought the people on here we meant to be detailers, you wouldn't resort to using a polish with the highest cutting factor without trying something less abrasive would you?
There are numerous different things that could cause your browser to do that.

First of all, get a decent spyware removal tool, there are loads of free ones to choose from, I would advise trying Ad Aware which can be found [here]
If that is unsuccessful you can then move on to more deeper cleaning methods. Let me know how you get on...


----------



## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

Getting the PC back to 100% of what its performance was before, after some spyware/virus/program has ** around with the operating system files is virtually impossible... I have tried all the methods in the past purely to prove the point that reformatting is the best option depending the level the system is screwed up.

In the OPs case you are totally correct that it isn't neccesary to reformat, but if he wants 100% (as opposed to 90% or whatever) of his performance back then reformatting is the only way imho.

Not only that, but the time taken to faff around with the OS is sometimes greater than the time taken to backup files and reinstall the OS.

I do not want to seem like I am arguing for the sake of it also but AdAware really is a naff program now, it was good back in the windows 98 days, but they lost touch with malware and it has never reclaimed its position as a decent program... Same with spybot search and destroy...


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

Cheers for the help. Vipre didnt help. Going to Spybot her now


----------



## TriBorG (Feb 14, 2007)

I have to agree the the above poster 

I work with PCs and some of the latest browser hijacking crap that is out there gets so far into the registry that it is near on impossable to fully remove it 
I had a case not so long ago worked on a PC for over 2 hrs within 10 miis the adverts were comming back again

I have all my programs on 1 hard drive and the data on a second the data drive is being backed up to an external hard drive and my C Drive gets ghosted to another drive that sits in a draw if I ever install any new programs or after 3 months of windows updated

This works well for me


----------



## syncopix (Apr 9, 2008)

G220 said:


> Getting the PC back to 100% of what its performance was before, after some spyware/virus/program has ** around with the operating system files is virtually impossible... I have tried all the methods in the past purely to prove the point that reformatting is the best option depending the level the system is screwed up.
> 
> In the OPs case you are totally correct that it isn't neccesary to reformat, but if he wants 100% (as opposed to 90% or whatever) of his performance back then reformatting is the only way imho.
> 
> ...


I see your point, I have no intention of arguing either, but the second your connect your PC to the internet its performance will begin to deteriorate. You're right about Ad-Aware, but it was the first thing that came into my mind as it's quite simple to use.
Having a decent amount of IT knowledge I'm sure your approach would be the same as mine. The problem with reformatting your PC all the time is that it's such a pain in the backside to reinstall everything again and get everything back the same as it was before the format, which in itself takes probably as much time - hence why I said it's not always worth going to the effort of a reformat.

However, if the state of the machine is in such a way that it's running like a dog a reformat would be the best option. Keeping your PC in decent condition is important to keep it running properly.


----------



## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

Did you run a Deep scan with VIPRE and make sure it had updated? If it did not detect anything that really is dissapointing. Did it detect nothing at all?  Sorry for wasting your time there..

If its not uninstalled yet go into its tools and explore the windows hosts file, just to see if anything dodgy has been put in there, etc.

Also, something which just occured to me, does this occur in IE too? If it does not occur in IE, then it might just be a rogue plugin for firefox and you might be able to get rid of it by deleting and reinstalling firefox fully... If it is doing it to IE too... sounds like something which is interferering with HTTP


----------



## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

syncopix said:


> You're right about Ad-Aware, but it was the first thing that came into my mind as it's quite simple to use.


You never know, given sunbelt vipre has let me down here, AdAware might work :thumb:

PestPatrol used to be a good program, till they sold out to CA, since then development seemed to freeze and it stopped keeping up with modern malware 


> The problem with reformatting your PC all the time is that it's such a pain in the backside to reinstall everything again and get everything back the same as it was before the format, which in itself takes probably as much time - hence why I said it's not always worth going to the effort of a reformat.


To be fair, I am quite quick to jump on the "reformat it" bandwagon, I do like see the full performance out of PCs which is why I suggest it... I say if you have the time to spare, then it is always a good idea..

Also often when my friends get spyware on their PCs, they do big time, hence why reformat ends up being the only option :lol:


----------



## syncopix (Apr 9, 2008)

G220 said:


> Also often when my friends get spyware on their PCs, they do big time, hence why reformat ends up being the only option :lol:


Always seems to be the way!


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

G220 said:


> Did you run a Deep scan with VIPRE and make sure it had updated? If it did not detect anything that really is dissapointing. Did it detect nothing at all?  Sorry for wasting your time there..


I did a deep scan, it found 8 things, but didn'tsolve the problem, not time wasted at all, it got rid of something. thanks bud 

IE is the same as FF.


----------



## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

EDIT:- IT'S FIXED. restarted it after the deep scan. Woop.

Cheers


----------



## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

Lovely jubbly


----------



## .Martin (May 2, 2007)

Buy a new PC instead of going on all your fancy trips away ya mong :lol:

:argie:


----------



## Awol (Jun 29, 2007)

I also quite quick to advise re-formatting as long as people have their product keys/backups

I just feel the time that can be spent messing about with stuff like this you can re-format, re-install and get more speed back from your PC.


----------

