Computer help please......

[Al Bundy]

I have some spyware (I think or it may be a virus) that has gone in and changed my homepage when I open up Internet Explorer. I've tried to change it manually but everytime I restart IE it goes back to the same site. I tried running Spybot but that did not help.

Recommendations would be appreciated....

 

[chiefwiggum]

I think you have a virus or something.....I remember getting something last year, and it did something similar to what you describe - you first need to detect if something is wrong.

Run a scan with your Norton Antivirus, or whatever antivirus program you've got - remember to run an update first to make sure you have the latest definitions. The scan should identify if you have a virus - then it will either automatically delete it, or you may have to do it yourself.

If you have Norton, and it's detected a virus - it will also provide a link to a website where they will describe a procedure on how to delete the files.

 

[gettinold]

With my dialup account I use when on the road, it automatically redirects to the ISP homepage. Not sure if this is the case with you however; what page does it redirect to?

 

[Trevor2136]

Trend Micro Free Online Virus Scan

Trend has a free online virus scan using their PC-cillan product.

Go to www.trendmicro.com, select the "Personal" tab, and choose "Housecall", and follow the directions. It should help to take care of the problem.

Trevor

 

[LonelyGhost]

download Firefox at www.mozilla.com (its a free browser) and just delete IE from your system.

are you running win XP? has a good virus scan with it.

or download AVG ... its also free ... it does its scanning for viruses in safe mode only so be prepared for that.

 

[DeeVee8]

download Firefox at www.mozilla.com (its a free browser) and just delete IE from your system.

Alexandria is right but to clean things up requires some knowhow that not everyone has. Best bet is to do as LonelyGhost suggests and use Firefox which is a much more secure browser. IE is truly full of security leaks that allow hijacking of the browser a breeze.

An additional advantage is that Firefox also contains a popup blocker and some spyware protection.

 

[hitrack]

Just format the fukkin thing and start over. Or get a Mac.

 

[DeeVee8]

Just format the fukkin thing and start over. Or get a Mac.

The new OSX is out but its the GM version which should be released within a week or two. Its very nice.

 

[icemanmp1]

home page

tey opening internet explorerand go under tools and internet options..
under general make sure the webpage is set to the one u want it too make sure u hit apply.... if you gots a bug..

hope this helps..

 

[tom25]

I had this problem as well and took ages to finally get rid of everything.

Use a numbe of different programs ... ad-aware, spybot, etc., etc. I found spyware doctor to be good. There is a free version but its worth paying to get the updates. You can also use something like spywareblaster to try and prevent spyware from getting onto your system.

I also find Norton to be next to useless ... AVG is much better IMHO.

After you're done that you should also install a firewall. Zonealarm is the one lots of people use. I find it pretty good.

AT the end of the day you probably need 3 or 4 additional spyware programs and firewall on top of your anti-virus software ... or you could scrap it all and buy a mac.

And definitely go with moxilla firefox for your browser.

Tom

 

[Dharper]

Microsoft Anti-spyware

Try Microsoft Anti-spyware. It is free, and it has a homepage hi-jack remover tool. This is a good program developed by Giant software and bought out by Microsoft.

 

[tom25]

Try Microsoft Anti-spyware. It is free, and it has a homepage hi-jack remover tool. This is a good program developed by Giant software and bought out by Microsoft.

I'm going to start using it now ... My old computer was running Windows 98 which the microsoft program won't run on. Just bought a new computer so I'll start using the microsoft anti-spyware.


Tom

 

[Kev]

Try Microsoft Anti-spyware. It is free, and it has a homepage hi-jack remover tool. This is a good program developed by Giant software and bought out by Microsoft.

I second this. You can manually remove the virus but thats time consuming. I would download Microsoft's own Anti-spyware, and use the hijack tool that comes with it. --- Kev

 

[Webster]

http://scribbling.net/how-to-fix-moms-computer

A good link both for its advice and for the comments below. It's Windows 98 but there's some useful common sense in there.