Last week a 'searchbar' toolbar showed up at the bottom of my screen immediately above my toolbar. I deleted all refs to it in my C drive but it is still there minus its moniker. It interferes with my scrolling and it generally annoying to have this leach on my screen. any help would be most appreciated.

regina

Go to the Ad-Aware Download Page and get version 6.0 for your operating system. Chances are this toolbar is started from your registry and if you didn't load it and it's not in your Add/Remove programs list, Ad-Aware should get rid of it for you. Once you've installed it, make sure and update it before you run the cleaner. Keep us.....errrr......posted.

Thanks Masque. Ad aware found a bunch o stuff. Unfortunately it did not rid me of this pesky toolbar. I wonder--my youngest son downloaded a Halo screensaver last week. could it be connected?

Shouldn't be....but check out PC Hell . They've got a LOT of info on all these troublesome things called viruses, trojans, spyware and more.

Masque, many thanks. the program was something titled "when U search" and just uninstalling it they had tricks that would have reinstalled it had I not read carefully. PC Hell was a great spot. I am in your debt.

The easiest way to get rid of these search bar's is to download "Hijackthis" and remove it from the list.

http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html

HijackThis is a tool, that lists all installed browser add-on, buttons, starup items and allows you to inspect them, and optionally remove selected items. The program can create a backup of your original settings and also ignore selected items. Additional features include a simple list of all startup items, default start page, online updates and more. Intended for advanced users.

No debt.....but maybe you can hang around and help somebody else sometime. Also, this place is a great place to learn.....it's taught me alot already.

Be well.

Check out your C:\Program Files and you'll find a folder named "WhenUSearch". Delete that and you'll remove the SearchBar. I picked up the Searchbar when I went to Freeze.com for the screen savers.
Good Luck!

Thanks Lisa. This place is great.

regina

help!!! i can not uninstall this stupid searchbar from my desk top!! I've ran adaware and it still isn't gone, tried deleting the folder it won'tlet me delete it!!

help please!

thanks

some free screensavers are packaged with spyware, adware, etc. i became a victim over a year ago when i downloaded a free screensaver. be careful where and what you download.

download a program called "spybot - seach and destroy." it is a program that searches for adware, spyware, etc. just like ad-aware. remove any spyware it finds.

also look for a program called "hijackthis." download it and run a scan. don't delete anything yet because the program just tells you what processes you have running on your computer. just save a log and post your log back on the forum so we can examine your log to help determine what to remove and what to keep .

So I got rid of "SEarch Bar" with the Ad/Remove PRograms list (listed as search helper or some such).

But in running the Hijackthis report, it seams I have a real fruit salad of mods and spyware running. Would you still be willing to look at a log for this rookie?

Attached Files

hijackthis.txt (5.6 KB, 2 views)

On initial inspection, the following appears potentially suspicious to me. This doesn't mean they're bad, just that I don't recognize them as typical processes. You can google for information on them to be sure before going after them. I strongly suggest getting Spybot S&D from http://security.kolla.de/ and getting the most recent definitions and scanning, to start with..

BTW- Welcome to Techspot maestra, baki03, and reginac!

Here's what I saw:

Running Processes:
C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msg9.tmp10868982351652.exe
C:\Program Files\WhenUSearch\Search.exe (I know this to be bad.)
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\DownloadPlus.exe
C:\WINNT\repair\webutil.exe

These registry objects are suspicious as well:

O3 - Toolbar: I-Lookup.com Bar - {6EF3AE25-5A7D-40C2-9B44-9ED0068621C0} - C:\WINNT\System32\windec32.dll (I know this to be bad.)
O3 - Toolbar: Begin2Search.com Bar - {52FE5233-367C-4EFB-BDD7-0BE4D212C107} - C:\WINNT\System32\winb2s32.dll (I know this to be bad.)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mswspl] C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msg9.tmp10868982351652.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WhenUSave] C:\Program Files\Save\Save.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WhenUSearch] "C:\Program Files\WhenUSearch\Search.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WeatherCast] C:\PROGRA~1\WEATHE~1\Weather.exe /q (Has been said to contain ad/spyware- unconfirmed)
O4 - Startup: Download Plus.lnk = C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\DownloadPlus.exe
O16 - DPF: {E2F2B9D0-96B9-4B25-B90C-636ECB207D18} - http://www.whenusearch.com/WUInstSEWC.cab



That being said, a quick google makes me think you have 1. Adware. 2. A virus. 3. Probably more than 1 of each.

Try spybot and adaware, as well as Trend Microsystem's online scanner at http://housecall.antivirus.com/house...tart_frame.asp and see if that helps any.


Also, several of those adware bars can be removed by finding them in the add/remove programs section of your control panel. Read the prompts carefully- the programs usually have several of them, and try to trick you into clicking something to leave them on the system.

Hope this helps everyone!

Edit: MORE INFO!


http://www.liutilities.com/products...sslibrary/save/

See there for info about save.exe... it's a baddie, nuke it! Note: I do NOT recommend the softeare they advertise there. Just posted here for info that it's a bad guy. EDIT: See below for more info on this beast.

http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/DownloadPlus.html

Download plus gets the axe as well

From: http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...tasklist_s.htm


SaveNow | Save | WhenUSave | SaveNow.exe

Save.exe

(WhenU.com) Depending on the version this will show as SAVENOW, SAVE, or WHENUSAVE in Windows 95/98/ME, and it will show as SAVENOW.EXE or SAVE.EXE in Windows NT4/2000/XP. In theory SaveNow (also called WhenUSave in newer versions of the program – SAVE.EXE is the newer program file) is a program that brings you relevant coupons and offers and alerts you to various deals and services when you surf the web. SaveNow is installed on your computer as a module that will have come with WhenUShop or other software that you downloaded from the Internet. SaveNow intercepts website addresses you type in your browser’s address bar, and search words you enter on search engine sites, and uses those words to display popup advertising of deals and bargains which are related to the type of sites you are visiting, or the type of searches you have been making. In our opinion SaveNow/WhenUSave is both spyware (what else is it sending to its central site from your PC?) and an intensely annoying parasite while you are browsing the web, and we do mean "intensely" !

Recommendation :
Remove immediately ! Go to "Start \ Settings \ Control Panel \ Add/Remove Programs", select "SaveNow" (or "WhenUSave", or just "Save"), and click "Add/Remove". Also run either Ad-Aware or Spybot Search & Destroy.

Thanks Lisa! I did just what you said, and got rid of that pesky Searchbar!