please help

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:12pm

I was wondering if anyone knows how to get rid of a homepage that keeps popping up. I have gone to "internet options" and changed my homepage to what I want, and this weird site keeps coming on as the homepage. I don't know what to do. If anyone knows, please help me.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:14pm

You have spyware on your computer.

Download "Spybot Search & Destroy" - it is 100% free.

Run Spybot daily for a week or so, then you can start to do it less often.
Spybot Search & Destroy

Updated On: 9/22/04 at 04:14 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:17pm

Another free spyware removal software is Ad-Aware. Doesn't hurt to have both, unless you have limited space on your hard drive.
Ad-Aware

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:18pm

Thank you. I did download that program and have ran it. It's only been a few hours, however. It's still doing the homepage thing, will it eventually go away?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:19pm

Finally, it could also be a virus. Some viruses don't harm your computer, but they will make your experience online very annoying.

Run a virus check. If you do not have anti-virus software, you will need to purchase one IMMEDIATELY. If you own a computer, and it does not matter how new the computer is, you MUST have anti-virus software on your computer. Otherwise, expect to be buying a new computer within a year or two, and risk losing all information on your computer.
Norton Anti-Virus 2005

Updated On: 9/22/04 at 04:19 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:21pm

After you remove all spyware, then go back into Internet Options and change it again. Click APPLY then OK.

Restart your computer.

If it persists, probably a virus, or the program did not detect the spyware. But if it didn't detect the spyware first time around, its probably a virus then.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:36pm

It's looking like ad aware did the trick. Thank you, we'll see what happens.

[Mamie]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:43pm

Mine did that and it (sadly) turned out to be a virus. I had a guy out here who fixed everything but we did talk about getting the spy ware off the system. I had Spybot downloaded but he said that it could actually be a little dangerous. It could possibly delete good files with the bad. He recommended the ad aware program and loaded it on for me. I run it every day and so far (knock on wood) no problems!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:44pm

Yeah, it's looking like ad aware got rid of it. When I saw the list of stuff it found, malware was listed. So I'm hoping it did it. No problems so far... (knock on wood). Thank you so much for your help Capn!!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:47pm

Well, I guess I'm not out of the woods yet. The homepage is working, but this thing pops up periodically that says something like "web dialer." Then little things come up, saying something like, "already running." There's like 10 little windows that come up. Anybody have any idea what that means?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:48pm

No problem. Glad your computer's OK now.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 4:58pm

Oddsfish.

Trying running spyware search again, with both programs.