Seeking HELP with new Browser Hijacker

[Yax]

So I've got this CWS (CoolWebSearch) hijacker strand that I just can't seem to get rid of. Periodically, some popup message would come up on the screen I just can't get to some sites.

I tried, AdwareSE, SpybotS&D, SpySweeper and none of them could get it off.

It won't even let me to to Microsoft's update site.

Can anyone recommend any product that could remove it?

BTW, I've got XP with SP2.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Try CWS Shredder? Also, BHO Demon might be worth checking out.

 

[minendo]

Try HiJack This.

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Try CWS Shredder? Also, BHO Demon might be worth checking out.

That didn't work either.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: Yax

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Try CWS Shredder? Also, BHO Demon might be worth checking out.

That didn't work either.

Are you booting into Safe Mode to do the scanning and removal?

 

[KLin]

turn off system restore, run ad-aware and the vx2 cleaner add-on, run hijackthis, run cwshredder.

 

[HappyPuppy]

<helpdesk>format and reinstall<helpdesk>

 

[thirdlegstump]

<useful helpdesk>get a Mac</useful helpdesk>

 

[jjones]

I've had that POS search and home page hijacker. I just used system restore to get rid of it.

 

[imported_Hi]

try microsofts new antispyware tool

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
<helpdesk>format and reinstall<helpdesk>

<ATOT helpdesk>WRONG SECTION!</ATOT helpdesk>

 

[Yax]

Tried it all, safe mode, Turned off System Restore, etc.

I was afraid to try hijackthis because it listed a lot of registry settings and I wasn't sure what deleting them would affect, but oh well. Tried it, removed everything found and looks like it worked. Phew.

But now I gotta go see what other program is not working. Thanks guys.

 

[masterxfob]

are you using IE or FF?

 

[ErmanC]

Originally posted by: minendo
Try HiJack This.

I had that same thing CoolWebSearch and HiJack THis! helped me completely wipe it out... Great application..

 

[KoolDrew]

There is a sticky about this in the software forum. Which is where this post belongs...

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: Hi
try microsofts new antispyware tool

Yep, after using Hijackthis to get rid of it, I downloaded the MS spyware tools too. Beta version, but it works great.

I have to say, that one I caught was particularly bad. I tried so many tools and none could wipe it out. Finally, HijackThis got rid of most of it, but somehow I still continued to get some strange popup that just comes out of nowhere. I downloaded the MS tools and it wiped that out so looks good now.

 

[imported_Phil]

That was teh suck.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: Dopefiend
I aer teh suck.

Much better.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

this is actually the first one in my life I wasn't able to break or delete alltogether (there are several hundred replication files I delted/broke, and it still kept coming back somehow.). I had 2 people this week get this bastard on our network. I had to build new OS's for them to finally get rid of it.

 

[mwtgg]

.

 

[imported_Phil]

.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Wife's system got nailed with cool web search, I finally did an OS reinstall after a reformat, then I took the IE icon off her desktop & she uses FF now.

I particularly liked cool web search's offer to uninstall the software from thier website, that didn't work.

Article on coolwebsearch

 

[Spikesoldier]

Originally posted by: deathkoba
<useful helpdesk>get a Mac</useful helpdesk>

straight from the horse's mouth :roll:

 

[shilala]

Run your utilities then post a hijackthis log for Schadenfroeh in Software, Apps, Programmimg.
Be careful what you delte from the hijackthis log. Some hooks might be good.