Need Computer Help! Very Desperate!

[mrsapalm]

Here's the situation...
DH visited a certain web site that he wasn't supposed to (curiousity killed the cat) and a bug/virus/malicious thingie was planted in my computer system.
I run on Windows 98 and have Internet Explorer 5.5. The problem is that my home page is now set on Said Certain Web Site. I have changed it manually many times, erased all cookies, all temporary internet files, run Ad-Aware, run my anti-virus software, and cleaned the system. I still can't get rid of this!! Every time I restart my computer that page comes back.
DH has expressed many, many apologies and is truly sorry (momentary lapse of reason on his part) but every time I try to go online - I get reminded of this crap. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!
How do I get rid of this??? A friend of his suggested he uninstall IE and re-install it. I don't want to go that far because I will lose all of my settings and favorites and I'll have to spend a lot of time re-doing what I've already done. Please, please, please help me!!
-MrsAPalm

 

[browneyes]

You've gone to tools, internet options, home page, address and it's still there after reboot? Strange. You might could go into your security options and block the site from there.

 

[bumcat]

The only thing that worked for me was changing the homepage to replace that one. I picked one of the tv stations, after that it never popped up again and I don't open anything unless I'm familiar with it.

 

[Kermit]

If you've changed it the way Browneyes said to and it still changes back, it could be a virus. Do you have a virus scanner? If not, you should.

Another possible way to fix it, instead of uninstalling and reinstalling, is getting an IE update from MS's website. It probably won't work, but it's easy to do, and there's always a chance that it could update the file that's causing your problem.

 

[mrsapalm]

I've changed the homepage a number of times (to MSN, to default, to blank page) and that didn't work. I've re-set my security settings... still won't work. Ugh!!!
He did tell me that he learned his lesson. Let's hope so.
-MrsAPalm

 

[Rajah]

Sorry, Mrs A, but the only thing I can think of to try that you haven't tried already is to reinstall or install an upgrade to IE 6... And even that might not get it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

If you reinstall IE, or better, upgrade to 6, just export your favorites, under File, Import and Export. After the upgrade, just import and you are all set.

 

[mrsapalm]

Well, I guess I've gotta do what I've gotta do... I'll start on that when I get home from work tonight and let you kind folks know how it goes.....
Did I mention I also got flowers delivered to my office partially because of this... you can bet when I get crossed I make my unhappiness known! At least he told me immediately what happened and almost started crying over it. I still wanted to wring his neck, but for the most part I'm over it now.
Thanks for all of the great advice!
-MrsAPalm

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good luck, Andrea, and don't forget those favorites.

 

[cotye]

I had a similar experience, in that I visited some site and one of those 'you need to download this software' to continue dialog boxes popped up. (this was just a normal website, but seemed to have a lot of those advertisements). In any case, I usually say no, but somehow I inadvertantly pressed yes and before I knew it, this search webpage had overtaken my home page. No matter what I did, erasing the history, changing the actual home page, whenever I found an error on another webpage, this search page would pop up. So bloody annoying!!

Finally got rid of it, by uninstalling IE. What a hassle!

 

[yensid1071]

Hi MrsA! Okay, well, this is certainly a predicament. I'm not totally sure IE can be uninstalled. From what I heard, Microsoft build IE in there so that no matter what you do, you can't get rid of it (sort of like the virus). They probably changed that in recent years due to their court issue.

Hopefully it's not a case of them putting something in your registry! That would be bad....

I agree with the others. Try to uninstall IE, then reinstall it or a newer version.

Or use Netscape.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

actually Yensid you hit the nail on the head, it's most likely a registry entry. Not a big deal but won't cause permanent damage. Even uninstalling and reinstalling IE may not remove it in some cases.
If that doesn't work and you really have to get rid of it you have two choices, you could bring it to a local computer pro or call Microsoft tech support (they charge 25 bucks) editing the registry is not something to be taken lightly

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by WebmasterAlex
editing the registry is not something to be taken lightly

Bah!! Don't be a chicken!! Just go into the registry and delete anything that you don't understand!

 

[jipsy]

crissup!

 

[browneyes]

Originally posted by yensid1071
Or use Netscape.

OOGLEY MOOGLEY NO! Next thing you know, you'll be telling her to get a Mac.

 

[jfulcer]

seems this is a pretty nasty thing, and up and coming. I do not believe that re-installing IE will solve the problem.

A couple sites I read suggested updating to Ad-Aware 5.7 and seeing if that catches it as it's been updated recently with these types of spyware.

Failing that, I found some refererences that may or may not be able to help out:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/hijacked.html

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm

Good luck. If these dont work, I'd suggest doing this search (I'm surprised Dan didn't suggest it first. )

 

[JohnTBap]

Originally posted by browneyes

OOGLEY MOOGLEY NO! Next thing you know, you'll be telling her to get a Mac.

EW - no way - Macs su*ck.

 

[Ricola]

Get a Mac!

 

[Dan Murphy]

LOL, Jeff. I should have thought of that. BTW, Ad-Aware is now at 5.83.

 

[wdisneelvr]

mrsapalm,

I share my pc with my hubby and son. This very same thing happened to us too. I have it on my pc when I open IE. I have had it for about a year now and have learned to live with it. When I open IE I quickly hit the stop button to prevent opening that horrible webpage. Then I put in a webpage I want and make that my homepage....I know it sounds like a lot of hassle but my friend said that somehow that website changed my SCRIPT in my pc. I guess that registry thingy who knows. We have tried everything in the book to fix it. I'm sure you could take your pc to someone that could make it work right, but it's not worth my time or money for me. I just live with it..