Hello,

Is there anyone who knows how to get rid of this thing? I spoke with our IT guy and we went through a bunch of stuff and it did not work...
Basically, about:blank has hijacked my homepage and I cannot get rid of it

Please for the love of god, if anyone knows how to get rid of this and its stupid popups (I have norton and pop up blockere), I would be grateful.

3 steps to start off:
1. Download & run Adaware (reboot)
2. Download & run Spybot S&D (reboot)
3. Download & run HijackThis & post into a spyware forum for reading.

Details:

1.
Adaware
Ad-Aware 6 comes pre-configured with default options that are already ON (green checkmark) ... do not change them. The following are changes that you will need to make to prepare the "Full" custom scan that is recommended for the first look into your computer (instead of a red "x", you will make them a green "checkmark"):
Launch the program, and click on the Gear at the top of the start screen to access the preferences/setting window.
Click the "Scanning" button.
Under Drives & Folders, select "Scan within Archives".
Click "Click here to select Drives + folders" and select your installed hard drives.
Under Memory & Registry, select all options.
Under "Cleaning Engine", select the following:
"Let Windows remove files in use after reboot."
Click on 'Proceed' to save these Preferences.
Now update to the latest reference file. They update these constantly.

When you are finished, you will be using the Custom Scan with Memory and Both registry scans ON. Please make sure that you activate IN-DEPTH scanning before you proceed.

After you have set up these options, be sure to choose "Custom Scan" not "Smart Scan" and choose next.

Let it remove all finds. It will put these in quarentine to back up later if necessary.

2.
Spybot S&D
Check for and install ALL updates listed. Click the 'immunize' on the left and protect against all. Click the "search and destroy" button in the left hand pane, then over to "check for problems". After the scan, any finds will be listed in RED. Let it fix and remove all items.

3.
HijackThis

<ADMIN EDIT> Wow what a load of crap you wrote there, sorry I deleted it and all your hard work but if you must try and send our members to rogue sites then you will be dealt with accordingly. Oh and by the way, your account is now banned

i did post this on another forum where it was met with alot of doubt and scepticism from professionals.

has anyone here tried it?

any thoughts?

Hi all,

I've just found a way of stopping your IE homepage in windows 98 from changing to about:BLANK and having those annoying spyware detected ads!

I found this on another site, the guys a hero! It was easy for me, no bull, and worked for me!

Try this.


1. Go to 'view', 'folder options', 'view', 'SHOW ALL FILES' in windows explorer.

2. Run adaware, making sure to scan the windows, program files, my documents folders. Then run Shredder. I don't know much, but removed anything which didnt look right. (if you don't have adaware or cwshedder then just find them on the web, they are free, not difficult to find or download)

3.unplug your internet....I just pulled out lead at the back.

4.Now go to 'start' in the bottom left, and 'run', then type in msinfo32

5.Expand the Software enviroment section, and select System Hooks.

6.If you are infected with CWSearchx, you will see a suspicious file there. Hook type 'windows procedure' The file name will be a nonsense string of characters, ending in .dll The path will be \windows\System. WRITE IT DOWN! (mine was ctlm.dll)

7.Close that. Open windows explorer, go to \windows\system and look for the file. If you can see it, then it's WRONG. Hopefully it won't be there......mine wasn't there!...which is good.

8.Shut down, hold down F8 on the keyboard to get the safemode option screen thingy when it restarts. Now unless I do this, which I can't at mo, as I'm typing, I can't remember exact wording, but choose the option where it lets you type in,the command prompt. (about 4th line down is it)

Anyway, when you get the C:\ command line, type cd\windows\system

9. Then type dir, a space, and the name of the file you wrote down.

e.g dir ctlm.dll

The file should show and be 57,344 bytes, mine was and the guy who did this first says his was

10. Type ren, a space, and the name of the file, and then a new name for the file(e.g ren ctlm.dll ctlm.bob). Make sure you change the extension of the file from .dll to something else. Don't delete it. I named it .bob also.

11. Restart in safe mode...hold down F8 and then choose safe mode.It moaned that it couldn't find the file....which is good!

12. Once in Safemode I ran all my programs again..adaware, CWshedder, mine didn't find anything, but it could find the renamed file in your system folder and will identify it as CWS, if it does, have adaware delete it.

Mine didn't though.

13. Restart the computer normally....mine was fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes, plug your internet back in.

If you wanna thank this guy, then the original link is here....

http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index...topic=10746&hl=


I'd like to know if this works for everyone?!

Originally Posted by angel_eater

THIS IS IT!!! Here is how you fix this damn problem. I scratched my head for weeks trying to fix my friend's computer and I finally figured it out...GO ME.

I just got around to analyzing this uninstall file <ADMIN EDIT - REMOVED URL> ITS BULL!! loaded with CWSearchassistant

If you run this uninstaller, I suggest following it with a dose of CWShredder and a shot

Am I invisible?...lol

My method worked!!!!!!!

Please try it!

angel-eaters post has now been edited IF ANYONE ELSE NEEDS HELP WITH ABOUT:BLANK POST IN THE SPYWARE FORUM HERE http://www.d-a-l.com/help/forumdisplay.php?f=8 AND ASK FOR HELP