I have run adaware, sybot S&D and SpyBlaster and still nothing stops the Search Assistant from taking over the system. Can you help?

Bushy.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 3:59:02 PM, on 11/21/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ENCOMPASS\ENCMONTR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\AVGSERV9.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\AVGCC32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
F1 - win.ini: run=hpfsched
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 5.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.OCX
O2 - BHO: Class - {49A8E70A-06F3-30B7-0087-F3EF602D6A45} - C:\WINDOWS\IECD32.DLL
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] c:\windows\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] c:\windows\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_CC] C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\avgcc32.exe /startup
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Encompass_ENCMONTR] C:\Program Files\Encompass\ENCMONTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [WinTools] C:\Program Files\Common Files\WinTools\WToolsA.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Avgserv9.exe] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVG6\Avgserv9.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://C:\PROGRAM FILES\GOOGLE\GOOGLETOOLBAR1.DLL/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O12 - Plugin for .wav: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mid: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O16 - DPF: {56336BCB-3D8A-11D6-A00B-0050DA18DE71} (RdxIE Class) - http://software-dl.real.com/133c94ce...p/RdxIE601.cab

before you do that just let owen have a quick look atyour highjack log he may be able to save you some time and effort! what have you got to lose
also are your copies of spybot and adaware up todate

1. Download AboutBuster http://www.downloads.subratam.org/AboutBuster.zip

Unzip it to your desktop but don't run it yet.

2. Download Ad-aware from here. Open the Ad-aware program and near the bottom click the Check For Updates link. This will open the update manager. Follow the prompts to update your Ad-aware Reference File. Close Ad-aware for now, we will use it later.

3. You may want to print out these instructions for further reference when completing the following steps.

4. Ensure you are showing Hidden Files and Folders as per instructions here.

5. Then reboot your PC into Safe Mode. If you don't know how to do this, see here for further instructions.

6. Restart Hijack This and put a checkmark next to the following entries and click Fix Checked:

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = res://C:\WINDOWS\icoio.dll/sp.html#28129
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
O2 - BHO: Class - {49A8E70A-06F3-30B7-0087-F3EF602D6A45} - C:\WINDOWS\IECD32.DLL
O16 - DPF: {56336BCB-3D8A-11D6-A00B-0050DA18DE71} (RdxIE Class) - http://software-dl.real.com/133c94c...ip/RdxIE601.cab

Then delete the following files and folders:
C:\WINDOWS\IECD32.DLL

7. Double click AboutBuster.exe that you downloaded earlier. Click OK, click Start, then click OK. This will scan your computer for the bad files and delete them. Save the report (copy and paste into notepad or wordpad and save as a .txt file) and post a copy back here when you are done with all the steps.

8. Scan with Adaware and let it remove any bad files found.

9. Download SSS from here. Run the program and on the items to clear tab select both "Temporary Files" options and the "Recycle Bin" option. Then click Clear Selected Items.

10. Reboot to normal mode

11. Finally, pay a visit to Housecall. Scan for and remove any infected files found on your system.

Post a fresh HijackThis log and the AboutBuster report back here please.

Thanks for the reply. I'll do those steps and get back to the board.

B.