Ad-Aware has picked up something new...

[crazyray]

I'm getting a series of 5 entries, all marked as "Type: Regvalue, System: Possible Browser Hijack Attempt". All 5 entries end with a reference to http://www.topsearcher.com/ie/.

• *Entry:1/5
  Type:Regvalue
  System:Possible Browser Hijack Attempt
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search
  Page:http://www.topsearcher.com/ie/
  
  *Entry:2/5
  Type:Regvalue
  System:Possible Browser Hijack Attempt
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search
  Bar:http:www.topsearcher.com/ie/
  
  *Entry:3/5
  Type:Regvalue
  System:Possible Browser Hijack Attempt
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Search_URL:http://www.topsearcher.com/ie/
  
  *Entry:4/5
  Type:Regvalue
  System:Possible Browser Hijack Attempt
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\SearchAssistant:http://www.topsearcher.com/ie/
  
  *Entry:5/5
  Type:Regvalue
  System:Possible Browser Hijack Attempt
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\SearchAssistant:http://www.topsearcher.com/ie/

AdAware 5.80 with the most current ref update will find and remove this, but it returns with every reboot. Can anyone comment on what this is and how to rid myself of it? (BTW, my CA EZ Antivirus finds nothing.) I HAVE NOT tried the URL "topsearcher".

[storm2k]

try a google search on topsearch removal... should give you a few sites with the info...

[surreal]

Looks like those pages that pop up if you type in a URL wrong then when you try to close it, it will set itself as your home page..

Run this little proggy-http://www.techimo.com/forum/t1325.html
I just cleaned up a bunch with it this AM..

[crazyray]

I tried the google search, but didn't find what I needed (did I miss it?).

I like the RegCleaner, Surreal. My first run-thru with it didn't solve my current issue but did remove some muck. I'm sure I don't know exactly what it is I'm looking for.

[crazyray]

Searched Google for "topsearcher removal", not "topsearch removal", and got some hits. I'll let you know...

[surreal]

WEll, there is always my real method I would never reccommend..
If it's tough I search out the file name(s) on the drive and manually delete them... Then clean out the registry.

[crazyray]

I found this at www.cexx.org/adware.htm

Unknown portal potties (redirecting to goto.com, topsearcher.com, et al) - reportedly add the files sps.dll and sp.dll to your system. To fix, delete/rename these files and (optionally) remove the references from the StartUp folder. These appear they may be text files despite the .dll extension.

I removed "sp.dll" using regedit and the nasty died.

I'm just beginning to grasp how bad the spyware/trash apps problem is...