# Computer Problems Due to Download
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 4, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060 "2003-05-04T19:44:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lost\_In\_Reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_In_Reality)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/1 "2003-05-04T19:44:40Z")
Friends, my great dear friends.
One of them, while playing around on my computer, listened to a popup, and downloaded some program. Now whenever I run internet explorer, my google toolbar is knocked off, and is replaced by a different toolbar called “Igrbrxeaoas.” I figured out that name from the toolbar choices because I’ve never seen that one before. Along with the new toolbar, there is a popup window, the same one always, allowing me to search the internet. Furthermore, whenever a page cannot be displayed, my computer shows a page that says “page cannot be displayed,” and under it is a search engine. The address that it always shows is C:\WINDOWS\dlchsthhgrh.htm#http:/// Finally, my home page is randomly replaced with about:blank now. Any help would be greatly greatly appreciated, also any tips on what to do to this friend are also welcome 😉 .
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/2 "2003-05-04T19:48:29Z")
Adaware and/or Spybot are both freely available packages to seek out and eliminate this sort of scumware from your system. They seem to complement each other as far as what they will remove.
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### Author:  [@Buck\_The\_Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_The_Diver)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/3 "2003-05-04T20:23:01Z")
Get thee to www.lavasoft.nu and and grab Ad-Aware 6.0. Best darn free software program in the world, IMHO. It should clear up your problem.
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### Author:  [@Lost\_In\_Reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_In_Reality)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/4 "2003-05-04T20:27:20Z")
Alas, I already have a copy of Ad-Aware. It found 100 files, and my problems will subside for a bit. Then it’ll restart again. I’m going to try to find a copy of Spybot, and use the two in conjunction.
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### Author:  [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/5 "2003-05-04T20:31:11Z")
What computer do you have? If you have ME, you can go back to a time prior to the download. Also, if you have Norton AV, it has a Go-back which will allow you to do the same thing.
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### Author:  [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/6 "2003-05-04T20:44:13Z")
Q.E.D - Do you have that blurb stored someplace? 'Cause you seem to have to use something like it alot. 😉
[Adaware](http://www.lavasoft.de/)
[Spybot](http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp)
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/7 "2003-05-04T21:24:36Z")
Uninstall IE or Netscape & then reinstall. Also, save your bookmarks first.
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### Author:  [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/8 "2003-05-04T21:35:32Z")
Hi Lost in Reality
Along with the excellent advice already posted (Excluding Handy’s)… [this link](http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/) may help as well.
Running both Spybot and Adaware (make sure you’ve got the latest version) together, as has been suggested, is a great place to start.
Daizy
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/9 "2003-05-04T21:39:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Nanoda \*
> \*\*Q.E.D - Do you have that blurb stored someplace? 'Cause you seem to have to use something like it alot. 😉
> [Adaware](http://www.lavasoft.de/)
> [Spybot](http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp) \*\*
No, but I \*will save these links. I keep forgetting to do that. 😃
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### Author:  [@Lost\_In\_Reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_In_Reality)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/10 "2003-05-04T23:16:11Z")
Thanks for all the help guys. I’ve run now, both Spybot and Ad-Aware. Unfortunately, it is still there. Thankfully, I have Nortons AV Professional Edition. Can anyone show me where the “go back in time” feature is? Otherwise, I will follow that great link that Daizy gave me.
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### Author:  [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/11 "2003-05-05T00:39:12Z")
Hi again Lost in Reality
What O/S are you running?
Have you gone through add/remove, to check if it’s in there? I’m still not clear on which browser “enhancer” you’ve got… but I’ve cleaned out more than a few “hotbar” entries?
Do take a look and get back to us with a little more info when you’re able.
Daizy
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### Author:  [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/12 "2003-05-05T00:48:59Z")
When you first boot up the computer, after the POST, you should see a bar on the screen that says “Go Back - Press Space Bar for any Problems.” Pressing the bar gives you date options to go back to.
If not (and I don’t know why not), it should have been saved as a shortcut on your desktop when you downloaded Norton, either from the disc or electronically.
If not, you will find it at Start\>Programs\>Go Back
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### Author:  [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/13 "2003-05-05T01:25:04Z")
Another way is to access “Norton Internet Security.” This will give you an option bar “Norton SystemWorks.” Press that bar and it will give you several more option bars, including “Go Back.”
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### Author:  [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/14 "2003-05-05T01:43:39Z")
If you’re conversant with the registry, go to the start up entries in the registry. Then compare the entries you see with the list out here :
[http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup\_index.htm](http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm)
It’s the most exhaustive list of start up items on the 'net that I’ve come across. It’s also got a list of spyware utils you could run to fix your problem.
If you’re not comfortable with editing the registry manually, then use start/run/msconfig.exe or get [ashampoo winoptimizer](http://www.ashampoo.com/) to list the start up items for you.
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### Author:  [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/15 "2003-05-05T02:43:19Z")
To expand a little on **xash** ’s advice…
Go to start…then run…and type in: msconfig Click Ok…then look under the Startup tab.
Compare the list you see against the Pacs Portal site.
Daizy
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### Author:  [@Lost\_In\_Reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_In_Reality)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/16 "2003-05-05T23:40:12Z")
I just wanted to thank everyone for their help, and in case anyone was still worrying, everything is fixed.
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### Author:  [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problems-due-to-download/173060/17 "2003-05-06T01:09:21Z")
Congratulations Lost In Reality! What did you do to accomplish this?
Daizy