# Gaah! I clicked the wrong button by mistake; now I have some POS adware! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 25, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212 "2003-11-25T17:31:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/1 "2003-11-25T17:31:52Z")
And AdAware can’t effectively remove the culprit! It keeps removing some cookies and registry entries classified as “data mining” but they won’t stay gone! I wonder if reinstalling IE will do any good. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/2 "2003-11-25T17:35:43Z")
You might want to try this site. I’ve had really, really good luck with it in getting rid of adware/spyware. [http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php](http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php) Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/3 "2003-11-25T17:43:52Z")
Tried Spybot yet? [Spybot S&D](http://www.safer-networking.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/4 "2003-11-25T18:04:00Z")
One thing I’ve found that helps is start your computer in safe mode. See your computer “Help” to find out how to start in safe mode. Ad-aware can’t remove a program that’s running, so starting in safe mode will prevent any extraneous stuff from running. THEN run Ad-aware while in safe mode. It should do the trick. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/5 "2003-11-25T18:23:25Z")
Hi **Jeff Olsen** When you first open Adaware, are you checking for any updates it may have? And secondly, have you made sure to put a check mark beside all the spyware it finds, before clicking “Next”? Any chance you know what particular piece of adware is troublesome? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/6 "2003-11-25T18:34:20Z")
**Ghanima** : Thanks, I’ll try that when I get home. **brianjedi** : Yeah. In fact, I tried Spybot before AdAware. **Daizy** : I downloaded the most recent version of AdAware after discovering that Spybot didn’t remove the problem. **Beadalin** : I’ll try that if running AdAware in safe mode doesn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/7 "2003-11-25T18:44:39Z")
I’ve never had any luck with AdAware. All it ever does is get rid of data miners (which I think are just ad cookies) and was never of any use when I had issues with unwanted parasites. Try [HijackThis](http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/). It was wonderful and free and annihilated the little bastards fucking with my computer. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/8 "2003-11-25T18:47:29Z")
Oh, and **Daizy** , I have no idea what the culprit is. I clicked the mouse without paying attention to where the pointer was. Whatever it is installed a Lycos search bar, changed my start page to a search page, added a bunch of junk to my bookmarks and desktop, and added a search page to my “website not found” page. I haven’t checked other sites yet but the site I was at when the damn thing installed now has keyword links. For example, the word “graphics” is a link to some site that sells video cards. I’ve successfully removed everything except the search bar and the keyword links. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/9 "2003-11-25T18:49:49Z")
**Neurotik** appeared while I was typing. Thanks, I’ll look into that as well. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/10 "2003-11-25T19:00:33Z")
Back again… Have you been through add/remove and sesarched for something such as Lycos Side Search? If found…remove through there…then go ahead and run ad-aware once more. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/11 "2003-11-25T19:55:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Daizy \* > **Have you been through add/remove and sesarched for something such as Lycos Side Search?** Yeah, the first thing I did was go into Add/Remove Programs and see what was installed. Found Lycos Side Search and told XP that I didn’t want it, so it has supposedly been removed. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/12 "2003-11-25T19:57:09Z")
I’ve also been back in Add/Remove and haven’t seen anything else potentially nefarious. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/13 "2003-11-25T21:29:49Z")
Try the safe mode technique. It was the only way I could get this stupid Gold Search Bar thingy…and let us know if it worked! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/14 "2003-11-26T02:49:09Z")
AdAware in safe mode seems to have worked. I still have the damn toolbar (disabled) but haven’t seen any keyword links. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/15 "2003-11-26T03:20:40Z")
Still getting popups that are bypassing Free Surfer though. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/16 "2003-11-26T03:29:58Z")
Decided to try **Neurotik** ’s suggestion and it got rid of the annoying toolbar. Hopefully that’s what the problem was. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/17 "2003-11-30T19:19:16Z")
Nope, the keyword links are back. I did notice another potential problem program that I didn’t catch earlier and removed it. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/18 "2003-11-30T19:46:30Z")
Hi again Jeff, I apologize if I’m belabouring the point…but when you ran ad-aware…did you indeed check for updates? I know you said you had downloaded the latest version, but this one too, requires updating. Lastly, did you put checkmarks in everything it found…and let it get rid of all it found? ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/19 "2003-11-30T19:56:30Z")
I’ve posted the following to several other threads on similar problems. Hopefully I’m not pissing people off (the previous two OP’s never returned :eek: ). Since you mentioned that your start page has changed, have you tried Googling on the name of that start page? Chances are that other people have exactly the same problem. Googling will quickly bring up related discussions. I’ve seen this with CoolWebSearch, Toonytunes, Globalsearch or things like that. it all seems to boil down to one specific Trojan Horse. There is a program called CWShredder that takes this out; you can google for that program as well. See my posts to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=225989) and [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=226112) thread. Hope it works. No guarantees, though. It worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212/20 "2003-11-30T20:04:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Daizy \* > **I apologize if I’m belabouring the point…but when you ran ad-aware…did you indeed check for updates? I know you said you had downloaded the latest version, but this one too, requires updating.** I didn’t expect an update within a day of downloading, so no. I have now, though. > [@](#): > > \*\* Lastly, did you put checkmarks in everything it found…and let it get rid of all it found? \*\* Yes, every time I’ve ran the thing. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Tusculan_ > \*\*Since you mentioned that your start page has changed, have you tried Googling on the name of that start page? \*\* I just changed it back to what it’s supposed to be without paying any attention to what it was changed to. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaah-i-clicked-the-wrong-button-by-mistake-now-i-have-some-pos-adware/215212.md?page=2)