hijacked internet connection?

Factual Questions
1

So I pulled the chain and bought a PC laptop with Windows 8.1. So far, I am not a fan, but I am working on it.

Every time I open a web browser (either IE or Firefox) i get a Bing search page that says Tuvaro across the top.

I have set a home page (cnn.com) and the box on my general settings tab says to go to my home page when Firefox starts.

Every Start ends up with the Tuvaro page. Selecting my home page from the toolbar icon opens another tab with my homepage.

Opening Internet explorer gives me the “Discover the new Internet Explorer for Windows 8” page with a Tuivaro tab and a tab suggesting that I make IE my default browser.

So: what is up with the Tuvaro search page? Where did it come from?

2

"Remove Tuvaro Toolbar and Tuvaro Search (Removal Guide)

Tuvaro is a browser hijacker, which is promoted via other free downloads, and once installed it will add the Tuvaro Toolbar and change your browser homepage and default search engine to tuvaro.com.’
This in itself is not considered malicious as there are many legitimate programs that change these settings as well. What is considered malicious, though, is that it will also append the argument http://tuvaro.com/ to random Windows shortcuts on your desktop and your Windows Start Menu."
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/tuvaro-toolbar-virus/

3

thanks!

4

Whenever you install software, even paid-for and legitimate, read ALL the splash screens and tick or untick the boxes that install unwanted extras like this.

5

My problem came about during setup out of the touch pad is more sensitive than I am used to, and i selected stuff inadvertently while trying to navigate. I am pretty sure this all stemmed from a java update box. I have been trying to clean up the aftermath of this but could not find a place to get Tuvaro to uninstall. I also had a program called ShopperPro that just would not die. I thought I had it yesterday but it was still there during my hunt for Tuvaro.

I had not put any of my work applications on this laptop yet and the best option was to just scrub the whole thing and reinstall the image on the recovery portion of my hard drive. It is now returning to its factory default state and I will start again, being much more careful this time…

Thank you again for the help

6

use an external mouse. it will add years to your life.

7

I couldn’t agree more

8

I use a trackball mouse http://t2-13h2onlineb.wikispaces.com/file/view/trackball%20mouse%201.jpg/412604462/trackball%20mouse%201.jpg

This means that no pad is needed. Downside is that it is quite large.