The obnoxious url is http://t.rack.cc/h.php?aid=35 (don’t enter, please, it doesn’t even have a name), and it’s a search engine from an unknown source.
I’m sure some stupid spyware put it in my system and now is driving me mad. I executed Ad-Aware but didn’t solve the problem. Then I search the registry, I found the page in all of the keys and substituted it with the yahoo site, but when I restart the system, the page is there again, every time I open a new browser window. Of course, I’ve used tools>internet options>general>home page, I’m not a begginer.
If it’s what I had, you set your homepage back to the original, run AdAware and Spybot, clear all the problems, and then it’s back next time you turn on your computer, right?
From what I’ve read online, there’s a continually evolving trojan out there, mainly called “CoolWebSearch” or some variant thereof. Generally, the highjacked start page is a search site.
If you look here, there’s a history of the bug and what other forms it takes. At the bottom of the page is a funky downloadable program called “cwshredder” that clears up everything beautifully for you.
CWshredder will remove a CoolWeb Search variant. You might also check your startup files to make sure it is not starting when the computer is booted. To get there Run > Type msconfig > open the tab “Startup” and check through these programs. Uncheck any suspicious programs and reboot. In XP you get a dialog box about these programs being stopped but just check the small box and continue.
Use the program Toddly suggested. We had this problem for over a month, except not only was it switching the start pages, it was adding porn to the favorites lists, and the program got rid of it in less than 2 minutes. You can get it here http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html
Since this came up, may I ask a related question? I have something I’d like to banish from my system tray. I tried the above with the expected result. Trouble is, checking the XP dialog box at startup takes just as much time as closing the offending software. How can I banish the *&%^ thing without XP “helpfully” telling me about it every time?
Some more malware-removal tools are in this thread.
Yes, the Coolwave stuff is not detected or removed by AdAware, by their own admission when last I communicated with them. No reason given but they said they were working on it.
E.Thorp there should be a small very little check box in the left corner of the dialog box you see on startup. Make sure you check that and it should not reappear.