# What's up with Google? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758 "2004-05-30T04:23:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/21 "2004-05-30T23:50:28Z")
Thanks for the link, **Rico**. I’ve run Spybot, and it got rid of a few things, but the problem is still there. Aveguy says he will look things over for me, and we’ll see if any of the other protective software mentioned in the link can help. (It’s up to him to deal with downloading any new programs on this comp.) Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/22 "2004-05-31T01:19:31Z")
I don’t think it is spyware; I’m very careful about that and As far as I can tell, there’s nothing like that on this machine, but sometimes when I search (suppose I’m searching for ‘bananas’, all I get is “Compare prices for **bananas** ”, 'Get the best deal on **bananas**", “Hot girls want to give you **bananas** today” etc. I think it is just that there are some sites that have managed undeservedly to get themselves a high google rank. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/23 "2004-05-31T14:20:02Z")
> [@t-keela](#): > > This is a copy of the first page I got when I typed in Baltimore newspaper. There is also a popup at the end of this that appeared as well. I would have been back sooner but it cut me offline completely with an error message that WAOL was not loading or some such. It sounds like an AOL problem. I’ve been having problems getting some sites to load. Including the SDMB. I had to delete some new cookies to get back online and shut down the command to update them. > > results 1 - 10 of about 1,060,000 for baltimore newspaper. (0.21 seconds) > Tip: Find maps by searching for a street address with city or zip code > Baltimore Newspaper: Compare Prices > Compare prices at 40,000 Stores. Find the Best Deals at [BizRate.com](http://BizRate.com)! > > Search Baltimore Toolbar - FREE Download > One-click access to Baltimore news. The FREE download also featues access to local businesses, schools, and churches. > > baltimore newspaper: Find more information here. > Need more information on baltimore newspaper, sit back and let us find it! We pull from the some of the biggest search engines on the internet, so you don’t have too! > > You can find more on: baltimore newspaper right now. > Having trouble finding information on: baltimore newspaper, why not give us a try? We pull from more than 15 leading search engines in real time giving you the best results the internet has to offer. Ok, when I search “baltimore newspaper” I get the following results from Google: > [@](#): > > Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, CWA-TNG, Local 32035 … > Web site of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, Local 32035 of > the The Newspaper Guild-Communication Workers of America. WBNG … > [www.wbng.org/](http://www.wbng.org/) - 101k - 29 May 2004 - Cached - Similar pages > > Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild – Frequently Asked Questions > Guild Frequently Asked Questions. 1. What is the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper > Guild (WBNG)? … Copyright © 2003 Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild. > [www.wbng.org/faq.htm](http://www.wbng.org/faq.htm) - 12k - Cached - Similar pages > [More results from [www.wbng.org](http://www.wbng.org) ] > > Mondo Times - Baltimore Sun - Baltimore newspaper covering news … > Baltimore Sun. Baltimore newspaper covering news: general - Baltimore media > guide at Mondo Times. … Baltimore newspaper covering news: general. … > [Baltimore Sun newspaper in Baltimore Maryland - MondoTimes.com](http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/20/1131/2696) - 26k - 29 May 2004 - Cached - Similar pages > > [baltimoresun.com](http://baltimoresun.com) | News, sports, entertainment and classifieds … > … Visitors’ Guide Visitors’ GuideHighlandtown: This working class neighborhood > mixes old Baltimore charm with a renovation renaissance. What do you know? … > [www.sunspot.net/](http://www.sunspot.net/) - 50k - Cached - Similar pages > > The Baltimore Chronicle and Sentinel Newspapers > … Click here for more information about this newspaper and Baltimore News Network, > Inc. Thank you for your support. $15/yr. — OR —. Any amount! … > [www.baltimorechronicle.com/](http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/) - 32k - Cached - Similar pages > > The Afro American Newspaper > FRONT PAGE. News. History. Sports. Entertainment. Commentary. Editorial. Church > Happenings. Culture. Kid’s Zone. MARKET PLACE. Discussion Board. Chat Room. Contact > AFRO. … > [www.afro.com/](http://www.afro.com/) - 28k - Cached - Similar pages > > The Baltimore Guide Online > Baltimore’s Neighborhood Newspaper Since 1927 • Online Since 1997. > From the Wednesday, May 12, 2004 Edition of The Baltimore Guide. … > [www.ebguide.com/](http://www.ebguide.com/) - 22k - Cached - Similar pages > > Voicenews > The Voice Newspapers publishes 5 weekly newspapers in New Baltimore > near Anchor Bay between Mt. Clemens and Port Huron Michigan. … > [www.voicenews.com/](http://www.voicenews.com/) - 47k - 29 May 2004 - Cached - Similar pages > > The Newspaper Guild - Guild Reporter > … 2004. Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild: Local Representative Opening. > WBNG is taking applications for a full-time local rep. A … > [www.newsguild.org/gr/gr\_display.php?storyID=1847](http://www.newsguild.org/gr/gr_display.php?storyID=1847) - 31k - Cached - Similar pages > > Travel to baltimore newspaper - Detailed travel information and … > … Irish Carriers RyanAir. \> Baltimore \> baltimore newspaper. The Best baltimore > newspaper Sites We’ve Found. Click here for baltimore newspaper Travel Deals. … > [www.traveling-cheap.com/directory/](http://www.traveling-cheap.com/directory/) Baltimore/baltimore\_newspaper - 35k - Cached - Similar pages It looks to me like something is messing with your attempts to use Google. ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/24 "2004-05-31T18:07:23Z")
**DakotaDog** What you’ve displayed comes up as the second page of Google for us folks having this weird problem. But when you go to that second page, it becomes the first page of Google, and the linkspam-filled first page disappears. > [@](#): > > It looks to me like something is messing with your attempts to use Google. Yes, but what? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/25 "2004-05-31T18:52:29Z")
Check your “hosts” file. In Windows 2000 it is found in c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc. Open it with notepad. If you find entries for [www.google.com](http://www.google.com), then you are being redirected to the bogus “Google” site. In most cases, the “hosts” file only needs to look like this: ```auto 127.0.0.1 localhost ``` ---
**Author:** ![Israfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@Israfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Israfel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/26 "2004-05-31T19:17:06Z")
I had this same problem and running CWShredder (which is linked to on the other thread mentioned above) fixed it for me. So definitely give that a try if you haven’t already. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/27 "2004-05-31T19:55:55Z")
There have been other threads on this very topic… but searching for google or spyware is an exercise in frustration. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/28 "2004-05-31T20:45:37Z")
I’ve been having the same problem but I didn’t have a clue that it was spyware. I just ran CWShredder, Ad- Aware 6.0 and Spybot S&D and now everything’s fine. [Here](http://www.zerosrealm.com/scanning.php) are the instructions I used for configuring Ad-Aware and Spybot ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/29 "2004-05-31T21:37:12Z")
I have found Google’s value greatly decreasing in the last couple years due to Jerks who game the Google ranking algorithm. If I am looking for a product, there’s a good chance that at least 18 of the first 20 hits are pretty much the same page. Different server names and all, but the same stuff, pictures, descriptions, prices, etc. And there’s no way until you go to the page to find out if it’s the 19th copy of what you’ve already seen. If I am not looking for a product, but there’s even a slight chance that my keywords would infer I am looking for product, then it’s even worse. Google’s failure to deal with this (When it is so Freakin’ Obvious!) ticks me off. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/30 "2004-05-31T21:40:10Z")
I had the same exact problem - the same exact kind of links coming up - and CWShredder (which removes CoolWebSearch spyware) fixed it for me. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/31 "2004-05-31T21:43:33Z")
It’s definitely spyware. I had the same problem a few months ago and I contacted Google to complain about how horrible their service was getting. They sent me back a message recommending AdAware. :smack: I used AdAware, AND Spybot. Neither one was able to fix it. I had to get a demo version of [SpySweeper](http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/index.php?rc=266&ac=417), which was finally able to remove all the browser hijackers. Good luck - I hope you get everything fixed quickly! ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/32 "2004-06-01T03:16:12Z")
So, I cleaned out all of my temporary internet files and folders. I saved one cookie. The one for the SDMB. The rest of them I deleted. I had only one when I shut down earlier today. Now I look and there’s 35 temp files and cookies. Several are the result of me being here of course BUT… **BIG BUT** I have not used Google since this morning BEFORE I deleted everything and NOW I find about a dozen files and THIS site address which doesn’t go anywhere. [http://config.sa.aol.com/sa/v1.0/AOL/](http://config.sa.aol.com/sa/v1.0/AOL/) When I see config on an address it kinda gets my attention. WTF is it and why is it there again? Is it some maintenance/update crap that’s fff…ing up my system? I cleaned it out again BUT I bet it’s back in the AM. Goddamned AOL I’m gonna check it to 'em ASAP. Any suggestions on a good server? I’ve had MSN, AOL, Compuserve, PPShare, and a few I can’t recall. So far this is the worst. :mad: and BTW the other cookies were addressed to the popup sites and search engine links. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/33 "2004-06-01T04:15:46Z")
> [@AveDementia](#): > > **DakotaDog** > > What you’ve displayed comes up as the second page of Google for us folks having this weird problem. But when you go to that second page, it becomes the first page of Google, and the linkspam-filled first page disappears. > > Yes, but what? It is DEFINITELY spyware. I had the exact same problem on Saturday. Use Spybot. Get the latest version of Ad-Aware AND after you’ve downloaded the program get hte latest updates for the search through the program itself. I also had to use a program named Hijack This to get to the root of it. Neither Spybot nor Ad-Aware (both of which I have and run regularly) completely solved my spyware problem. You can get that from [http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/](http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758/34 "2004-06-02T06:06:25Z")
I, too, had the same problem until last night. SpyBot, AdAware, and Trend did nothing (although Trend did find a couple trojans, so that was all good anyway) However, Hijack This took care of the problem in a trice. My Google is now hijack free. Thanks, all! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-google/247758.md?page=1)