Expert: Brian Benosky - 1/1/2009

Question
Hi Brian.  My computer will not allow me to access internet sites that in a Google search. If in type a search in my Google tool bar or on Google's site, I receive a list of results.  When I try to click on any link to open, I am redirected to other sites.  For example, I typed in ford vehicles into the search box on Google.  In the search results, I click on the link that should take me to www.ford.com but instead i get a site that asks to click on other search results.  The site I am taken to is http://www.anticipatesavings.com/search.aspx?kab5=ford  I also get redirected to this website http://www.edmunds.com/subaru/outback/2008/index.html?mktcat=new-subaru-outback-...  My husband has been using the laptop while he is out of town at work.  He has been connected to a hotel network that is unsecured.  What can I do to fix this or will the laptop require service?

Answer
Hi Michelle

Browser redirects are usually the result of adware installed on the computer.  Follow the instructions below so we can clean things up:

Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop from here:

http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe

Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to
o Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
* then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.  Do not run a scan yet.

Restart the computer in Safe Mode by continuously tapping the F8 key on boot until a black screen with a menu appears.  Choose to Start Windows in Safe Mode.  Log on as usual.  Open Malwarebytes and run a Full Scan.

* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad.  Save that log to your desktop and reboot normally.

After rebooting, please download HijackThis to your desktop from here:
http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/_download/HJTInstall.exe
Make sure you close EVERY open window and ALL browser windows. The only thing that should be open is the HijackThis program.
Double-click on the file you just downloaded.
Click on the "Install" button.
Upon install, HijackThis should open for you.
Should it not open, go to C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis and double click on HijackThis.exe
Choose 'Do a system scan and save a log file'.
Copy the text file which opens in Notepad and paste it into your follow-up, along with the log from Malwarebytes.
  * Do not fix any entries in HijackThis, as they may be harmless.

Brian