My Web Search toolbar

[Quirinus]

I've used the Yahoo! Search toolbar for a very long time, but suddenly I see My Web Search usurping Yahoo! Searchbar's legitimate place. Now I don't know how to remove the blasted thing, nor how to put the Yahoo! one back.

The site of My Web Search didn't impress me positively or negatively, but I detest their kind of underhand promotion-- I've often found that My Web Search comes bundled with some programs, and install themselves without permission. I haven't installed anything new except AVG Free lately, so it must've come from them.

AVG Free has so far also been unsatisfactory. Not that it's a bad anti-virus program, far from it, but, on my cranky old tablet PC, its daily scans are lagging up my computer big time. Is there any way to reduce these scans to weekly scans, or, alternatively, do you guys have any suggestions on an effective anti-virus program that isn't so demanding?

This brings me to another problem I've been having: for some reason, I haven't been able to open any of my Word documents in D drive, though a document I left on the desktop opens just fine. They always say (after a loooong pause) something to the effect that it could not be found, although I clearly clicked on the document.

I cleared out a bunch of viruses the AVG scan picked up a couple of days ago, but I wasn't sure what they were. Could this be related?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Caius]

Hello.

My Web Search is spyware, basically open your pc for receive a lot of ads you dont want to.

Use Spybot - Search and Destroy or Ad-Aware. Those programs delete those spyware so you do not have problems with Ads anymore.

Your trouble with the D disk can be troublesome (pardon me). Which files are you trying to open? Did you try to open other kind of files?

If you can reply to my answers, we will make it to step 2.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

As Caius has said, you need to cleanse your system - My Web Search is a nasty bit of spyware.

You really should avoid IE (any version) like the plague. There are much better and faster alternatives out there which are simply immune to this sort of issue.

Firefox and Opera are two examples, me preferring Firefox due to it's more open and customisable nature. Both browsers bring a more secure, customisable and user orientated experience which helps get the user get the most out of the web without the risk of this sort of issue.

[Quirinus]

Hello.

My Web Search is spyware, basically open your pc for receive a lot of ads you dont want to.

Use Spybot - Search and Destroy or Ad-Aware. Those programs delete those spyware so you do not have problems with Ads anymore.

Your trouble with the D disk can be troublesome (pardon me). Which files are you trying to open? Did you try to open other kind of files?

If you can reply to my answers, we will make it to step 2.

Hmm.... curious. I was trying to replicate yesterday's results and take a screenshot, but this time it opened normally. I was trying to open .doc files yesterday. All other files seemed to work pretty well. So I suppose this part is solved now.

About the spyware, why can't the anti-virus software detect it? Do I really need to download a specialised anti-spyware program? If I do, is it free?

Omanes: I've tried Firefox, actually, quite a while back, and I couldn't get used to it. I've used IE for so long that I use plenty of shortcuts now.... don't know if these shortcuts will work the same in Mozilla. But you're right-- I should change. Think I might postphone it till the holidays or a long weekend though.

Thanks for all the help, guys.

[Kekvit Irae]

About the spyware, why can't the anti-virus software detect it? Do I really need to download a specialised anti-spyware program? If I do, is it free?

1. Because spyware is not classified as a virus. It's merely a non-replicating nuisance.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.

http://www.lavasoft.nu
Look for Ad-Aware Free

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

Firefox, IE and many other browser actually share a lot of standardised shortcut keys nowadays. Opera is the odd one out and has a different set when compared to other browsers.

[R'as al Ghul]

I've used IE for so long that I use plenty of shortcuts now.... don't know if these shortcuts will work the same in Mozilla.

Just in case you mean bookmarks when you say shortcuts, those can be imported automatically from IE when installing Firefox.

[caravel]

As all of the above.

To add to that though, IE really is your problem. The spyware is mainly getting into your system through your IE usage. With a free alternative browser this woul not be much of an issue. Spybot Search and Destroy is your best bet for removing Mywebsearch. Once your system is cleaned up with Spybot S&D be sure to go to the immunise section and immunise your system.

[Quirinus]

I've downloaded and installed Ad-Aware Free, and did a scan. For some reason, the scan took only a minute or so, and My Web Search is still here. I must be doing something wrong. Any idea what?

[Lemur]

The spyware is mainly getting into your system through your IE usage.

Seconded.

[caravel]

I've downloaded and installed Ad-Aware Free, and did a scan. For some reason, the scan took only a minute or so, and My Web Search is still here. I must be doing something wrong. Any idea what?

You need to install Spybot S&D as instructed. Personally I don't rate Ad-Aware much. There was a time when it was a decent enough program but it just seems to clear spyware cookies these days and not much else. Saying that though it doesn't hurt to run both.

If Spybot doesn't remove the Mywebsearch toolbar automatically then try this solution on their site:

http://www.safer-networking.com/removeMyWebSearch.php

Try downloading and running the removal tool first before resort to the manual removal.

[Mouzafphaerre]

I've downloaded and installed Ad-Aware Free, and did a scan. For some reason, the scan took only a minute or so, and My Web Search is still here. I must be doing something wrong. Any idea what?

.
AdAware is garbage! Install Spybot Search & Destroy.
.

[Quirinus]

Yep, Spybot Search and Destroy worked. Sometimes they will ask me about some registry entry thing though, and ask me to either allow or deny. I don't even know what those are. Should I allow or deny under most circumstances?

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Generally speaking, allow the program to do its job, that is kill the entry.
.

[LeftEyeNine]

MAXTHON !