Home page changed & won't change back.

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neilrr

MB Enthusiast
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Jul 20, 2004
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Various.
Windows XP, Firefox.

I installed BitZipper to try to open a compressed file (didn't work, file damaged) & it has changed my Home page to http://search.conduit.com/?ctid=CT1304867&SearchSource=13. I've since deleted BitZipper & BitZipper toolbar. When that didn't work I re-installed it & deleted it again, three or four times with no effect.

I've tried going through Internet Options > Internet Properties > General & then typing the home page I want in the box (google.co.uk) to no avail. Even though 'www.google.co.uk' is the only thing that shows up in the box the home page is still http://search.conduit.com/?ctid=CT1304867&SearchSource=13.

I've tried System Restore back to yesterday before I installed BitZipper but still have the wrong Home page.

Everything else is as was & everything seems to work as before. How can I get rid of this?
 
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try it using regedit

in the start menu RUN command promt type "regedit"

go to the following location

HKey_Current_User \ Software \ Microsoft \ Internet Explorer \ Main

type in the name of the homepage you wish to use in the "local page" string

if it changes back when you restart - you've got a nasty hiding somewhere on your system. Time For Hijack this, Malwarebytes or similar

HTH

Andy
 
Try a system restore to a point before you downloaded Bit Zipper. Unlikely to work but worth a try.
 
andy,

Tried it, no joy. www.google.co.uk shows up in the registry but Home page hasn't changed. I tried it for IE & Mozilla, was that the right thing to do?

grober,

Tried it, no joy.

columb,

Spybot installed but it won't allow me to update - tried restarting, deleteing & re-installing etc but still get "bad checksum" when I go through thr update bit.

I ran it anyway & it found one registry change which I told it to fix. HP still wrong.
 
ok, try this.......

download malwarebytes

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

1, Download the program installer but DON'T install it just yet

2, restart your computer in "SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING"

3, run the installer for Malwarebytes

4, let Malwarebytes update itself (this is why you used networking as it needs internet access)

5, run the scan

6, follow any on screen prompts to delete the nasties

7, restart your computer normally
 
I fiddled around with various settings and reset the home page to google.

I don't know if this was malware or just part of the installation of this software that wasn't removed upon deletion.

BitZipper looks like a legit company - http://www.bitzipper.com/

Anyway, I have learned much more about computers over the last few hours. Unfortunately, I will have forgotten it all within a few days.

Thanks to everyone for your help.
 
neil, you don't need to restart firefox in safemode :)

copy the malwarebytes installer to your desktop

then restart the whole computer using safemode (with networking).
To do this, keep tapping the F8 key whilst the computer starts, if you get as far as the mormal windows screen you need to try again. Sooner or later, you'll be faced with the safe mode options - select safe mode with networking and let the computer start

Once you are on the safemode desktop double click on the malwarebytes icon. It will start the program and ask you if you want to update it - select yes

When that has finished, run the scan and see if it finds anything

If it doesn't you should be in the clear, if it does, let it delete/tidy up
 
Its a hijack redirect program.
Either you - or somebody - downloaded something which has embeded itself into your PC.
I presume you have anti-virus software. If so, then contact them and tell them exactly what is going on and they SHOULD advise you accordingly.
One method of eradicating this most annoying bug is to download a small specialist program such as COMBOFIX.

I answered a similar question a while back........
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=49326&page=2
Read my post #17 for further info............

Good luck as I know from personal experience just how annoying these redirects are...........
 
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The best program I have found for getting rid of this is

www.superantispyware.com


Download the free edition, I have had a couple of hijacks on friends PC's and found this the best way to remove, thats including trying adaware

otherwise download hijack this

http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis

then you need to post the log that it produces on an anti malware forum like this one:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/

They will then analyse the log and hopefully give you accurate instructions for removal.

Try superantispyware remover 1st though
 
Done Spybot (updating now) & SUPER Anti Spyware scans & they found zilch.

HP set on google now & everything seems OK.

TVM everyone.
 
As an aside to the initial problem:

izarc (CNET.com download link and reviews)

Is a great "zip" utility


Mike
 

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