Taskbar Spyware Problem - HELP!!

[Adam]

Guys,

I've got a recurring problem with my XP system, where I get an annoying "Search Assistant" in my taskbar and all my quick launch icons bunched up next to the start button.

Everytime I start my PC, I have to unlock the taskbar, select Toolbars, then unclick Search Assistant, which switches off this infernal PITA, then re-lock my taskbar, after dragging the quick-launch separator across to re-expose my quick-launch icons.

Still with me?

Anyhow, I'm running Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, SpySweeper etc and none of them are effective at removing this bastard.

Has anyone suffered this problem? I guess it's the equivalent of internet herpes. I feel so violated, ashamed and unwashed.

Thanks in advance - I'm desperate!

[ronin]

could be in your startup programs folder. or try right-clicking on the program icon and seeing if there is an 'options' menu to find out if it can be disabled from running at startup. or open the app and see if there is an 'options' menu to do the same. as a last resort, System Mechanic is usually pretty good at enabling you to disable (interesting choice of words) rogue programs. best deal would be to check if the program is listed in the Add/Remove Programs section and - if so - delete the program

[rcecale]

Adam,

I haven't tried this...yet, but this page a shot.

This Spy-ware BS has really gotten outta control. I'm afraid we may have to open a position where I work to do nothing but spy-ware maintenance.

Also, one thing you can try that you didn't mention above is a prog called Hi-Jack this. You really have to know what you're doing with this one though. A google search will take you too it.

Good luck!

Randy

[Saintly]

I would recommend "Ad Aware" and "spybot - Search & Destroy"
You can download and use them for free from www.download.com.
Get them, run them one after the other and they will catch a LOT of crap. Also advisable to be running a firewall (zonealarm is a good free one) and anti virus software (mcafee is my choice).
Good luck hunting.

As a side note, the next enterprise version of mcafee virus scanner will also have anti-spy abilities.

[Bill Douglas]

I suspect it's a registry setting you will have to change. I bet if you do a search in www.google.com you will find a solution.

[Saintly]

Sorry,
Just re-read your first post and must have missed the line that you where allready running ad aware and spybot.. hmmm.

here is a removal procedure
Search Assistant Manual Removal:
Unregister these DLLs with Regsvr32, then reboot:
systemroot+\system32\omniband.dll
systemroot+\system\omniband.dll

Rename systemroot+\system32\omniband.dll and systemroot+\system\omniband.dll to old_omniband.dll and restart Windows.
If the bar is not removed, download the spyware removers such as PestPatrol or BPS Adware & Spyware Remover and run them.

((i have not done the above steps myself..))

[Saintly]

another set of removal steps
http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/tune-20.html

A few of the web sites list that the anti spy progs will remove it. Do you have the latest versions of ad aware and spybot? (ad aware is version 6.0 and spybot is version 1.3) Have you run their update processes to get the latest definitions?? i would try running them again.
Not trying to belittle your computer knowledge but, you do know that ad aware and spybot need to be manualy run? they don't stay in memory unless you have the purchased version.

[Adam]

Thanks for the tips and info guys - I'm afraid I have to report that last night the whole PC crapped out on me.

I uninstalled a program called "zSearch" and rebooted. Later in the evening, while doing other stuff, the system restarted without warning. When it restarted, the system would suddenly let me select a login profile (ie, I only have one) and when I click it, I get a desktop wallpaper, but no taskbar or icons. Normally WinXP just boots straight to my desktop, without prompting for a User Selection. After about 4 seconds, it logs me off and back to the "Select User" screen.

I figured maybe WinXP was burping, so I shut down for about 20 mins. I came back and when I restarted, it was still doing the same thing. I put my WinXP CD in, changed the boot order in the BIOS and rebooted off the CD, hoping to recover/repair or re-install my Windows system. However, it just kept logging me off after showing me my blank desktop.

It's scary to think about the sheer volume of stuff I might have lost here. MP3s, tons of videos and JPEGs, not to mention holiday & family photos.

My plan is to get another HDD and re-install a fresh WinXP system and then re-connect the dud drive and try to copy everything across. I'm officially giving up on Norton Anti-Virus. Their Online-Updates obviously aren't worth two gobs of billy-goat ***** and their Tech Support charges (ahem) $4.95/minute.

Can anyone tell me if my PC is completely FUBAR or can I ressurect my stuff??

[Saintly]

Try starting in safe mode.
when the bios screen appears (when you start your PC) press F8 repeatedly until you get a text menu with options on it (if windows starts to load you have missed it and will need to try again). select safe mode and the system will start with very basic options and drivers. any extra start items will not be started. in this mode you can re-install or un-install applications as needed, copy files to another disk drive or perform other tasks to try to fix it.
If you start it in safe mode and it stays up without re-booting then your problem is software and should be able to be fixed. would be good to connect another drive and copy your files to it if possible (just to be safe).

[Adam]

Thanks, Saintly. Your tips are greatly appreciated.

Last night, I tried booting up and hitting F8 and even F5 (which I think is step-by-step confirmation), but the system seemed to ignore that and just boot straight into Windows.

I'm getting myself a 120gb HDD today and I'll partition it so that I've got a 5gb OS drive and the rest for my stuff. That way, in future, I can happily format C: without losing much.

[Saintly]

No problem...
when trying to start in safe mode i normaly start pressing F8 as soon as anything comes up on the screen and i keep tapping on that key untill the menu comes up.. it's very easy to miss if you try to just push the button once.
as for the new HDD... i would reccommend the system partition to be 20Gb. 5gb would get filled in 1/2 a day.
The way my system is setup at home is with c: and d: on one drive and e: on abother drive. c: = system and programs d: = files, vids, pics, games e: = other mass files and a copy of vital files / docs from c: or d:.

Another thing i do is once i get the C: drive setup and installed just the way i like it i take a ghost image and save it to the e: drive. that way i can restore the system to a configured working state in about 10 mins if something goes haywire. (havn't had to do this kind of restore for quite a while).

[azasadny]

I have been using the online scanner from www.spywareguide.com with good results.

[LeRoux Strydom]

I recall a virus that surfaced about a month ago or so that caused this random re-starting or rebooting behaviour, that only affected W2000 or XP machines. Try a search on Microsoft's site: if I could only remember the name of the virus.....

LeRoux