I have always had my homepage set to yahoo, and all of the sudden today it keeps changing it to be google. I've switched it back a dozen times and it keeps changing on its own. Plus, when I click on one of my saved url links it sends me to a completely different site than what I'm wanting. Is this a virus causing this? How do I get it to stop?
2006-12-12 13:31:25 · 20 answers · asked by Surferchic50 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet
You need to download and run a nifty little program called "Hijack This"
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php
Stops any site changing your homepage. Wouldn't hurt to get a spyware & ad blocker as well.
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
http://lavasoft.element5.com/software/adaware/
2006-12-12 13:34:00 · answer #1 · answered by belmyst 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be a number of things form a virus to spyware.
Basically if you don't know much a lot about computers. Go and buy Norton Antivirus or Internet security. It clears everything and has some built in thing that stops your homepage being changed.
I would advise you to get that - I have that and its easy to instal and it gets rid of any viruses already on the system if you have any.
No I don't work for Symantec or Norton antivirus lol
2006-12-12 13:42:40 · answer #2 · answered by Alex 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm assuming you're on a Windows computer using Internet Explorer browser.
Some sites that you do downloads at will also download the Google desktop and load it to run.
Go to Start, Control panel, Add/Remove software. Check the list of programs loaded and remove the ones you did not intend to have load, do not remove any of the Microsoft or your isp or any programs you from companies whoms programs you actually do use, including hardward programs for printers and modems.
There are some malware programs that will change your start page, but usually to some other search engine that's not google. If your favorites are being rerouting when you click them it sounds like a malware from a marketing company. They spy on you and send you to their advertisers websites that match your preferences.
Get the free Windows Defender and help protect yourself from spyware and malware. I use it and haven't had problems with malware since.
The link: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
Another tool I use, which is also free is Microsoft Software Explorer, it tells me all the programs that load and are running and using my network sockets coming in or out of my pc and I can block, unblock or remove anything I do not want.
When you download Windows Defender this tool comes with it.
Do this asap and have the program help clean up your pc.
2006-12-12 13:56:43 · answer #3 · answered by natoneutron 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most likely. This only happened to me when I had a virus. My recommendation is to get the excellent free virus software, Avast! Antivirus. It scans all webpages you visit, Instant Messages, Peer to Peer files, Outlook email, and internet mail for viruses as you view them, then removes them. Also has a virus backup tool incase a virus attempts to kill your system. Click the following to download.
http://www.download.com/Avast-Home-Edition/3000-2239_4-10602417.html?tag=lst-0-2
You need an activation code (which is free), but to relieve you from doing this, at startup, enter the activation code W6359338H3700A1106-X4HS3H12
This will last for 14 months. Then you can get another free code at www.avast.com. This program works very well.
2006-12-12 13:37:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it could be you have spyware, or it could be that some site you visited managed to get into your system and reset the homepage and make you accept cookie internet files your system would normally reject.
if you have spyware you would need some specific spyware program, I have no specific recommendation.
but you might want to try right clicking the internet explorer icon on your desktop, going into properties and reseting your homepage and going into settings and deleting cookies and also you can address your cookie acceptance level. if that doesn't work you can try going into the help on the start menu and going to system reset and reseting your system to before you had any problem.
good luck.
2006-12-12 13:43:46 · answer #5 · answered by Smoove 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Browser hijack caused by a parasite, like a virus buy just a little less destructive. Install and run Ad-aware, and if need be use system restore first and go back to before it started happening.
2006-12-12 13:36:29 · answer #6 · answered by Clrinsight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your browser has been hijack by malware. You are going to have to find suitable spyware remover to get it out. If you have the yahoo tool bar it has a spyware remover built in. (norton ) Jus t go back to yahoo or search for the yahoo tool bar and install it then run a scan. That should fix the problem.
2006-12-12 13:35:43 · answer #7 · answered by matthew p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For a start don't use Internet Explorer. Use Mozilla Firefox, it's free and has less security issues than IE.
Clean your computer with Ad-Aware from Lavasoft and then use AVG virus scan. They are all free programs and free for updates.
2006-12-12 13:43:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a trojon. Don't worry though it isn't anything serious. Just download an anti-spyware program like Spybot S & D, Winodws Defender, or Norton Anti-spyware. Any of the three should take care of your problem. God Bless.
2006-12-12 13:34:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
U could go to "internet choices" and fix ur homepage..In order to fix this prob for ever u should download a program against spam!I ma using lavasoft ad-ware pro..u could try it out...but dont worry its not a virus...but if u dont trust me u could always make a format..;)
2006-12-12 13:36:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋