How Come?????

Question

How come when I'm on the internet when I click on things the page changes to onestepsearch.com on whatever subject i'm clicking on. It just started doing this and then sometimes it will just turn off. The computer is still runing fast and doing fine that is the only problem. what could it be???

Answer 1

Sounds like you have been infected by a Hijacker.

Run a virus scan or use the yahoo antivirus if you don't have one.

http://toolbar.yahoo.com/config/slv4_page?.p=featurepop&.cpdl=

Answer 2

That's the definition of adware.

I also suggest you download Ad-Aware SE and Spybot S&D (they’re free), install them, update them and run them. If either one doesn’t seem to be able to get rid of everything it reports finding, try running it again, this time in Safe Mode. Safe Mode often prevents the malware from running and protecting itself.

Also, turn off System Restore to evict any copies of bad stuff that might be lurking there.

To get into Safe Mode:

1. Log out and reboot your machine.
2. When the machine starts the reboot sequence, press the F8 key repeatedly.
3. Select Safe Mode from the resulting menu.
4. The machine will continue booting, but the Windows desktop will look different. You won't be able to see the Internet, for instance. Log in as Administrator. Administrator often has no password.
5. When you're finished, log out and reboot back into normal mode.

Update and run them regularly.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Classic signs of a spyware /malware infection.

I'd reccomend these 2, run each in turn
ADAWARE fro www.lavasoftusa.com (Free personal version)
also SPYBOT S&D from www.spybot.org (Again free for home use)


Also worth having in toolbox is CCLEANER from www.ccleaner.com again a free download, and a good general windows tidyup utility.

Answer 4

You probably have spy ware or ad ware, I reccomend doing a spy ware scan with Spybot S&D. www.safer-networking.org/

Answer 5

browser hijacker...run a reputable anti-spyware application like http://spybot.com/
spybot