Make sure your antivirus software is up to date, and that you have an up to date firewall or have enabled the XP firewall.

Then download and scan with AdAware (www.lavasoftusa.com) -- you have a virus, worm, trojan, or spyware on your system, which is hijacking your browser.

 

 

1a. Download spybot 1.3!!
http://kujoe.com/freeware/spybot.php
http://majorgeeks.com/download2471.html

1b.Download and run cwshredder
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

 
Tutorial to remove CoolWebSearch with CoolWeb Shredder
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=47

1c download an alternative browser which is difficult to hijack
http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
http://www.opera.com/download/

browsers which use the internet explorer engine
http://www.crazybrowser.com/download.htm
http://www.myie2.com/html_en/home.htm
http://download.com.com/3000-2356-10101563.html?part=80918%20&subj=dlpage&tag=button
http://www.avantbrowser.com/

2. Download hijackthis

links below courtesy ChrisRLG (Classroom Coordinator at TomCoyotes, Trusted Advisor Spywareinfo)

HijackThis From Here
or one of these other links:-
http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
http://www.aluriasoftware.com/tools/hijackthis.zip
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/

 

HijackThis Log Tutorial
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm

To Check out what each item in the Hijack list relates to
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

links below courtesy (Russell Smith • Educational Technology Consultant Spyware Fighter at

Wildersecurity)

why use hijackthis
http://russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/safetyfaq.htm

Frequently Asked Questions About Hijackthis
http://russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/faqhijackthis.htm

and Post the log here >>>>>
http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportforums/board?board.id=si_virus <<<

Additional reference sites for further reading

major crapware reference sites:
 
and.doxdesk.com ( http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/)
CounterExploitation ( http://cexx.org/adware.htm)
Kephyr.com ( http://www.kephyr.com/)
PestPatrol ( http://www.pestpatrol.com/)
Spyware Guide ( http://www.spywareguide.com/)
 

THE PARASITE FIGHT
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

DO YOU HAVE PARASITES?
Screen for Adware, Spyware, Scumware, Diallers, ’Jackers
and other unsolicited commercial software
online parasite scan
http://www.aumha.org/a/noads.htm