The dreaded search engine virus

[Edmeup]

I seem to have contracted the horrible search engine I've read about (admittedly I only read about it when I was searching for a solution).

Not only has it made all the search engines I use completley useless, but it's also slowed my browser (Firefox) right down, and (this may just be me being paranoid) it seems to be blocking my attempts to get rid of it!

It won't allow me to see websites like www.techsupportforum.com, and the installation of Spybot won't complete because it won't allow the connection to go through. It seems like I've been backed into a corner.

I noticed that a lot of people have posted logs from a program called HijackThis, one which I had previously never heard of. I tried to find the program to download it and get a log of my own, but guess what, can't seem to connect to the website. Hmm.

I also went in search of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware but again, same problem.

I'm not a particularly computer-literate person but this is really getting on my nerves. I'm literally ready to try anything. I don't really want to format my computer but I'm considering it, unless anyone can offer a more pleasant solution.

Thanks for your help and advice in advance.

[cohen]

Hello and Welcome to Daniweb,

Can you pls do the following:

1. - Download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button) to your desktop.

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure to checkmark the Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad.
* Post the log back here.

Make sure that you restart the computer.

The log can also be found here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
Or at C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt

2. - Download hijackthis and post the log.

In your reply, post the logs (in this order):
1. - Malware Bytes Log
2. - Hijackthis Log

Download the programs on another computer if you can, and then run them on the infected PC.

Thanks,

Cohen