Google Search Results redirecting to Spam Sites, or displays "No results".

shaieen 0 Newbie Poster

16 Years Ago

hello, we just switched to Windows 7. and when i tried to surf using Mozilla Firefox, i get "No results" in clicking the google search results' links. and if not, i get redirected to Spam sites like ads, and etcetera. i also experience this with Chrome. ive been performing some scans in the pc and i still cant solve this. i also tried to run, combo-fix, but it says that they are Offline right now.
I hope someone could help me out.

anyway, here's my hijackthis log.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 11:13:32 PM, on 12/16/2009
Platform: Unknown Windows (WinNT 6.01.3504)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16385)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskhost.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Windows\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\Windows\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe
C:\Program Files\Vimicro Corporation\VMUVC\VMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Windows\system32\igfxsrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Pando Networks\Media Booster\PMB.exe
E:\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 7\PCSuite.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Engine\17.0.0.136\ccSvcHst.exe
E:\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = l:80
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = 
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - E:\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Symantec NCO BHO - {602ADB0E-4AFF-4217-8AA1-95DAC4DFA408} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Engine\17.0.0.136\coIEPlg.dll
O2 - BHO: Symantec Intrusion Prevention - {6D53EC84-6AAE-4787-AEEE-F4628F01010C} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Engine\17.0.0.136\IPSBHO.DLL
O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\GR469A~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: DAEMON Tools Toolbar - {32099AAC-C132-4136-9E9A-4E364A424E17} - C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Toolbar\DTToolbar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: Norton Toolbar - {7FEBEFE3-6B19-4349-98D2-FFB09D4B49CA} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Engine\17.0.0.136\coIEPlg.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VMonitorVMUVC] "C:\Program Files\Vimicro Corporation\VMUVC\VMonitor.exe" VMUVC
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GrooveMonitor] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveMonitor.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Pando Media Booster] C:\Program Files\Pando Networks\Media Booster\PMB.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] E:\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PC Suite Tray] "C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 7\PCSuite.exe" -onlytray
O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Google Sidewiki... - res://C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\Component\GoogleToolbarDynamic_mui_en_60D6097707281E79.dll/cmsidewiki.html
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - E:\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - E:\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\GRA32A~1.DLL
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Deskscapes - {EC654325-1273-C2A9-2B7C-45D29BCE68FB} - (no file)
O23 - Service: ArcSoft Connect Daemon (ACDaemon) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\ArcSoft\Connection Service\Bin\ACService.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: ESET HTTP Server (EhttpSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\EHttpSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: ESET Service (ekrn) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\ekrn.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Acresso Software Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Nero BackItUp Scheduler 4.0 - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Nero\Nero BackItUp 4\NBService.exe
O23 - Service: Norton Internet Security (NIS) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Engine\17.0.0.136\ccSvcHst.exe
O23 - Service: SBSD Security Center Service (SBSDWSCService) - Safer Networking Ltd. - E:\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDWinSec.exe
O23 - Service: Yahoo! Updater (YahooAUService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\SoftwareUpdate\YahooAUService.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 5852 bytes

1 Contributor
0 Replies
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Dani AI

Generated 9 Months Ago

A practical checklist to diagnose and fix search-result redirects or Google showing "No results." The most common causes are a system-level proxy/DNS change, a modified hosts file, or a browser add-on/toolbar that rewrites links. Because supplied a HijackThis log, focus first on proxy/DNS indicators and unknown helpers that load with the browser.

First, narrow the scope: try the same search from another device on the same network and from the affected PC in Safe Mode with Networking. If only the PC is affected, disable all browser extensions and create a fresh browser profile. Check Windows Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings for any proxy enabled and inspect the hosts file for unexpected entries mapping Google or other search domains.

Reset the network stack and test name resolution from an elevated command prompt:

netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /flushdns
nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8

If nslookup returns unexpected IPs, try setting an alternate DNS (8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1) temporarily. Run full scans while in Safe Mode with Networking using up-to-date anti-malware and adware tools (for example, a reputable AV plus an adware cleaner). Use Autoruns or a similar startup inspector to remove unknown BHOs, toolbars, or unexpected startup items.

If multiple devices on the network show the same redirects, suspect the router: reboot it, change the admin password, update firmware, and consider a factory reset. When asking for more help, include sanitized outputs (ipconfig /all, a new HijackThis or Autoruns log, and whether other devices are affected). Avoid running aggressive removal tools without backup; if the infection persists, consider offline rescue media or a clean OS reinstall.

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