Member Avatar for nik3kin

Hi, for some reason when ever I go onto google, yahoo or any search engine, the only results I get are that of phishing and scam sites.
This started happening just after I had removed three virus' (one of those scan ware things that pretend to be anti-virus') that had infected a file I was downloading. I turned my internet off as soon as I realized what had happened and jumped onto safe mode, then used my other computer (the computer I am currently on) to find a way to delete them.
Once I had, I also needed to fix my browsers because they wouldn't connect me to a webpage - however my IM worked fine. So now, everything is fine, although I cannot use a search engine because all I get are scam sites and what not.

My laptop is a Acer TravelMate 4720 with Windows 7 32bit installed and the browser I am using is Google Chrome.

Thanks to anyone who can help :D

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Dani AI

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This thread shows a classic search-redirect / SEO-poisoning pattern. correctly flagged the redirect behavior, and later reported a full reinstall cleared it. For anyone finding only scam results after a malware incident, the useful distinction is whether the redirection is local to the PC, happening at the router/DNS level, or injected by the browser (extension/shortcut). The checklist below helps isolate and fix the cause without repeating the earlier workaround.

Quick diagnostic checklist (perform from an uninfected machine if the browser is unusable):

  • Inspect the browser shortcut target (no extra URL parameters after the exe).
  • Open the hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts) and remove any lines mapping search engines or common sites to other IPs.
  • Check proxy settings (Internet Options → Connections → LAN settings) and disable proxies unless intentionally used.
  • Review browser extensions and search-provider settings; remove unknown/unnamed extensions and reset the browser.
  • Test another device on the same network. If the same bad results appear, suspect router/DNS tampering.

Safe maintenance sequence (run as Administrator, reboot after resets):

ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
shutdown -r -t 0

After the restart, run reputable removal tools from a clean source (for example, Malwarebytes, AdwCleaner, HitmanPro) — ideally in Safe Mode with Networking. If the router DNS was changed, log into the router, restore DNS to the ISP/default, change the admin password, and update firmware. If a full OS reinstall is chosen (as it was by ), back up only personal documents, scan those backups on a clean machine before restoring, and rotate all important passwords afterward. Final precautions: enable updates, use a modern browser, and avoid clicking suspicious search results or installing unknown “antivirus” popups.

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Member Avatar for techsheaven

This is appropriately named, "Google Redirect." There are lots of variations of it. If you can't remove the hard drive and scan it in another machine, there is a secret I will share with you. Let's say you want to download hijackthis or Malwarebyte's Anti-malware (which you do). Search for what you want, Right-click the link, and select "Copy Shortcut." Now Right-click in the Address bar, select paste, and press ENTER. Do this rather than clicking links, and you will be able to get around enough to get some Anti-malware tools.

Good Luck

Member Avatar for nik3kin

Thanks, but it doesn't really help. My search engine shows only scam sites, as in if I searched in "runescape" it would come up with the same results most of the time.
"Help windows become better! download!" is an example.

Though I couldn't be bothered to fix the problem so I reformatted my laptop and the problems is yesterdays kitty litter, thanks though for replying.

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