Please! I need big help eliminating browser hijacking!

[jadakid]

First off, apologies as I'm sure this scenario is posted somewhere here but I can't find my exact problem.

I keep getting the annoying pop-up "Your computer is infected! Windows has detected spyware infection!" (you know the one where "prevent" is misspelled "pervent").

I've run several spyware scans using "CyberDefender", "Adware Alert" and a few other spyware/malware programs. I'm not seeing any spyware/malware alerts.

However, if I do a search in Google or Yahoo, whenever I click a link using IE v7 or Mozilla I get a pop-up redirecting me to some other site where they're selling something. I have to copy and paste the link in order to get where I want to go.

I'm trying to install HijackThis and Spybot but I'm having trouble doing this. I double click the .exe and nothing happens.

I'm ready to wipe out my PC and rebuild from scratch but I'm afraid this won't work either.

Any ideas ? I need some serious help here.

** By the way I'm running Windows XP sp2

Thanks!

 

[Osiris]

http://www.techist.com/forums/f51/spyware-removal-guide-osiris-updated-11-13-2008-a-165828/

 

[jadakid]

I am in bad shape here. Everytime I try to go to dowload any of the recommended products (i got through all the steps up to HijackThis) - it won't let me. I switched to using Mozilla (from IE7) and I got to download the exe. but now I can't install it !Other times Mozilla won't even let me go to the site (bleepingcomputer.com for example). I'm getting so ****ed with this whole thing. What can I do next ? Thanks.

 

[Osiris]

Can you at least run hijackthis and post a log?

 

[jadakid]

I can't even run HijackThis. I have the executable on my machine, but when I double click it, nothing happens. When I try to go to the different spyware/malware websites, my browser won't let me go there - saying:

Insecure Internet activity. Threat of virus attack
Due to insecure Internet browsing your PC can easily get infected with viruses, worms and trojans without your knowledge, and that can lead to system slowdown, freezes and crashes.
Also insecure Internet activity can result in revealing your personal information.
To get full advanced real-time protection for PC and Internet activity, register KvmSecure.
We recommend you to protect your PC now and continue safe Internet browsing.
Click here to get full advanced real-time protection and continue browsing.
Continue to this website unprotected (not recommended).

 

[Osiris]

can you boot into safemode?

 

[jadakid]

I'm pretty sure I can, but not right now as I'm at work. If I boot in safe mode (I assume I should interrupt the boot with F8) is there something specific I should do or look for ?

 

[Osiris]

Yes F8

Boot into safemode with networking

run hijackthis, post a log and then I'll look over it

 

[jadakid]

Okay. will do. Thanks for your help on this, much appreciated.