So, Google stopped working for me.

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betagold

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Figured I ought to be the first one to test the tech part of our new Science and Technology forum...

So, about a month ago, Google stopped working on my computer. It's not that I can't access the site, but whenever I try to search something, the little green site address at the bottom turns to an ad site or something, and it links there. This also happens with yahoo, but as far as I know, that's it. I've run the norton scan, as well as downloaded and run Malwarebytes, and I'm stumped. Anyone have any idea on how to fix it?
 
I'm assuming you've deleted all cookies as well as clearing your browser's cache. Is it possible you've got a worm?
 
Yeah, I cleared them, but it didn't do anything. Knowing what I know of what a worm is, I don't think so. It hasn't affected anything but this computer, and it's only those two sites, as far as I know.
 
Yeah, it's definitely a worm, adware, something related to spyware. If you try to go to an Antivirus website or a spyware removal website you will probably get the same thing. Best bet is to run something like your antivirus and your spyware removal. That usually fixes this (If you don't have it on your computer you probably will need to use another one to connect to an antivirus or spyware site to download the installer and the current updates(they're separate files)).
 
I've run two separate spyware and antivirus programs, and they haven't solved it. If they didn't catch it the first time, I don't think they'll catch it again.
 
May I ask what type of software you're using to run the scans?
 
I ran Norton, because it keeps getting renewed on my computer, despite the fact that I knew it wouldn't do anything, and then I ran something recommended to me, called Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
 
Hmm... well, that definitely is the problem though, I've fixed multiple computers where they had this thing happen to them. It might be worth it to try different programs (means you might have to go through a lot of installing and uninstalling because most of those programs don't work well together) and to make sure the ones you have are actually updating because sometimes that blocks programs besides web browsers from accessing the internet.

It's just sometimes programs won't pick up something while another can, and in the case of ad ware, sometimes it's intentional. Good luck though
 
Well, then, anybody want to recommend me a good anti-malware scanner or something?
 
I have norton internet security and I use Spybot search & Destroy, it catches things other programs don't pick up sometimes, and I use windows defender, it stops Zlobs and other potential risks, but even though it supposed to stop spyware/malwarwe etc... before it enters the computer, it still picks up some on scans.
 
DaggerWolf said:
Virus scanner, I use AVG free, nothing bad against my PC yet.
Click to expand...

That is almost the best thing you can have on your computer. I recommend AVG Free Edition to all my customers. Honestly, I don't recommend Norton for several reasons. First, you have to pay for it and it least to my knowledge there isn't a free version. Second, I've had bad experiences with it. I've removed Norton off computers and installed AVG and it picked up and found things Norton didn't.

Other things I recommend having on your computer are Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy. And sometimes even having Windows Defender can't hurt. That should help keep your PC virus and spyware free. In extreme cases though, I found a complete format and reinstall of the OS to be the best solution.
 
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a really good program to have.

Their forums are extremely helpful with fixing any problems like that that you might have, just start a new thread in their HiJack This Logs section. They fixed a problem that I would've never fixed on my own (which was my computer giving me an error every hour and shutting down).
 
Everything that everyone has mentioned are the programs you should have. I'd recommend getting them ASAP and starting those checks.

If you have trouble accessing them because of that search block, their download sites are here:

AVG Anti-Virus
Ad-Aware SE
Spybot Search and Destroy

The problems you're having sounds reminiscent of this bug that I've recently come across that was slowing down my computer called virtumonde. In severe instances it can block access to sites such as Google and Yahoo just like in your case. Fortunately that wasn't the case for me, but it still leeched and slowed my computer enough to be a hassle and was discovered by my AVG and Ad-Aware Scans (which I had neglected to do in some time, my fault entirely) and right after the clean up, my computer was just fine again. This is proof that running them regularly in conjunction should keep your computer tidy and bug free.
 
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If you have two virus scans on your computer they will usually fight each other, and that can sometimes cause certain things to stop working.
 
So, a friend of my family came over, and after about an hour and a half, he found the problem. Seems that the virus was hiding as a file that my driver would use, which is why the virus scans didn't catch it, but it wasn't in the driver, and after being deleted, I've got google back. Thanks for the help, all.
 
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