Printable View
OK, might be getting near the answer now. I have discovered a folder called ClipGenie in my Program Files folder and in it is one file - "Webinstall.exe". Even after ending the process in Task Manager, I cannot delete the file or the folder.
Has anyone ever heard of this file and know what it is?
I'd format your PC to be honest sounds like its infested with spyware.
Butuz
you could try booting in safemode, delete the whole folder, reboot and login normally...
have you checked the startup folder in the startbar, aswell as all the Run/RunOnce/RunOnceEx/RunServices values in the whole of the registry..
but as butuz says, it might be easier just to backup anything important and then wipe the harddrive and start again :)
mark
Do a search on browser helper objects in google. I found this article http://www.ciac.org/ciac/techbull/CIACTech02-002.shtml. Which reckons one way of disabling them is to set permissions on the BHO reg key to prevent anyone/thing creating any new entries.
The interesting paragraph is:
"A second option is to change the permissions on the Browser Helper Objects key to remove write access by anyone, including the Administrator. This can only be done on Windows NT, 2000, or XP. Run the regedit32 application, select the key, and choose the Security, Permissions command. See who has write access (should be only Administrator) and change it to read only. If you are installing software that includes a BHO, you must change the permissions on the Administrator's key to read/write, do the installation, and then change the permissions back to read only."
Couldn't start in safe mode as my bluetooth keyboard doesn't seem to want to work outside Windows despite the fact I have the PS/2 plug connected. But I deleted the references I found in the Registry and now it's gone. It even had the gall to list itself as 2nd install (I've deleted it before).
I think a re-format is required - it's just a big drag to contemplate it!
Thanks for your comments.
Have you tried running Spybot Search and Destroy or Lavasoft's Ad-Aware?
oh, and this.. http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner...ie/index.phtml
Lavasoft's Ad-Aware didn't find most of these and I'm using "Spyware Remover" and Spy Watch by BulletproofSoft.com
the url I posted has a removal procedure though.