isearch toolbar and desktop search removal

Hi All,

My wife has managed to pick up two annoying search tools on her Acer laptop
(c302xmi tablet).
Basically it consists of an extra toolbar in Internet explorer (which Adaware has now removed) and a small window (desktop search) that constantly pops up from behind the system tray.
You can eventually stop the Desktop search in Task Manager.
I have traced the Desktop Search to a application called Desktop.exe, in a file called "isrvs", which in turn is located in windows.
The file "isrvs" also contains an application called isearch.xpi, so I guess the two are linked.
I can`t for the life of me, figure out how to remove these using the usual add remove programs etc...
Spybot finds the Desktop.exe, and appears to remove it, but when you restart, Desktop Search reappears.

Has anyone got any ideas on how to get rid of these please?

Incidentaly, she is using up to date Zone Alarm (not the freeware version) and firewall, together with a hardware firewall.

Thanks

Col.

try googleing it

download microsoft antispyware beta from microsoft.com, and run that. it's much more powerful than spybot or ad-aware.

and in future, be a little more careful with your browsing habits - especially with regard to which web browser & email client you use

directhex, is this part of microsoft trying to integrate all necisarry programs into xp to stop people using third-party apps?like the firewall on xp? but if its free and is good then ill give it a try:devilish:

It maybe in the system restore, remove it then turn system restore down to minimum disc usage, then off and then back on using maximum disc usage, then restart. If all else fails you can try hijack this but you really need to be careful what you remove.

Hi chaps,
thanks for the info...we checked out Google, and it would seem this is quite common, and there are quite a few other forums out there that say how to remove (i.e. going into safe mode then deleting particular files linked to isearch/desktop etc).

Incidentaly we tried Microsoft Antispyware Beta, and it was no better than adaware/Spybot, but I got the distinct impression, as cm_uk, suspects it is Microsoft "musceling in".

Directhex..She uses IE6 and Outlook, but try telling my wife to be careful when shes on the net!!!! (Pi***es me off no end!)

Thanks again all.

revoke her access to msie. as long as she keep using it, she'll keep picking this crap up