Search engine

[J_J]

I don't see a forum for this, so I will ask a question here.

I am using Google Chrome and it works fine except this Yahoo thing.

I am having a big problem with Yahoo taking over my search engine and have read lots of info how to fix the problem.

I have reset Google settings hundreds of times.

I keep making Google my default engine, but Yahoo gets in somehow and changes things.

Everyday I am resetting Google settings. I am beyond pissed.

I have followed all recommendations I have read.

I have removed any suspicious program.

Scanned everything with Malware fighter, and Spybot.

I have searched on the computer for anything Yahoo and deleted it.

I am hoping one of you or some of you can help me with this problem.

This kind of action should be against the law. Perhaps a class action lawsuit would alleviate the problem.

I call them bastards for all the headache in dealing with this problem.

Someone has to have the magic answer how they are doing it and how to block them.

Rant for the day.

Did I say I am pissed.

 

[Wa11banger]

Hey JJ does sound very suspicious and also does sound like malware of some sort. I wasn't sure if you had read this thread but it seems to have a good rate of success for many of the users on it.

Google Groups

 

[DT86]

My Dad asked me to look at his lap top the other day for the same reason. I didn't know how to stop it from switching back so I will be watching this closely.

 

[aczlan]

Hey JJ does sound very suspicious and also does sound like malware of some sort. I wasn't sure if you had read this thread but it seems to have a good rate of success for many of the users on it.
Google Groups

I have also seen similar issues with "Search Conduit"

Aaron Z

 

[KMA]

JJ,

You might want to take a look at your Chrome browser extensions and make sure there is nothing there that you don't want. When in doubt, disable/remove it.

chrome://extensions/

The above link in your Chrome address bar should take you there. Good luck!

 

[MossRoad]

Try:

In Google Chrome under settings you will see an option that says on startup, and below it is 3 options. Select open a specific page, and then click set pages to see if it already has an option entered. If not try entering google.com, and see if that solves your issue.

OR

Go into chrome's addons/extensions and disable or remove the yahoo stuff.

 

[Coyote machine]

Curious what antivirus program you use? If you haven't tried it, I find AVG works well to keep out almost everything on this planet. YMMV

 

[J_J]

I found this in my search and maybe what is happening.

Exclusive – Yahoo Using Dirty Tactics to Switch Google & Firefox Users?

 

[aczlan]

I found this in my search and maybe what is happening.
Exclusive – Yahoo Using Dirty Tactics to Switch Google & Firefox Users?

Possibly. However, that is from 2007 and it only applies to people who have installed the Yahoo Messenger or the Yahoo toolbar.

Aaron Z

 

[PossumHound]

Curious what antivirus program you use? If you haven't tried it, I find AVG works well to keep out almost everything on this planet. YMMV

AVG used to be great, but be careful now. They've lost some of their integrity and allow all sorts of crap to download with your anti-virus. I'm an IT guy and when a colleague suggested an AVG download to solve a problem I took the advice but unfortunately since I had not had any troubles with them in the past I did not take time to read all the verbiage on each window and wound up with a potfull of crapware. Tried and tried to remove it all, but couldn't get it all out. Bits and pieces left on the machine reloaded apps I had removed. Eventually I just wiped the hard drive and reinstalled Win7 and all the other programs required by my job. Microsoft's malware removal tool works fine keeping me safe on my home machines and no worries about crapware getting loaded. My $0.02

PH

 

[Coyote machine]

AVG used to be great, but be careful now. They've lost some of their integrity and allow all sorts of crap to download with your anti-virus. I'm an IT guy and when a colleague suggested an AVG download to solve a problem I took the advice but unfortunately since I had not had any troubles with them in the past I did not take time to read all the verbiage on each window and wound up with a potfull of crapware. Tried and tried to remove it all, but couldn't get it all out. Bits and pieces left on the machine reloaded apps I had removed. Eventually I just wiped the hard drive and reinstalled Win7 and all the other programs required by my job. Microsoft's malware removal tool works fine keeping me safe on my home machines and no worries about crapware getting loaded. My $0.02

PH

I don't disagree with their hawking some other stuff that if one isn't wary might cause some grief; on the other hand didn't you justly describe why that happened to you? Quote:...I took the advice but unfortunately since I had not had any troubles with them in the past I did not take time to read all the verbiage on each window and wound up with a potfull of crapware." And being an IT guy shouldn't that be the first thing you do to prevent additional stuff you don't want being loaded onto any pc?
I'm not looking to bruise you, only looking to help J_J get out of spyware he666.:confused3:
I'm not aware of any current better anti virus type software out there these days, unless one likes the bloatware of Norton or Mcafee :thumbsdown::yuck:

To J_J, have you considered you might have to slick your drive to get rid of what you currently have been plagued with? Often this is the last resort, but the only sane way of not busting your head open pounding it on the wall or desk in frustration...
just saying, if it is BROKE, then fix it...

 

[J_J]

To answer your question, it is not broke, just an irritant , this is a big problem with a lot of people.

Some people think they know how Yahoo is getting in and switching, but no body seems to know how to avoid it.

I have tried all the tricks I know, but I think it will take a computer techie with a lot of savvy to fix it.

I have sent Google a bunch of trouble reports asking for help, but absolutely no answer back.

I am not even sure they know how to fix the problem.

When you download a program, how would you even know if some small malicious program,was piggybacked to it.

Yahoo may be a good search engine, but it should not be there if I don't want it there .

I have selected Google as my default search engine lots of times, but Yahoo knows how to circumvent the default setting.

An analogy might be you order apple pie, but when the order comes, it is blueberry because somebody wants you to have blueberry.

I simply delete the Yahoo search for a day, but it sneaks back in whenever.

Some sorry ******* is doing this Yahoo thing on purpose.

Although it might be good search engine, it is not what I want.

 

[Coyote machine]

I totally get what you're saying. I get that to you it seems like just an irritant. What is happening is often the way hackers with malicious code get into vulnerable systems and then steal information like your bank info, credit cards, etc. They can also use your processors power to daisy chain hundreds or thousands of computers together to perform denial of service attacks on networks and banks, companies, etc.
If I were you I'd get someone really knowledgeable and have them see if it is possible to eradicate the malware from your pc, unlikely in many cases, and if not then slick the hard drive and start fresh. This is a common practice for many techs to slick a drive to get it back to square one instead of spending inordinate amounts of time trying to find lines of code that may be anywhere on your drive. It's obviously your choice as to what to do but it may be stealing your face while you go about your daily business. Trust me it's broke, but you don't have to fix it if you don't want to....

 

[MossRoad]

J_J how long has this been happening?

 

[J_J]

About one month.

If I restored computer to about November do you think it would eliminate the problem.

If I change the settings back to Google Chrome and make that the default, the computer will hold in Google, but if I shut off Google and re-select Google it then reverts to Yahoo.

I have Malwarebytes, Spybot installed and sometimes it tells me something is trying to change the default, but it says it stopped it from changing. When I go look, Yahoo has changed the search engine and made it the default.

 

[MossRoad]

About one month.

Have you tried doing a system restore to a point before that started happening?

 

[stuckmotor]

J.J.
I don't know how to fix the problem. The following might be a workaround: My tablet does certain things better with certain search engines so, I have icons for four on my desk top. They take me straight to the one I want to use for the task at hand. I don't think I have one set as default.

 

[J_J]

I thought I had a bunch of restore points, but now all I have are recent.

I have restored several times this year. but those restore points and previous restore points do not show.

When you restore, does it wipe out the old restore points?

I have logged in and out of Google several times this morning and Yahoo did not show. I hope it is not a timed event.

Maybe that dump everything Yahoo fixed things.

 

[MossRoad]

Yes, hopefully that dump everything Yahoo took care of it.

On the restore note:
Normally, when you do a restore, it goes back to the date you choose. It should not wipe the previous restore points. It should also let you go forward, I believe.
Some malware infects the restore points. Once in there, the restore points are useless, as it just keeps restoring the infected system.
That's why everyone needs to be vigilant about anti-virus and anti-malware updates.

 

[woodlandfarms]

On a MAC, I would suggest you at least delete the Preferences (a little file in the system folder that holds the code to the settings in the program). I don't know enough about windows but if it has it...

The different choice would be to completely uninstall your browser, then re-install. You would loose your bookmarks but it might be the price to pay.

This assumes no viruses.