Bo Derek, gets.....

[shatto]

For a week now, each time I do a search and get a Google page I am unable to get the site I click. The Yellow Pages or another search-site pops-up.
Cute, but I use the computer for work and cannot access a business I'm analyzing. I cannot even get Woodhouse Chocolate to buy my mom's birthday present.

The computer is always running; now, AVG Internet Security runs a complete scan nightly. Last week I replaced Webroot SpySweeper with anti-virus and Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite, both which scanned nightly for the prior 24 months. I also use SpyBot Search and destroy and other anti-spyware and anti-malware programs from time to time.

Google always mis-directs what I want to something else. Deleting Google then replacing it with Google Chrome made no difference, although I don't find a way to access pictures on Chrome, but I digress; when I click on my 'favorites' the site comes-up alright but anything to do with a web-search almost always fails.

Ahem, help!

[theholycow]

It was a very common issue for a while, but I no longer remember exactly what it is.

Open c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts in notepad and see if there's any stuff in there. There should be nothing, unless you use Spybot S&D's immunization function (which you should do) in which case there will be thousands of entries pointing various malware domains at 127.0.0.1. If there are any entries for Google, that is your problem.

Check your internet options to see if you're using a proxy server.

You should not be using a proxy server.

Check your DNS settings. Make sure it's either automatic or a valid DNS. In fact, forget that. Manually set it to 8.8.8.8 and 208.67.222.222 which are free public DNS available from Google and OpenDNS.

Try a standalone independent browser. Chrome is too integrated and can be affected by stuff that's messed up about Internet Explorer. Use Firefox Portable or Opera@USB.
http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
http://www.opera-usb.com/operausben.htm

Report back with results.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by shatto

<snip> Deleting Google then replacing it with Google Chrome made no difference, although I don't find a way to access pictures on Chrome, but I digress; when I click on my 'favorites' the site comes-up alright but anything to do with a web-search almost always fails.

Ahem, help!

I have used Google Chrome on several different computers, after a while it seems to bog them down, even if I switch to a different browser. When I take it out, things work a lot better again.

I know that's not your primary problem, but my advice on Google Chrome is the same as the advice from my Geo's instruction manual on towing: Don't do it.

[shatto]

Took half a day of wading through the Google site, but I finally discovered a forum; and a nice chap suggested; Hitman Pro 3.5.
So I downloaded and ran it and it found one item. Finalizing the scan involved restarting so I went into 'safe mode' and ran it two more times followed by a couple scans each by AVG Internet Security, Spy-Bot Search and Destroy, Webroot Spy Sweeper with Anti Virus, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Then I ran all of em together all night. All with the modem un-plugged so nothing could accidently sneak into the computer.

This morning I used Google a couple times and it worked properly.

We will see....

Thanks for the help.

[GasSavers_Scott]

I use the new BING, stay away from google, when Im done, I do the Internet option and delete, history, cookies, and temp internet files, then I run my Norton scan.

I used to spend 3 to 4 hours a night on the net, since June of 08 I only go to my work site, MSN home page, Gas Savers, and Youtube. The net has become a dangerous place, just this weekend, Julie got a Malware bug and I got a Trojan on my net book, Julie was on HGTV.com and I checked upcoming games for the Phillies and just sitting on the title page was a virus.

I wish they had real web police so these destructive thieves can be caught, prosecuted, financially punished, imprisoned and no computer for 5 years.

In a perfect world.