Internet Explorer pop-ups when Windows Starts

[alakazam]

Every time I start Windows, these three pop-up windows start in Internet Explorer. It started after I installed one of those promotional / giveaway programs that were filled with adware.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hi,



Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode and save to your Desktop.

Double click on AdwCleaner.exe to run the tool.

• Click on the Scan button.
• After the scan has finished click on the Clean button.

Press OK when asked to close all programs and follow the onscreen prompts.
Press OK again to allow AdwCleaner to restart the computer and complete the removal process.

• After rebooting, a logfile report (AdwCleaner[S0].txt) will open automatically.
• Post logfile will also be saved in the C:\AdwCleaner folder.

Please download zoek.zip or zoek.rar by smeenk (

) from here or here and save it to your Desktop.
Unpack the archive...

• Close any open browsers
• Temporarily disable your AntiVirus program. (If necessary)
  If you are unsure how to do this please read this or this Instruction.
  
• Double click on zoek.exe to run the tool .
  Please wait while the tool does not start...
  
• Copy the text present inside the code box below and paste it into the large window in the zoek tool:
  NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to the operating system
  
  

  createsrpoint;
  gpt.ini;z 
  C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy;v
  C:\Windows\SysWOW64\GroupPolicy;v 
  StandardSearch; 
  emptyfolderscheck; 
  installer-list; 
  installedprogs; 
  uninstall-list;

• Click on
  
  button.
  Please wait until a logreport will open (this can be after reboot)
  
• Save notepad to your Desktop and attach here zoek-results.log
  Note: It will also create a log in the C:\ directory named "zoek-results.log"

 

[alakazam]

I followed the instructions, and here is the file.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

> Re-run zoek with the script below and attach here fresh zoek log results.
NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to the operating system

mhkaekfpcppmmioggniknbnbdbcigpkk;chr
cgbealecnakbhfoeeipcnoboempfkbjd;chr
nijjeomamgmmmefdpnkebbikhfbgagfl;chr
C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueSprig Toolbar;fs
BlueSprig Toolbar v8.9;u
C:\PROGRA~2\hosts2;fs
C:\PROGRA~2\1clickmoviedownloader.com;fs
C:\PROGRA~2\BlueSprig Toolbar;fs
YoutubeDownloader@PeterOlayev.com.xpi;ff
hosts2;u
autoclean;
emptyalltemp;
emptyclsid;
ipconfig /flushdns

***** NEXT *****​

Tell me how is the situation now?

 

[alakazam]

Well, the pop-ups disappeared after I scanned with AdwCleaner.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

There are still some leftovers, please procede with Zoek...

 

[alakazam]

OK, here you go:

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Do you have any other problem?

 

[alakazam]

Well, yeah, that zoek thing deleted one of the free VPN programs I had on my PC and now every time I start Internet Explorer it shows a little favicon at the top of the address bar saying it is covered by Russian VPN. I don't know what that means. My IP is not changed however.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Can you make a ScreenShot of this?

 

[alakazam]

http://sharimages.com/images/2014/04/05/russianproxy.jpg

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Look here how to disable proxy --> http://en.kioskea.net/faq/7921-web-browsers-how-to-disable-the-proxy

 

[alakazam]

There is no proxy enabled, and I checked my IP address and it shows my actual IP address, the one from my ISP, not a foreign one.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Try to reset Internet Explorer --> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737

 

[alakazam]

Thanks. That seems to have fixed it. But I also lost all my internet history...

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Collateral damage



I can recommend you this software to avoid Adware in the future:

http://unchecky.com/

Read here how it works --> http://www.howtogeek.com/179758/how-to-avoid-junkware-offers-with-unchecky/



• The following will implement some post-cleanup procedures:

=> Please download DelFix by Xplode to your Desktop.

Run the tool and check the following boxes below;

Remove disinfection tools

Create registry backup

Purge System Restore
Click Run button and wait a few seconds for the programme completes his work.
At this point all the tools we used here should be gone. Tool will create an report for you (C:\DelFix.txt)

The tool will also record healthy state of registry and make a backup using ERUNT program in %windir%\ERUNT\DelFix
Tool deletes old system restore points and create a fresh system restore point after cleaning.

 

[alakazam]

Well, this has proven to be ineffective. After Windows installed some new updates and I rebooted the PC, the pop-ups reappeared and they continue to reappear each time I reboot my PC. Also, another weird thing I have noticed was the fact that Internet Explorer doesn't remember the homepage I set in the settings. It just shows a blank page when I launch it.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

What do you think about not using Internet Explorer. It is too hard to secure it from attacks. Better use Google Chrome or Mozilla.