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blue amix
08-10-03, 01:53 PM
Hi there, I'm new to the OC Forums though I've been reading some posts here for quite some time before I joined.

Anyway, I have this problem on my computer that's causing me to automatically foward to porn sites from what I type in the URL box.

I've tried Adware, Spybot, Virus Scan, Reinstalling IE6, System Restore, but nothing is working or picking it up.

Please help me!

I'm running WinXP Home w/ SP1
blue amix
08-10-03, 01:54 PM
Also, I apologize in advance if this is in the wrong board.
weetoots
08-10-03, 02:02 PM
Go to Panda Software Anti-virus (http://Pandasoftware.com) and use their free virus search. These people are the best for antivirus. If you have a virus it will find it and then you can use their utility to get dir of the virus.
I use their "Platinum" version with a built in firewall.

Al
Yakbak
08-10-03, 02:08 PM
Try browsing to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\

In there, edit a file called HOSTS with Notepad.

Delete EVERYTHING except for the starting comments and "127.0.0.1 localhost"

Perhaps some spyware/adware modified this file to redirect hostnames to porn site IPs.
blue amix
08-10-03, 02:19 PM
OMG!

There were like 800 porn sites listed on that file!

But it won't let me save!
Numbstruck
08-10-03, 02:20 PM
my friend has something like this happening to him. He's run ad-aware, and spybot several times and both come up with nothing, but he gets this "search" page anytime he types in a web address, and also gets TONS of porn popups
blue amix
08-10-03, 02:20 PM
There's also a backup file with all the same sites too.
blue amix
08-10-03, 02:29 PM
Nevermind, it was set to read-only.

But anyway thanks Yakbak! You're my hero!
weetoots
08-10-03, 04:54 PM
YAKBAK,
Should the deletion of these entries be done, even if you are not having problems? Should this file "hosts" be a read only file, or will "XP" have a problem with it.
Al
Diggrr
08-10-03, 05:33 PM
Mine's properties are set to "archive" so you may leave it as you wish.
I hadn't had anyone mess with mine, but am considering setting it to "read only" in the hopes that this may not happen to me too...
And the only thing listed in mine is the one localhost.
Yakbak
08-10-03, 05:36 PM
Sometimes you can speed up your DNS and browsing experience by manually adding the IPs and hostnames of sites you frequently visit, thus bypassing your ISP's DNS server and going directly to the registered IP for that domain.

This might not always work, because if a site moves or changes IP, then you may forget you have edited your HOSTS file and the site may not load.
nahmus
08-11-03, 07:54 PM
Originally posted by weetoots
YAKBAK,
Should the deletion of these entries be done, even if you are not having problems? Should this file "hosts" be a read only file, or will "XP" have a problem with it.
Al

If you are on a home broadband connection there really is no reason to have anything here other than the localhost entry.

**obscure piece of information **

if you are on a PC that cannot connect to the interent open a command window and ping the localhost. what does this accomplish? If you can ping the localkhost is means that the TCP/IP protocol is installed correctly. This is not the problem it used to be but it pops up once in a while. Be a nerd... amaze your friends!!