Something is blocking my google search engine

Something is blocking my google search engine. Any ideas that could help me?

We could need a screen shot of some sort…

In the meantime, use a boot-time scan from avast!..

Report back results^^

-AnimeLover^^

[font=Segoe UI]Step 1: Windows Disk Cleanup Utility ============

1 Press Windows Key + R
2 Type in: cleanmgr
3 Put a check beside: Temporary Internet Files and Temporary Files. Optionally, you may check other options too
4 Click OK

Step 2: Hijack This (HJT) ============

1 Download Trend Micro Hijack This here
2 Install HJT in C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis (the location is already displayed by default). Click Install
3 HJT Window will appear. Click Do a system scan and save a logfile. A notepad file will pop-up once the scan is completed
5 Click on the Notepad window and click File > Save As and save the file on your desktop
6 Go back here on your topic and start a reply. On the Reply window, click Additional Options
7 Attach the .txt file that HJT created and saved on your desktop
NOTE: Do not have HJT fix anything yet.

Not sure what is meant by boot time scan. I have been with Avast for 2+ years . Just ran Avast complete scan and got no infected files.

For L’arc. I am confused/stuck at Step 2, #3. Is the System scan an Avast system scan? HJT loaded OK. Thanks for you help.

[font=Segoe UI] Nope, the system scan meant for Step 2 #3 is for Hijack This.

Attached is the log file.

[font=Segoe UI]It appears like your HOSTS file is messed up. Please go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc. From that folder, right click hosts and select Open. You will be presented with a software to choose for opening the file. Select Notepad then click OK. A notepad text will appear. Click Edit > Select All then press Delete in your keyboard. All the entries would be deleted. Now, copy all the contents here in the codebox:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost

[font=segoe ui] then paste it on the notepad file. Click File > Save. You may now close the notepad window. Please tell us if it works.

[font=Segoe UI]To prevent further hijacks, consider installing a firewall with Outbound Protection since XP’s own does not support the said feature. Examples are:[list][font=Segoe UI]
[] PCTools
[
] Agnitum Outpost
[*] Online Armor
[font=Segoe UI]NOTE: Install only one firewall. Two or more firewalls will cause system instability and conflicts.

[font=Segoe UI]Also considering some orther optionals, you may remove Ask Toolbar from your PC (unless you intended to install it) via Add/Remove Programs.

PS: Did you happen to have AVG 9 and Norton installed before?[/list]

@dlane123

You can’t run Norton anti vrus as well as avast! as they will conflict.

You have to choose between Norton or avast!

Download and run the Norton Removal Tool:
http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

L’arc. I edited hosts as per your instructs and came back with same log file. no change on this but I didn’t reboot yet.

I am running Norton and Avast at the same time and as Yo Kenny suggest could this be the problem?

I will delete Ask toolbar, but I don’t activate it.

Please keep helping. Thanks

I plan to let Norton go bye bye.

I still have not gotten a solution to this problem. I am still blocked out from google. Please give me some additional advice. Have taken Norton out of the picture but problem persists. I would hate to rebuild my computer to solve this problem. I can go to anyother web site but not Google. Where is this site blocked on my computer? Please help anyone.

[font=Segoe UI]We’ll try doing some more extensive scans.

[font=Segoe UI]Step 1: Windows Disk Cleanup Utility ============

1 Press Windows Key + R
2 Type in: cleanmgr
3 Put a check beside: Temporary Internet Files and Temporary Files. Optionally, you may check other options too
4 Click OK

Step 2: avast! Boot Time Scan ============

1 Double click avast! antivirus desktop icon and wait for memory test to complete
2 avast GUI will appear. Right click anywhere on avast!'s window and select Schedule Boot Time Scan…
3 Click Advanced options and select Move infected file to Chest on the first dropdown list and leave the other one as it was. Click Schedule
4 You will be asked for a system restart. Click Yes to do it now or No to let avast wait for you to manually restart your PC
NOTE: Optionally, you may enable scanning of archive files. If it is enabled, scanning would be more thorough but would take more time

Step 3: Malwarebytes Antimalware (MBAM) ============

1 Download Malwarebyes’ Antimalware here
2 Proceed to installing MBAM after downloading
3 On the last dialog box, do not forget to leave Update Malwarebytes’ Antimalware and Run Malwarebytes’ Antimalware checked
4 Malwabytes’ Antimalware GUI would appear, from there select Perform Quick Scan and click Scan
5 When scan is completed, click Show Results
6 Click Remove Selected and then, a notepad file will appear.
7 On the notepad window, click File > Save As and save it on your desktop. You may now close MBAM.

Step 4: Hijack This (HJT) ============

1 Download Trend Micro Hijack This here
2 Install HJT in C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis (the location is already displayed by default). Click Install
3 HJT Window will appear. Click Do a system scan and save a logfile. A notepad file will pop-up once the scan is completed
5 Click on the Notepad window and click File > Save As and save the file on your desktop
6 Go back here on your topic and start a reply. On the Reply window, click Additional Options
7 Attach the two .txt files that we created and saved on your desktop (click more attachments to have more slots for attaching files)
NOTE: Do not have HJT fix anything yet.

L arc, thanks for your help. Completed all steps succesfully and here are the two resulting files. Hjackthis suggested a manual fix.

I see:C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\Engine\17.1.0.19\ccSvcHst.exe

You can’t run Norton anti virus as well as avast!

Go to Add/Remove Programs and un-install it.
Sun Java is also vulnerable and needs to be un-installed as well.

Download Norton removal as Norton is hard to remove completly:
http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

Norton is uninstalled. The blocking of Google continues, but I agree I should not have two. I have been a long time user of Avast, but don’t have a clue how I got into this predicament. Thanks for your suggestion Yokenny.

Oh forgot Yokenny, would that be Java 2 Runtime environment?

Did you run the Norton removal tool?

Download and run JavaRa to completely remove old Java applications:
http://raproducts.org

Install Java Version 6 Update 17:
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Go to Secunia Online Software Inspector then run it to see what other applications are vulnerable:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online

Yes, I used the removal tool. Will proceed with your suggests. Thanks