Google crazy.

[harryopal1]

Like many people on the planet I have got used to using Google search but find that in Indonesia there is a local version which doesn't quite please me as much as the original google.com. When I write Google.com it then gets hijacked by other search pages Rambler... search something... Bing. Anyone else have this problem?
I am using Windows 10 and have tried the "make Google your default.." etc but the instructions never seem to quite appear as they do on my machine.

 

[CaturMuka]

First, I'd try a full scan using the built in Windows Defender that comes with Windows 10. If that doesn't work, try this: https://www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Teabag]

Got the same poblem here, malewarebytes helps, you have to scan your pc regularly and delete the browser hijackers.

Cheers
Teabag

 

[jstar]

Like many people on the planet I have got used to using Google search but find that in Indonesia there is a local version which doesn't quite please me as much as the original google.com..

Easy peasy.

just make sure you start google.com without country redirect.

So that means select: GOOGLE.COM NCR

You can also change and enter it in your Chrome settings Search Engine. Luckily we have Google.CO.UK, Google.NL and Google.BE etc. so I don't get that issue.

When I write Google.com it then gets hijacked by other search pages Rambler... search something... Bing. Anyone else have this problem?
I am using Windows 10 and have tried the "make Google your default.." etc but the instructions never seem to quite appear as they do on my machine

If it really is a redirect virus:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/security/how-remove-google-redirect-virus-3499499/

 

[William King]

If it is switching to Bing etc. It's not a country redirect, but some malware hijack.

 

[sweetmaria]

I guess I'm one of those that doesn't experience this.

We use Linux for our OS. Chrome or Firefox for browser.

 

[Davita]

I must be on another planet as I still use AOL for email and search....works for me.
I have a Google drive account (thanks to E_G) to access a word processor as my Win 10 admin will not allow install of any free app. The pop-up screen says I need an admin password, which I don't have, but the screen doesn't allow access anyway as its overprinted 'NO' ....something needs fixing.

 

[William King]

I must be on another planet as I still use AOL for email and search

Yep. you are.

I didn't realise that AOL still existed, let alone retained functionality.

 

[Davita]

Yep. you are.

I didn't realise that AOL still existed, let alone retained functionality.

In the 1990's it was the prominent internet provider in N. America but has gone downhill since then.
I don't email much so remained with an @aol.com address and their browser (I think it's enhanced by google anyway)...still works.
I'd hate to have to inform all my friends (all 4 of them) that I have a new address....but maybe it will get rid of those girls, who write every day, wanting to show me a good time....and those Nigerians who want to send money to my bank...if only I'd give them my account number!!!

 

[harryopal1]

Google...Bing.... Rambler and various other hijackers. I was also being plagued with unwanted web sites when I would click for a password on my emails or bank.
So, I tried Windows Defender with no change. I also followed JStar's suggestion GOOGLE.COM NCR but that didn't work either. I tried to Malware free download but that would fail before the download was completed. And I went to http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/se...virus-3499499/ and tried another Spy detector thingie but had trouble getting that to download. Somewhere along the way after multiple attempts Malware free download fell into place. The internet is very slow at the moment so the scan took a long time but .... stone the crows.... it worked. I can now Google without all the other takeovers and enter passwords without other pop up web sites. Thanks for the various suggestions. I haven't checked out the Malware paid download but at least that free test did the trick.
Have a bonzer weekend.

 

[jstar]

Great. So the Malwarebytes' solution, good to know.

 

[harryopal1]

Oh bugger. I just uninstalled the Malware. Maybe it's me and my relationship with computers. My wife does tell me I shouldn't abuse them. Such as, inspired by Basil Fawlty, "You stupid machine. You can be replaced you know." Sometimes that does seem to work.
However, while Malaware was stopping some of the pirate web sites it would pop up with it's own self congratulatory page saying how they just stopped such and such. And this as often as the pirates had been originally popping up. But what undid it for me I would google "rumah sewa" Bali and then choose a site... OLX but instead of getting the full page I would get a page of words and lines and another self congratulatory pop from Malware saying, "Yay, we did it again."
So I uninstalled Malware. My HP originally came with MacAfee downloaded and the trouble seemed to only occur after that expired. A friend had suggested Windows Defender was adequate. Maybe I have to go back to MacAfee and spend another $60. Anyone especially familiar with MacAfee and can I rely on it to deal with the problems described?

 

[CaturMuka]

A friend had suggested Windows Defender was adequate.

If Malwarebytes has already done the work, do you really need another piece of software? Windows Defender will be adequate as long as you've trained yourself not to just click anything and everything.

 

[harryopal1]

CaturMuka, thanks for the response. I wish it were so simple. I don't click on everything and anything. The problem has been that when I enter for Googlesearch there are these pirate searches which takeover and are really not as good. Malware ties to stop each pirate each time but that is ongoing. It is not as if it identifies a pirate and then that is the end of that. Windows Defender does not deal with these pirates. I had also been getting lots of unwanted pop ups offering to enlarge my naughty bits and accompanied by motion images that were bloody awful I was able to deal with the latter probem with Adblock which is free.

 

[fastpitch17]

Harry, perhaps it would help if you download and run CCleaner and then install a protection system. Here in Indonesia I use smadav http://www.smadav.net/ The free one seems to do a good job.

 

[CaturMuka]

CaturMuka, thanks for the response. I wish it were so simple. I don't click on everything and anything. The problem has been that when I enter for Googlesearch there are these pirate searches which takeover and are really not as good. Malware ties to stop each pirate each time but that is ongoing. It is not as if it identifies a pirate and then that is the end of that. Windows Defender does not deal with these pirates. I had also been getting lots of unwanted pop ups offering to enlarge my naughty bits and accompanied by motion images that were bloody awful I was able to deal with the latter probem with Adblock which is free.

Ah OK. If that's the case you've definitely still got malware, or a virus, installed on your PC.

There's probably a hundred more things you could try but there is one sure-fire solution, but it's dangerous if you haven't got your own backup system for your apps and personal files. Windows 10 allows you to reset the operating system in the same way you can reset some gadgets to their factory default settings.

See here: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/reset-windows-10

If you do end up using it, backup everything first!

 

[harryopal1]

Thank you Fastpitch, I do use CCleaner and it helps remove clutter that can slow down computer speed. I have downloaded smaded and am scanning at the moment. It takes a while to scan so I will follow up later about its effectiveness.

 

[fastpitch17]

Thank you Fastpitch, I do use CCleaner and it helps remove clutter that can slow down computer speed. I have downloaded smaded and am scanning at the moment. It takes a while to scan so I will follow up later about its effectiveness.

Hope it works for you.

 

[harryopal1]

A friend in the USA responded with this observation, " Sometimes these trojans attach themselves to the google search start page and only way to get rid of them is to delete google Chrome and download it again from Internet Explorer."

 

[harryopal1]

Stone the crows! I just deleted Chrome and then reinstalled but the first Google.com I tried is hijacked by some other search engine called Ozip that doesn't have maps which is what I use very often with Google.
I am thinking of starting a class action against Bill Gates for all the hours squander trying to work out computer problems. Worldwide the hours must amount to many billions.