Hello,
My desktop computer is having problems with Internet Explorer. Much of the time (every time?) I click on links in "google" search results, I get redirected to "go.google.com", or I just get "Internet Explorer cannot display the web page". Also, while not a real problem, text fonts in "google" search results are bigger than they used to be. Text fonts are also larger in the AOL web-based e-mail page (of an account I'm in the process of trying to wean the family off), which is also unusable from the problem desktop computer. I'm not at all sure why I can get to this site, but thankful nonetheless.
Before looking here, I ran two routine scans: Spybot S&D gave me just two results, both related to "CoolWWWSearch.Svchost32". (Yuck!) McAfee flagged a couple of similar things as well. Sorry, I don't have the exact transcripts right now, but can get them if it's important.
I saw a recent thread started by "g3nx" regarding an identical-sounding problem, but I wasn't clear on what was actually done to fix the problem, and jholland1964's warning "that this will not work for every computer or every type of infection and one shouldn't run it unless directed by somebody helping you" makes me hesitate to just start throwing random anti-malware at it.
I also read PhilliePhan's "Read me before posting a request for assistance" posting, and I would really like to follow the instructions given there, but I can't get to "bleepingcomputer.com" or any of the other linked pages (except for the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool) due to the browser problems I'm encountering. (I can't get to those pages by clicking or by typing the URL .)
So... Is there anything relatively simple I can do to get to the "do this stuff first" pages so I can download any of this stuff to help clean up my computer?
Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Pete