Malware or Hack?? no webpages, homegroup!

justbobby

Honorable
Jan 31, 2014
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10,510
So I'm not sure where to start, I'm exausted! My computers been acting really funny the last couple days! It started yesterday when I was looking up porn online (I'm an adult, I'm not going to lie, people do it) My browser ended up being unresponsive after I opened a few too many tabs so I just closed them all. When it closed I could see there was a "Homegroup" icon on my desktop with 4 blue globes. I couldn't budge it & I knew I had all sharing blocked so I suspiciously searched online & was instructed to simply leave the homegroup & then stop running productlistner & something else (think thats what it was called) so i stopped those 2 things but it wouldn't let me leave the homegroup. It said "unable to remove you from the homegroup" eventually i found a link that instructed me to do something simple, don't remember what & then refresh to see if the icon was gone from my desktop and it was! Only problem is now I can't find the homegroup settings anywhere to see if i can leave it or if im still sharing. I looked in the windows search & the folder where it's supposed to be but nothing! I fear somebody has hacked my computer & has access to my personal info.




Anyway, everything was fine until today when I opened IE & couldn't access webpages. I can get to google & even get search results in Google but when I try to open a search result it says "cannot display webpage" Not sure if it matters but for a while my home search engine was stuck as "NationZoom" but that won't even display so I don't know if its that or if its the homegroup thing or if im being hacked!!! ..It feels like a hack but maybe im just parinoid!!

Also when I was instructed on how to remove the homegroup icon i was told to download a registry called "take ownership" & in following these instructions I may or may not have changed some permissions because I'm not sure how they work or what i'm doing!!! This is all just a big mess & I want my computer safe & working again.

Also just so you're aware I've already used MalWarebytes, kaspersy, super anti bug & avast all seperately of course.

Can anybody out there at all help me fix this mess??

:( I've tried everything.....

please be patient with me as i don't really know what im doing....thanks!!! :)
 
You get programs like nationzoom when you install some "free" games the fine print in the installer basically says you give them rights to do anything they want.
there are several programs like this and the tend to sue anti virus companies if they call them a virus or remove their program.
Basically, the people bind up a free game with a software wrapper that installs the ADs product on your computer. The installer sends a code to the service and the person who owns the code gets some money for the install on your computer. They don't pay much but if you get a 100000 installs of your game at 15cents each. it can add up.

here is how to remove it:
http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-nation-zoom.html

Nation zoom is owned by Violeter Technology Limited
Violeter,inc. 130 Shoreline Drive
Suite 17
Redwood City,CA 94065
here is their website: http://www.nationzoom.com/