Browsers v slow after removing sticky search engine

[marston]

I had a sticky search engine that took over Firefox until I eventually cleared it out of the registry and the Firefox preferences, that's fine and I only get the Google search as expected however, I can't get on Gmail, many web pages take an age to come up and my bank website consistently says I have entered the wrong password and check details.

I am using a different laptop to write this message and everything works as expected on this other machine so there is nothing wrong with the broadband connection. Any ideas?

 

[ksiemb]

I had a sticky search engine that took over Firefox until I eventually cleared it out of the registry and the Firefox preferences, that's fine and I only get the Google search as expected however, I can't get on Gmail, many web pages take an age to come up and my bank website consistently says I have entered the wrong password and check details.

I am using a different laptop to write this message and everything works as expected on this other machine so there is nothing wrong with the broadband connection. Any ideas?

checked for infections ?

 

[WyomingKnott]

If your bank website says that you have entered the wrong password, contact the bank and make sure that no-one is stealing from you. It sounds more like the first PC is screwed up, since the second allows you to get to the bank, but you should protect yourself.

I agree with ksiemb, either your machine is infected or it was and needs an OS reinstall.

 

[marston]

Problem solved, I had the Ramnit root kit virus, a problematic little beast but with a process name wjvbhoax.exe it helped to give the game away. I finally got it under control using Zonealarm's application control so that I could stop it running and then remove all traces of it at one time. McAfee would only partially remove it, as it would reappear after a scan and fix sweep. You need two computers to get rid of theses virus's, the infected one and another to download the software, but watch out for the memory sticks getting infected with a file in the RECYCLER or 'System Volume Information' folders. The way it works is to set a run at startup in one of a number of different registry points, with the file held in either

C:\Documents and Settings\fred\Local Settings\Application Data\8 random characters\

or

C:\Documents and Settings\fred\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\

and also in the Administrators account.