Search.Conduit annoying add on.

[daveyden]

Please can someone help?!! I use Chrome or I/E as my main search providers, but they seem to have been taken over by an annoying tool bar called search conduit which bombards me with annoying ad's. I have read the forums on the subject and have used "browser clean up", which says that all is well when it patently isn't! Am a bit ignorant in I.T. so don't want to meddle too much without advice. What is a PUP please? Loads of thanks for any forthcoming suggestions...

[AdrianH]

A PuP is a " Potentially unwanted Program".

Conduit is a very nasty toolbar that gets bundled with "free" software. You need to be very careful when installing any program.

Try this  http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/  ADW Cleaner should remove the problem.

If you still have issues, start a thread in the Viruses/Worms forum.

[daveyden]

Thanks Adrian, have signed up to blinking computer, will try their clean-up process this evening when I have a little more spare time, I'm sure I will learn a lot in their forums too. So cheers again for taking time out to help a pc novice, much appreciated amigo!

[Eddy]

Follow the instructions and attach the logs to your next post
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

[Para-Noid]

MalwareBytes took care of it on my machine.

[daveyden]

I have the log files that I got via adw cleaner, are these sufficient or would it be better to use the link you gave? Thx for advice so far...

[Pondus]

You now have one topic here....and one in the viruses and worms forum section ( the correct place for virus and false positives issues)   

Please stay in one topic so that the malware expert know where to reply  http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=149167

[daveyden]

Sorry, thought I was in right section...will be more careful next time!

[daveyden]

Thanks guys, Malware bytes worked for me, I didn't post the logs because after mwb re-booted my pc I didn't see the option, but it definitely quarantined 2 search conduit entries and 1 other, and Chrome/I.E. work fine now. I am using this forum because that's where the links were, so apologies. Hats off to all of you!!

[daveyden]

Hi again, I hope this topic is still open for you to be able to help, I tried the link given for "viruses/worms", but it came up that the topic there was "Off limits" to me. As I posted yesterday Malaware Bytes found and quarantined the "search.conduit " problem,or so I thought...today I used my home laptop and found that, again the thing had hi-jacked my Google Chrome browser. I didn't download anything onto this machine and so I can only deduce that the PuP got in through my Chrome account. I downloaded MWB onto this PC and got the txt logs as suggested. I will leave it a day or so to see if you guys still see this message and the logs, if not I will open a new post in the virus/worms section. Thanks for your patience...just realised I can't locate log, will add later.

[Pondus]

Hi again, I hope this topic is still open for you to be able to help, I tried the link given for "viruses/worms", but it came up that the topic there was "Off limits" to me.

Malware expert posted instructions for you there, but since you never replyed there it was deleted

[daveyden]

Right, sorry about that, I don't want to waste anybody's valuable time. I don't know why, but the logs I was sure I sent to my desktop don't seem to be there, and the history logs in my MWB account don't give an option to resend the files. There is, however, confirmation that the PuP is indeed residing in my Chrome account,(I think!), as the location was...C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\UserData...Do I need to delete my Chrome account and re-register with them or is there an easier way? If you need the logs I will try to locate them and forward them ASAP. Many thanks once again Pondus and team...

[Pondus]

A removal expert is notified about your topic here....it may take some time before he is online

[Valinorum]

Better not to use DDS as they will force me to use ComboFix which is unnecessary here.

• Step #1 Scan with OTL
  
  • Please download OldTimer's Listit from one of the following locations and save it to your Desktop.
    Download Link 1
    Download Link 2
    Downlaod LInk 3
    
  • Copy and Paste the following code inside the Custom Scans/Fixes box;
    

Code: [Select]

netsvcs
BASESERVICES
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.exe
dir "%systemdrive%\*" /S /A:L /C
/md5start
services.*
explorer.exe
winlogon.exe
Userinit.exe
svchost.exe
/md5stop
CREATERESTOREPOINT

• Click the Quick Scan button;
  
• After the scan two logs will be produced;
• Attach the logs in your next reply

• Required Log(s):
  
  • OTL Log(s) --
  • OTL.txt;
  • Extras.txt

Regards,
Valinorum

[daveyden]

I don't know how to copy/paste, I did as you asked and found these logs in my downloads file, I hope this is correct? TY.