Anyone know how to get rid of the "Cool Web Search" virus...

I really didn't know where to post this. A friend of mine just bought a new Dell a few days ago, and it seems a virus is already preprogrammed into the hard drive. He is calling Dell in the morning after spending the better part of today trying to get rid of it.

From what he has been able to ascertain, this virus has been around for some time...it takes you to false google sites and appears to trick the operator into just embedding itself further on th HD. When a pop up appears to quit the "Cool Web Search" it installs itself...He warned me not to even to try googling any info about it..I recommend the same for anyone willing to help.


If anyone has dealt with this before, your insight would be greatly appreciated.

If this thread should be moved..by all means please do..

you can get a copy here ==> http://download.com.com/3000-8022_4-10214379.html?tag=pop

but if you have a coolweb hijack download CWShredder and run it. Learned that from DU.

http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/library/index.phtml?source=appvisit


Use the scanner (it's free), find out which version you have, and follow the instructions.

(on edit) click on the coolsearch one...

you can get it at downloads.com

Needs a trojan remover. You can find free ones online.

The computer might need to be unplugged for 30 seconds, than plugged back in and started in safe mode while running a trojan scan.

Good luck!

I just e-mailed him this thread..

and called him.

His wife was so relived there might be a solution
rather than this turning into a costly venture at the shop..

thanks, again.. I rave about you guys all the time..

who knows, he might even join us here..

He is a Kerry supporter.

Spy Sweeper:

http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/index.php

has "Cool Web Search Shredder" and "Hijack This". Use both and your troubles will go away!

i've been running Ad Aware and SpyBotSD (Search and Destroy) for some time now with pretty good success ... but not perfect ...

I've recently installed the Google toolbar that does a nice job blocking popups ...

And my latest and greatest protection is called: SpyWareBlaster ... it seems to run in the background all the time so that I rarely see anything to delete using either Ad Aware or SpyBotSD ... the beauty of this is that spyware and tracking cookies are blocked from even reaching my machine ... and it's free ...

here's a link to SpywareBlaster: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html

one other tip ... if you don't know whether you can trust a spyware blocking provider, don't install their program ... some of the spyware bad guys advertise themselves as building spy blocking software ... when you install it on your machine, you've caused your own problems ...

I'm sure with a the great minds here, he is armed with the right ammunition to put this problem to rest. I will let you know the status, as soon as I hear from him..(probably the morning)