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Thread ID: 38873 2003-10-20 23:14:00 Removing pesky toolbar Mantis (3703) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
185302 2003-10-20 23:14:00 I recently installed a couple of demo screensavers from a magazine cover disk and was discusted to find after I had uninstalled them they had also added a few other bits and pieces to my system .

Adaware removed most of them but I am left with "PowerSearch" as an extra toolbar in Internet Explorer . I have tracked the PowerSearch toolbar to 2 files in my system .

tipb . exe and
pwrsqsim . dll . . .

how can I safely remove these files from my system?

What will happen if I just straight delete these files?

thanks for any and all help .

Mantis
Mantis (3703)
185303 2003-10-20 23:24:00 Try Spybot (www.safer-networking.org)

Otherwise manually deleting them isn't likely to cause a problem.
whiskeytangofoxtrot (438)
185304 2003-10-21 01:29:00 I have installed and run Spybot, but unfortunatley this did not detect the "PowerSearch" toolbar either...

I have tried and deleting it, but it still remains in my Internet Explorer pulldown menus under view/toolbars/.

I am really hoping to eradicate this intrusive software permantly!

Anyone else with any ideas?
Mantis (3703)
185305 2003-10-21 01:50:00 Download and run HijackThis (www.tomcoyote.org). You should see an entry like this:

X {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-D3FA-F27BA787AD2D}: pwrswmda.dll

Put a tick next to it, click Fix Checked then restart your computer. It would also pay to run an up to date anti-virus scan as well.

See if that fixes it and let us know how you get on.
Susan B (19)
185306 2003-10-21 02:26:00 Thank you Susan B, I am now running internet explorer minus the "PowerSearch" toolbar .

I find it dissapointing that other magazines that warn about spyware in one issue will activly put software that contains it on its cover disk the next issue . Such is life I guess . . .

Thanks again Susan B, your help is much appreciated .

Mantis
Mantis (3703)
185307 2003-10-21 03:24:00 Be careful with screen savers, not only can they contain the spyware as you have found out, but they are also a very common way of spreading viruses. Odin (227)
185308 2003-10-21 04:10:00 Glad to hear that you fixed it. :-)


> I find it dissapointing that other magazines that warn about spyware in one issue will activly put software that contains it on its cover disk the next issue. Such is life I guess...

Yes, it is rather poor but I guess the magazines accept these programs in good faith as they probably do not get to test them all themselves. Well I hope that is the case anyway.

As Odin said, one has to be rather careful with screensavers, especially those that are sent to you via email, but you are probably quite aware of that.
Susan B (19)
185309 2003-10-21 04:27:00 Being paronoid thru experience I nowdays use adaware spybot spy sweeper, Hijackthis, Pestpatrol, Panda Antivirus, washandgo, Fix-It Utils, Pestpatrol, webwasher , windowwasher , popupkiller Spyware blaster and Zonealarm pro Drive Image 2002 and a few other utils to keep my PC running cleanly and hopefully smoothly kiwibeat (304)
185310 2003-10-21 04:55:00 > Being paronoid thru experience I nowdays use adaware spybot spy sweeper, Hijackthis, Pestpatrol, Panda Antivirus, washandgo, Fix-It Utils, Pestpatrol, webwasher , windowwasher , popupkiller Spyware blaster and Zonealarm pro Drive Image 2002 and a few other utils to keep my PC running cleanly and hopefully smoothly

Well I have to wonder at the sites you visit if you deem it necessary to constantly use that whopping arsenal. :|
Susan B (19)
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