Unremovable Spyware!

A question about : Unremovable Spyware!

How can I deal with a hijacked browser start-up page (a crappy search-engine thing)? Ad-Aware 6.0 "deletes" it, but it's always there again whenever I next log-on. Changing the start up page via Tools/Internet options hasn't helped to get rid of it either. I've also tried getting rid of it with Spybot 1.3 too, without any success. Indeed Spybot doesn't even detect it!

I'm not an expert, so I don't want to have to re-format my hard disk if I can get away without having to do so. Any suggestions please? Am I doomed to being permanently spied upon? :'(

Best answers:

• You need CWShredder from the following website:
  https://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html
  Hope this helps.
• One thing you could do is 'System Restore' to a date before you were hijacked.
  Pest Patrol also gets rid of many pests, but I think you have to pay for it.
• Have you used the 'Advanced' section of SpyBot?
  Go there, click on 'Tools' and find the section pertaining to Starter pages. You should be able to delete and redirect the page from there.
• Thanks a lot Beninio88/Libra/Donnie. I'll spend the weekend trying out your great suggestions to try to get myself un-hijacked! Libra, is it possible to explain how I set the System Restore option to a date before I was hijacked please (I use Windows XP)? I'm a bit of a novice as you can probably tell! ???
• Link: Use System Restore to Undo Changes if Problems Occur
• After going to Tools, the section you need to go to is 'Browser Pages'. SpyBot should give you the option to delete or redirect the dodgy page to one that you want.
  SpyBot also has a tool that allows you to 'lock' Internet Explorer' against any changes.
• Lincslad's link should help winwin.
  Good luck
• You need to immunize your system so that the spyware cannot re-install themselves after you have cleaned them out. Use the Immunize facility in Spybot S&D to do this, or even better, get (freeware) SpywareBlaster:
  https://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
  If you still have a problem, see:
  https://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showtopic=282
  Follow the advice to get expert help.
• Some of the spyware etc. is getting pretty advanced.
  Got a couple recently, my own fault, being my usual blazze breenge in kind o guy,
  Shazza and Mirar.
  Could not find software to remove and manual removal did not work for me ( has worked for others). Had to do a restore. Decided to take it right back to the beginning to improve performance so in a way did me a favour
• Claddy - try these ones - its usually best to have a few spyware killers:
  Try Spybot "search and destroy":
  https://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
  Tis free and usually does the job...
  EDIT: Also try this to scan a system first:
  https://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/supportus.phtml
  (its quicker to scan first then run spybot)
• I decided to go for what I thought may be the easiest option, so I jumped in the tardis and travelled back to a pre-hijack date by performing a system restore. I ran Ad-Aware 6.0 and got the all-clear! (Couldn't update Spybot_got "bad check sum" message, whatever that means, so didn't bother scanning). I've since gone on to install Spyware Blaster 3.2 to guard against spyware installing in the first instance.
  However, I'm now experiencing multiple "Messenger Service" pop-ups clearly aimed at AOL customers (despite being protected by Zone Alarm 5 and Norton anti-viral software, which I keep updated). Does this suggest that I'm still being spied upon? :'(
  All those spies & hijackers were starting to grind me down but these forums are like a "Penny-Pinchers-Priory"_ ie great virtual help/therapy/rehab at no cost! A big thank you to each and every one of you above!
• I somehow got infectied with "active atom" which I can't remove no matter how hard I try..
  I'm a very experienced user and have used adaware, spybot, hijack this,cwshredder and millions of other things and nothing has removed it..
  I've got system restore turned off as it uses up resources and is usually a load of smelly pants.. so can't do that..
  I've got a spyware thing that detects it everytime it tries to do something (such as rehijack my homepage and start up on startup) so I can minimise the risk but I just want rid of it properly..
  it's doing my head in and although my pc is due a reinstall (windows is getting crappy as it does..) I don't really want to yet as I don't fancy backing up 40gb+ of files
• hmmm.. I'm just thinking.. anyone got any idea what it hides itself under in the registry.. I presume active atom makes up a weird name for itself in there.. I need to remove it from teh start up list..
• I appreciate your help Robin. Hopefully I'll be surfing in peace now that I've downloaded Shoot the Messenger (and Spyware Blaster). Thanks a lot for those two top tips.