How to remove Hotsearchbar.com

[Ioman]

1. Start Command Prompt in the Accessories menu of your Start Menu.
2. Type in: (c:/windows/system32/regsvr32.exe /u winhot32.dll) EXACTLY as it's seen inside the parenthesis
3. You should get a system message saying that winhot32.dll has be unregistered
4. Open Internet Explorer to find HotSearchBar no longer there. You're done!

[nightowl]

Nice, I think I had a log the other day with that problem, If I see it again I'll send them here.........Jim :vivi

[zoesmom]

I am not having any lucky removing it. When I follow your instructions above, i get the message that the Loadlibrary("winhot32.dll") failed - the specified module could not be found. I do not know what else to do. I've run Adware, spybot, have spyware blaser,coolwebsearch, elite toolbar remover, hijackthis.

I get the message when I try to fix the hotsearchbar that some problems couldn't be filed the reason could be associated files are still in use in memory.. restarting does not help.

I hope someone can please help me.....how dangerous is this. I run antivirus everyday and spyware removal but this is a problem. Just started too recently.

[nightowl]

Download HijackThis(Link at the bottom of my message).


Your copy of HijackThis needs to be in a folder of it's own. When HJT fixes anything, it makes backups of the original files in the folder it is in. For this reason it cannot be run from a Zip file or from Temporary folders because the backups will be deleted. Having the backups could be VITAL to restoring your system if something went wrong in the FIX process!


1. Please go to you're 'My Documents' folder, right-click and select 'New > Folder' then name the folder 'HJT'.

2. Copy and paste HijackThis.exe to the new folder.

3. SCAN with HJT

4. POST the new log in the Spyware Logs section (link below)

http://forums.designtechnica.com/forumdisplay.php?f=127

[zoesmom]

Thanks so much... it's gone and boy is my computer lightning fast again!!!

[pantermalis]

Hi guys! I have a similar problem with the hotsearchbar ! Here is my hijackthis log.... Pleaaaassseeeee Heeeeelllpppp!

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\keyhook.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\softwin\BITDEF~2\bdmcon.exe
C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Desktop\bdoesrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Desktop\bdswitch.exe
C:\WINDOWS\mHotkey.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\slserv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Softwin\BitDefender Communicator\xcommsvr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Softwin\BitDefender Scan Server\bdss.exe
C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Desktop\vsserv.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe
C:\Program Files\Opera\Opera.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Stavr\My Documents\HJT\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = about:
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyServer = 192.168.1.2:8080
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyOverride = local.,;<local>
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSL encrypt - {0B6899B6-1564-43e0-BD93-F7CF930A5E5C} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nst9.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: RieMon Class - {70F6A776-579A-4C95-BA88-134253907752} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\irsmaaea.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O2 - BHO: AD Rotator - {EEC590D8-0A3C-4464-BB20-25A4747992F9} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\adrotate.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiSPower] Rundll32.exe SiSPower.dll,ModeAgent
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiS Windows KeyHook] C:\WINDOWS\system32\keyhook.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiSUSBRG] C:\WINDOWS\SiSUSBrg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BDMCon] c:\PROGRA~1\softwin\BITDEF~2\bdmcon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BDNewsAgent] c:\program files\softwin\bitdefender desktop\bdnagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BDOESRV] C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Desktop\\bdoesrv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BDSwitchAgent] C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Desktop\bdswitch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PinnacleDriverCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSDrvCheck.exe -CheckReg
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CHotkey] mHotkey.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Hardware Abstraction Layer] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\KhalShared\KHALMNPR.EXE"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [adstart] "iexplore.exe" "http://iesettingsupdate"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CnxTrApp] rundll32.exe "C:\Program Files\Microcom\Microcom USB Network\CnxTrApp.dll",AppEntry -REG "Conexant\Conexant USB Network"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Logitech SetPoint.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Search - http://kn.bar.need2find.com/KN/menusearch.html?p=KN
O8 - Extra context menu item: Ε&ξαγωγή στο Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Έρευνα - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O12 - Plugin for .mu3: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPMyrMus.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mus: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPMyrMus.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mut: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPMyrMus.dll
O12 - Plugin for .myr: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPMyrMus.dll
O16 - DPF: {E055C02E-6258-40FF-80A7-3BDA52FACAD7} - http://activex.matcash.com/speedtest2.dll
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - "C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\msgrapp.dll" (file missing)
O18 - Filter: text/html - {2AB289AE-4B90-4281-B2AE-1F4BB034B647} - (no file)
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: BitDefender Scan Server (bdss) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Softwin\BitDefender Scan Server\bdss.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: SmartLinkService (SLService) - - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\slserv.exe
O23 - Service: BitDefender Virus Shield (VSSERV) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Desktop\vsserv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: BitDefender Communicator (XCOMM) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Softwin\BitDefender Communicator\xcommsvr.exe" /service (file missing)