coolfreesearch - Printable Version
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+----- Thread: coolfreesearch (/showthread.php?tid=73969)
coolfreesearch by Johnny55 on 04-27-2007 at 09:16 PM
Hi all
There is a thread on this forum about a sponsor program that comes with messenger plus.
I don't have messenger plus but have recently installed windows live messenger and seem to be getting the same problems.
The advice given on how to remove the adware is for when it is installed with messenger plus but I was wondering if anyone knew how to get rid of it when you don't have messenger plus.
The problem I get is that my homepage changes on its own and every now and again, a new window opens up that is coolfreesearch.
I have tried uninstalling windows live messenger but it hasn't worked. Please can someone help?????
RE: coolfreesearch by zach on 04-27-2007 at 10:18 PM
Can you see the "Messenger Plus! Live & Sponsor" on the Add/Remove programs list? If not, why can't you just install Messenger Plus! again and remove it?
RE: coolfreesearch by MicroWay on 04-27-2007 at 10:30 PM
quote:Yes, he did -> "I don't have messenger plus...."
Originally posted by ahmetgns
He didn't mention anything about Messenger Plus!, did he?
Anyways, Johnny55... have you tryed programs like Ad-Aware, spy-bot... etc???
EDIT: Welcome to the Forum!!!
RE: coolfreesearch by Sunshine on 04-27-2007 at 10:31 PM
Homepage changes in your browser and pop ups aren't necessarily caused by an IM client or add-on. I can tell you for sure that Plus! does not use coolfreesearch as sponsor and neither does WLM.
Wich page does it change your homepage to?
Have you installed anything else (programs, add-ons, smiley programs..) right before it happend?
In control panel add/remove programs is there anything listed you don't know what it is (maybe it even says coolfreesearch)?
quote:This community helps out with allsorts and the confusion is understandable. To me the problem is very clear (just not the exact cause). Also if you know wich subforum this thread should be in why don't you report it? Your post is not helping at all.
Originally posted by ahmetgns
He didn't mention anything about Messenger Plus!, did he? So how can this community help you? Please be clear about your problem. And please on a correct subforum.
RE: coolfreesearch by Johnny55 on 04-27-2007 at 10:31 PM
The Messenger plus live and sponsor isn't on add remove programs.
I've tried uninstalling live messenger and that doesn't work either.
It may not be through live messenger that it's got on my computer, it's just that I saw something about it on this forum and assumed it would be linked.
Does anyone know of any way to manually delete it as it seems to be slowing me down quite a lot.
Thanks for your quick response too Zach.
RE: coolfreesearch by MicroWay on 04-27-2007 at 10:35 PM
Don't forget the other posts, made by me and other made by Sunshine... 
Just roll up a little the page...
RE: coolfreesearch by Johnny55 on 04-27-2007 at 10:38 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Sunshine
Homepage changes in your browser and pop ups aren't necessarily caused by an IM client or add-on. I can tell you for sure that Plus! does not use coolfreesearch as sponsor and neither does WLM.
shoutbox.menthix.net/basicsearch.php?action=search&uid=33504
RE: coolfreesearch by Sunshine on 04-27-2007 at 10:52 PM
quote:There is no proof what that poster had was caused by Plus! sponsor. Have you even ever had Msg Plus! on your current computer? Can you please answer my other questions too?
Originally posted by Johnny55
quote:
Originally posted by Sunshine
Homepage changes in your browser and pop ups aren't necessarily caused by an IM client or add-on. I can tell you for sure that Plus! does not use coolfreesearch as sponsor and neither does WLM.
shoutbox.menthix.net/basicsearch.php?action=search&uid=33504
RE: coolfreesearch by MicroWay on 04-28-2007 at 01:05 AM
Hey!!
Searching with Google, I found a message that a site could instal a "bad" software on computer. I click on the link gave by Google and I found some information, including this explanation!!!
So, please, answer Sunshine and take a look on the link I gave you now...
RE: coolfreesearch by Johnny55 on 04-28-2007 at 11:39 AM
quote:
Originally posted by MicroWay
Don't forget the other posts, made by me and other made by Sunshine...
Just roll up a little the page...
Thanks microway and sunshine too
Sunshine, to answer your questions:
I've been installing a few things as I formatted my hard drive last week. There's nothing unfamilliar in add/remove programs though.
The homepage resets to: http://www.openarticles.info/ every couple of hours after I change it.
Never had Msg Plus on my pc either. I was lead here by this thread : http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=27393
Microway, Ive tried adaware and spybot and none of these seem to work either. If you read through the thread above, it says the only way to get rid is to uninstall and then reinstall msg plus. As I don't have that, I'm really struggling on how to remove this problem.
RE: coolfreesearch by Sunshine on 04-28-2007 at 01:46 PM
quote:If you never had Plus! on your computer or formatted your HD afterwards then it's impossible that this is caused by Plus! sponsor, so indeed installing Plus! then removing again is not gonna solve your problem. As i said before allsorts can install adware/spyware, even visiting a website can. So as you can understand finding what exactly caused it is almost impossible (that's why i asked you to look through your installed programs list as sometimes they can be uninstalled from there).
Originally posted by Johnny55
Sunshine, to answer your questions:
I've been installing a few things as I formatted my hard drive last week. There's nothing unfamilliar in add/remove programs though.
The homepage resets to: http://www.openarticles.info/ every couple of hours after I change it.
Never had Msg Plus on my pc either. I was lead here by this thread : http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=27393
Microway, Ive tried adaware and spybot and none of these seem to work either. If you read through the thread above, it says the only way to get rid is to uninstall and then reinstall msg plus. As I don't have that, I'm really struggling on how to remove this problem.
Somehow i think coolfreesearch might be a variant of the wellknown browserhijacker CoolWebSearch. I advice you to download and run CWShredder, wich is available at http://us.trendmicro.com/us/products/personal/CWShredder/
Another handy tool to run is McAfee AVERT Stinger, this is a standalone tool wich you can run besides your AV program (it is in no way a substitute tho).
The programs mentioned before by MicroWay, AdAware and Spybot S&D, usually do the trick but as always if something has it's own uninstaller thats best used. Maybe the file was in use and it couldn't remove it...remember with above tools aswell, close down your browser (full exit) and if need be run them in safemode as you would do with a full virusscan (wich btw might not be a bad idea to do again aswell).
For future protection against these i advice you to get SpywareBlaster, this works seperate or along with Spybot S&D's immunize feature.
Let me know how you get on with it.
quote:So? No need to post a "i was right" post (i call this spam as it's not helping the OP in any way). Instead of the posts you've put in this thread you should have reported the first post with reason why and wich forum you think it belongs in. I'm replying to you here to tell you how you should handle these things..next time i'll just report your posts as spam.
Originally posted by ahmetgns
So I am right. He is asking for help about something not related to Messenger Plus!.
RE: coolfreesearch by Johnny55 on 04-28-2007 at 03:05 PM
Thanks for all your help sunshine I'll let you know the outcome.