FOXIT Upgrade installed ASK search engine - how can I remove it?

H, I am new to this forum so here goes.
I needed to upgrade from FOXIT PDF reader version 2 to latest as I received PDF files the old version would not open. Downloaded and installed FOXIT 4. I deselected all the addons and installed.
Found that IE8 suddenly had "http://www.ask.com/?gcht=HC&o=101702&l=dis" installed as home page (Internet tools - home page). Replaced this a the dedfault, but it keeps coming back.
Also had the ASK toolbar installed. I used ADD/REMOVE to get rid of that.

System: Dell Latitude D810 Win XP SP3
Avira Premium
on-line Armor
Malwarebytes free
Nothing detected as malware or virus.

How do I get rid of this redirection to www ask.com search engine - I don't want it.
Also I see my disk light is showing a lot of activity.

 

I don't have any problems you see and I have Foxit v4 installed on 5 windows partitions. I do not have IE 8 installed anywhere so I can't comment on that aspect.
Download Foxit 4 again and keep it handy on your desktop. Also download and install Revo Uninstaller (we'll be using this instead of windows add/remove icon)
http://majorgeeks.com/Revo_Uninstaller_d5706.html
Uninstall Foxit 4 and reboot. Open IE 8 and see if it is back to normal. If not, install Revo Uninstaller and then run it. Are there any mentions of Ask anything listed? If so, you want to uninstall using Revo.
Keep the default setting of moderate. If you are asked to reboot at any time - please ignore and select later or cancel. At the end of step 4, you will be presented with all the registry entries Revo finds. {b]This is important[/b] do not blindlu click on delete all. This will break the registry. You will have to expand and look at only the items in bold. These are the itmes you want to delete not every thing showing. When you have all the bolded items selected, clcik the delete selected button. Ask should now be gone.

Once IE 8 is back to normal, install Foxit again, this time if a custom install is offered, select that. (It has been a while since I installed so I don't remember).

 

Hi Plodr,
I went to ADD/REMOVE programs , found Foxit and removed it.
Then checked on the main WIndows menu screen and saw FOXIT was still there. Clicked on it and it ran quite hapily. Closed it and went to All programs on start menu and saw that FOXIT had its own uninstaller. Ran that - it reported satisfactory uninstall.
Rebooted, Foxit now gone.

Ran IE8 up and default still set to http://www.ask.com/?gcht=HC&o=101702&l=dis, and it runs the ASK search engine. :confused

Ran Revo Uninstaller - it found 143 programs, but no mention of ASK or FOXIT.
In your reply you talk of keep default setting of Moderate - What is that all about?
What now???.

 

I don't believe your ASK homepage redirection was caused by the Foxit installation.

I think you likely got infected with malware somehow (it happens to the best of us)... hopefully nothing more than a homepage hijacker.

My suggestion is to navigate to the Malware Forum, read the stickied threads, follow the READ AND RUN ME FIRST thread to a T, and then post your logs so a malware expert can help you.

 

The Moderate setting refers to the Revo Uninstaller cleanup search mode.
See the attached image:

It is not necessary to Uncheck all of those items that are Not bolded.
Those are there just to show the full path to the items that Are selected to be removed.

The following is from the Revo Uninstaller Help file:

I have used Revo Uninstaller in this manner many times and have never noticed any problems after an uninstall.

 

You should be able to uninstall Ask.com through Add|Remove.

Next time you reinstall FoxIt (and yes, it has a sneaky way to install Ask.com).....

Update Adobe Reader

When installing FoxitReader, make sure to UN-check any pre-checked toolbar, or other garbage.
On this page:



make sure, you have both boxes UN-checked AND (important!) click on Decline button

 

Tx Broni.
I tried re-installing Foxit and then removing it. Ask.com still remains as home page for IE8.

 

Hi MCSMC
I first reinstalled Foxit and tried to remove it using the REVO uninstaller. The Ask.com, was still there as IE8's home page.
I then did the READ AND RUN ME FIRST bit s detailed. Logs attached
The only problem was the Combofix complained about F-Secure. This is not in use and was left over whne F-Secure was uninstalled by the work setup. I cannot get rid of it. Combofix seemd to run thry OK. The ASK.COM problem wiht IE* is still there tho
G

 

George, try this: in IE, click Tools, Manage Add-ons - on both the 'Toolbars and Extensions' and 'Search Providers' dialogs, disable or remove anything related to Ask.com. Close your browser.

Now, go into Control Panel, Internet Options, General tab - delete anything having to do with Ask, and add a new home page (http://www.majorgeeks.com is a good one ) - click Apply and Ok. Open IE, see if your symptoms change.

FYI: SUPERAntiSpyware, a great cleaning tool in its own right, also offers hijack protection - if you don't already have it, get it.

 

More logs

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but why not simply change IE's home page to whatever you want?

 

I tried the route of Internet Tools delete the ASK.com and replace eg with HTTP://www.Google,com. The ask.com just bounced straight back.
However Caliban suggested going Control Panel, Internet Options, General tab - delete anything having to do with Ask, and add a new home page

This has worked:-D:major. I never thought of going there, only went to tools when in IE8
Thank you very much everyone. George_s

 

Glad you got it - thanks for the feedback. :major