yahoo keeps hijacking my default google search engine

Discussion in 'Software' started by sheena, Jul 19, 2009.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. sheena

    sheena Corporal

    hi. I have google set as my default and chosen search engine on my computer under search preferences, and on the google site. I do alot of research on the internet. Every time I do what I usually do, type in the words I am interested in, yahoo hijacks my search. This has been going on for over a month I think. I've done nothing differently. Suddenly I started getting a yahoo page saying entry not found, and it is a yahoo page saying it is a service for finding not found entries and it has a list of yahoo's results for my entry. At the bottom of this yahoo page in small letters it says 'about this page' and when you follow this you get a yahoo page saying you can opt out of this so called 'service' and below that is a list of search engines you can choose instead. It also says that this is in effect as long as you keep their cookie on your machine. Then you have to start ie all over, and if you delete cookies after each net session, as I do, you have to go thru the whole thing everytime you go online. What right does yahoo have to force me to keep a cookie on my machine, and to override my search engine preference? Is anyone else experiencing this? Is there an agency one can report this to? Does Google have some arrangement with yahoo to do this? Again, I have my search engine preference set on my computer, also on Google. Also, once you 'opt out' of this yahoo hijacking, you get search results for the entry from google, like I always have in the past, so yahoo is doing nothing that google couldn't do, just to make sure people realize that this is not a service in any way; just a hijack. Help much appreciated. Sheena
     
  2. lego126

    lego126 DJ's Geeky Dad

  3. sheena

    sheena Corporal

    Thanks for the input. My browser is ie6, and my home page isn't related to yahoo, and actually features google. I run scans daily. A minute ago I ran a search and found 3 files with yahoo still on them:yahoo companion, and yahoo in program files dated today, and another 1kb yahoo something. So yahoo is evidently putting things on my computer even though I just came on line and have done nothing in re: to them. I do keep or invent new free email accts. on yahoo, among others, but am always careful not to pick some option that will give me more than basic free email. I still believe this is not unique to me, and would like to hear if anyone else has experienced this. I am waiting to hear back from yahoo re: the email I sent them yesterday in this regard.
    Sheena :confused
     
  4. lego126

    lego126 DJ's Geeky Dad

    try to right click on Internet options-->properties-->programs tab--> manage add ons. You should see your default search provider and search providers installed, once you set your default, there should be a box at the bottom that says something like "keep programs for changing search provider." I doubt yahoo will help you with anything, but it never hurts to ask
     
  5. sheena

    sheena Corporal

    Thanks for the replies. Two or three days ago I ran "malwarebytes anti-mal" and "superantispyware" and ccleaner in the order your "read me and run" page said to. The computer was clean, and my daily scans are all clean. I don't have any add ons other than 'diagnose connection problems' and 'research'. I keep a tight rein on such things as add ons. I have deleted all things Yahoo, didn't have much, in 'search' and deleted the toolbar half a year or more ago. There is of course nothing in add/remove programs. Every time I go off net I delete history, cookies, temps, prefetch. Always run daily scans since I got the computer. Computer always comes up clean. I still believe this is some sneaky thing Yahoo is doing. The page that comes up is absolutely authentic looking yahoo. The page for the so called 'opt out of this service' only allows you to opt out by choosing one of the four other search engines it has listed, so if you are using something else, too bad. How can I break this hold? I am in bondage to this damned page. I prefer not to download another search engine to my overburdened computer, and am afraid something else will happen. Using the computer as heavily as I do, and I am very careful, I prefer Google for searches.
    So, I have deleted everything, checked for troublesome add-ons, made sure my settings for search engine are okay, run scans using programs you suggest. Again, maybe yahoo IS doing this? If so, who would one go to to report it as it is certainly wrong behavior. How can I be free of this? sheena
     
  6. sheena

    sheena Corporal

    I just did an internet query and found that alot of others are having their searches hijacked. A user of windows xp and ie6, like me, and users of firefox and alta vista, among others. A fix recommended was malwarebytes anti-malware scan, which I already did and it came up clean. Also, recommended doing something with 'combo-fix', which is beyond my current capabilities as I don't understand what alot of what they do even is. But I did all the things I said in my last post, and if these recommended antimalware and cleaner programs aren't able to find anything - what next? This, I find, is not a problem isolated to me. sheena :banghead
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds