Add-ons causing problems but IE wont let me uninstall them, what can I do? ads_optimizer rightonads etc

Dear Newsgroup,

I am having difficulty removing 4 add-ons in IE7. They are all related to
each other and are advert type add-ons. I've disabled them in IE7 but I
cannot uninstall them. I understand that this means that they were not
installed by IE7, but also there is no program listed in Add/Remove Programs
that I do not recognise. So I cannot see which piece of software installed
these "bad guys".

The bad guys are:

ads_optimizer
Mysidesearch Search Assistant
Research
rightonads optimizer


I've installed AdAware but the pc stopped updating after 1 hour, so I will
re-run it now. In the meantime if anyone can tell me how to permanently
remove this Adssite adssearch

Further info: this laptop is having problems installing updates, downloads
do not display how much has been downloaded when using Windows Update in
Vista. I don't know if this related. I've managed to install Vista SP1 and
all other fixes that it finds, and this is going more smoothly now than it
was before I started fixing this laptop.

Thanks for any help you can give.

"FB" <antispam@antispam.com> wrote in message
news:upxu3O78IHA.5700@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Dear Newsgroup,
>
> I am having difficulty removing 4 add-ons in IE7. They are all related to
> each other and are advert type add-ons. I've disabled them in IE7 but I
> cannot uninstall them. I understand that this means that they were not
> installed by IE7, but also there is no program listed in Add/Remove
> Programs that I do not recognise. So I cannot see which piece of software
> installed these "bad guys".
>
> The bad guys are:
>
> ads_optimizer
> Mysidesearch Search Assistant
> Research
> rightonads optimizer
>
>
> I've installed AdAware but the pc stopped updating after 1 hour, so I will
> re-run it now. In the meantime if anyone can tell me how to permanently
> remove this Adssite adssearch
>
> Further info: this laptop is having problems installing updates, downloads
> do not display how much has been downloaded when using Windows Update in
> Vista. I don't know if this related. I've managed to install Vista SP1
> and all other fixes that it finds, and this is going more smoothly now
> than it was before I started fixing this laptop.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give.

Are you sure 'Research' isn't the one put there by Office?

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:4AAD76F5-AB3E-41A4-8660-FF51C233504B@microsoft.com...
> "FB" <antispam@antispam.com> wrote in message
> news:upxu3O78IHA.5700@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Dear Newsgroup,
>>
>> I am having difficulty removing 4 add-ons in IE7. They are all related
>> to each other and are advert type add-ons. I've disabled them in IE7 but
>> I cannot uninstall them. I understand that this means that they were not
>> installed by IE7, but also there is no program listed in Add/Remove
>> Programs that I do not recognise. So I cannot see which piece of
>> software installed these "bad guys".
>>
>> The bad guys are:
>>
>> ads_optimizer
>> Mysidesearch Search Assistant
>> Research
>> rightonads optimizer
>>
>>
>> I've installed AdAware but the pc stopped updating after 1 hour, so I
>> will re-run it now. In the meantime if anyone can tell me how to
>> permanently remove this Adssite adssearch
>>
>> Further info: this laptop is having problems installing updates,
>> downloads do not display how much has been downloaded when using Windows
>> Update in Vista. I don't know if this related. I've managed to install
>> Vista SP1 and all other fixes that it finds, and this is going more
>> smoothly now than it was before I started fixing this laptop.
>>
>> Thanks for any help you can give.
>
> Are you sure 'Research' isn't the one put there by Office?
>
> --
> Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
> Do not reply with email


Perhaps, I'm not sure how I can check?

When checking in Add-Ons in IE I can see the following:

ads_optimizer - nsc5E07.dll - Browser Helper Objects
Mysidesearch Search Assistant - mysidesearch_sidebar.dll - Browser Helper
Objects
Research - *blank* - *blank*
rightonads optimizer - gzmrt.dll - Browser Helper Objects

So perhaps you're right about the Research one, this laptop has the 60 day
trial of office 2003 but this has expired and the user uses
www.openoffice.org for free instead.

Anyway, going back to the original problem, how can I remove these activex
objects? Surely there is a way of doing this and IE7 is not designed to so
that users can't clean it when it's infected. There has to be a better way
than just disabling the object.

Thanks for any help.

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting your hijackthis log
to an appropriate forum.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_R...:_Introduction
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware

When all else fails, HijackThis v2.0.2
(http://aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.exe) is the preferred tool to use (in
conjuction with some other utilities). HijackThis will NOT fix anything on
its own, but it will help you to both identify and remove any
hijackware/spyware with assistance from an expert. **Post your log to
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30,
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html, or other appropriate forums for review
by an expert in such matters, not here.**

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this
isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA or Geek Squad) computer repair shop.

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

FB wrote:
> Dear Newsgroup,
>
> I am having difficulty removing 4 add-ons in IE7. They are all related to
> each other and are advert type add-ons. I've disabled them in IE7 but I
> cannot uninstall them. I understand that this means that they were not
> installed by IE7, but also there is no program listed in Add/Remove
> Programs
> that I do not recognise. So I cannot see which piece of software
> installed
> these "bad guys".
>
> The bad guys are:
>
> ads_optimizer
> Mysidesearch Search Assistant
> Research
> rightonads optimizer
>
>
> I've installed AdAware but the pc stopped updating after 1 hour, so I will
> re-run it now. In the meantime if anyone can tell me how to permanently
> remove this Adssite adssearch
>
> Further info: this laptop is having problems installing updates, downloads
> do not display how much has been downloaded when using Windows Update in
> Vista. I don't know if this related. I've managed to install Vista SP1
> and
> all other fixes that it finds, and this is going more smoothly now than it
> was before I started fixing this laptop.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give.