Pop-ups getting around my pop-up blocker and causing problems. How do I get rid of them?

These pop ups and the redirects are caused by a virus known as the "Search Redirect Virus". This virus is totally unique due to the fact it cannot be detected using conventional anti virus. There is nothing wrong with your browsers, it is in fact the virus causing them to act up. The virus achieves this by actually infecting your computer in a different way. Instead of infecting your system with the usual malicious software package or harmful process, it actually takes advantage of a security flaw to infect a system file. This means it can still cause these random pop ups and redirects, but evade the detection of the anti virus. The system file it infects is one used by the operating system to handle the redirect requests from search engines. Usually, the search engine would request a redirect once a link has been clicked, then it would send you to the correct website. However, the infected file intercepts this and sends you to random advertisements instead. The only way to remove this virus completely is to use a program called ComboFix. What puts this program above the others is that it has actually worked well for me on multiple occasions and dealt with the virus effectively. You will need a tutorial for it as it does not have a GUI. One such tutorial can be found here: http://www.personalcomputerfixes.com/spyware/how-to-remove-the-google-redirect-virus/

Using Pop-up Blocker When you install SP2, Pop-up Blocker is turned on in Internet Explorer and set to the medium setting, which means it will block most automatic pop-ups. The default settings for the pop-up blocker allow you to see pop-ups that are opened when you click a link or button on a Web site. Pop-up Blocker will also play a sound and show the Information Bar when a pop-up is blocked. You can adjust these settings so that Pop-up Blocker works the way you want it to. To change Pop-up Blocker settings 1. Open Internet Explorer. 2. On the Tools menu, point to Pop-up Blocker, and then click Pop-up Blocker Settings. Internet Explorer Tools menu If you want to see pop-up windows from a specific Web site, type the address (or URL) of the site in the Address of Web site to allow box, and then click Add. http://registry.tp5pro.com/Pop_UP Pop-up Blocker Settings window Tip To temporarily allow a site to display pop-ups, click the Information Bar when it notifies you that a pop-up has been blocked. Then click Temporarily Allow Pop-ups. To block pop-ups even if they are launched when you click a link or button on a Web site 1. Open Internet Explorer. 2. On the Tools menu, point to Pop-up Blocker, and then click Pop-up Blocker Settings. 3. Select the High setting in the box near the bottom of the dialog box. Note If you want to see pop-ups that are blocked when you have this setting turned on, hold down the CTRL key while the window opens.

Pop-ups can be classified as follows: General browser pop-ups Messenger Service advertisements Pop-ups generated by adware and spyware General browser pop-ups? These pop-ups can be prevented by installing a pop-up blocker. Often times, these new windows display advertising that can interfere with your ability to see the content on the page you're trying to read. Adding the Ad related Domains to the Restricted Zone in Internet Explorer is a good idea. Refer to the following MS-KB articles to learn how to stop pop -ups from a particular webpage. Windows XP Service Pack 2 now includes a built-in Pop-up blocker. You can read more about this feature, in the following pages: Messenger Service Advertisements If the title bar reads as "MESSENGER SERVICE" with gray Ads, then it the famous Messenger SPAM. This is applicable only for Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The "Messenger Service" [different from Windows Messenger IM] is responsible for transmitting these text-based messages. While disabling the Messenger Service can stop the pop- up ads, it's not sufficient in the security point of view. These messages arrive to your system because there is a way for someone to transmit data to your computer via TCP and UDP ports [UDP ports 135, 137, and 138; TCP ports 135, 139, and 445 137]. This means, some intruder can do nasty things on your computer with these ports open. The HIGHLY RECOMMENDED method to prevent these type of pop-up and to harden the security of your computer is to install a firewall application (such as Zone Alarm), or use the Windows XP Firewall. Windows XP SP2 turns off the Messenger Service by default, and enables the Windows firewall. This blocks the ports required for Messenger Service data transmission. To enable the Firewall in Windows XP For Windows XP SP2 systems: If you're using Windows XP, and haven't updated to SP2, please do it immediately. Click Start, Run and type Firewall.cpl Select On (recommended) button, and click OK. Never connect to internet without enabling the Firewall. Otherwise, there are fairly good chances your system gets infected. Finest example is the RPC NT Authority Shutdown caused by Blaster Worm, which infects "unpatched" and "unprotected" computers. Note: If using a third-party firewall application, you don't have to enable the built-in Windows XP firewall. References Pop-ups generated by Ad-ware & Spyware Spyware cause the same effect as general browser pop-ups but they are usually powered by Browser Helper Objects, ActiveX controls which attaches to Internet Explorer and contacts their servers without your knowledge. This not only means waste of internet bandwidth, but your private information may also be sent to someone. You need to treat any outgoing connection without your permission, as a security threat. Along with your anti-virus software, you need to anti-spyware tools such as Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, Spyware Blaster at a bare minimum. You must update the pattern files before scanning just like what you do for your anti-virus software. Protection mechanisms Use HOSTS file to block unwanted ad servers and sites that are known to spread malware Increase your browser security settings. Visit the following link to learn how to protect the system from parasites. (Site packed with full of security tips, advice to prevent parasites being installed) Use an application-based firewall, such as Zone Alarm, Sygate etc. They alert you whenever an outgoing traffic by a new application is detected. By doing this, you are preventing dialers, Trojans accessing the internet. Give equal importance to the configuration of the firewall. Assume your firewall as the gatekeeper, and only allow programs that you want, to access the internet. You may then test the effectiveness of the Firewall (for inbound protection) using any of these websites. They scan your system for open ports and vulnerabilities and advice you what action to take. http://popup-stoping.com

You have malware. When youun installed Firefox you got rid of some really good protection. You need to in stale Malwarebytes and run it this will get most if not all of your problems. Then you need to clean up your registry.It takes a while to do both like maybe two or so hours.

Perhaps these pop-ups are being caused by a computer virus or other malicious file or program that your antivirus program hasn't picked up. I would suggest that you run another antivirus scan, as well as an antispyware or antimalware scan, just to be sure that these pop-ups aren't being caused by a computer virus or other malicious file or program. If you would like to try using another antivirus program, I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials, which can be downloaded from the link below for free. http://Microsoft.com/Security_Essentials However, I wouldn't suggest that you have more than one antivirus program installed on your computer at the same time, as they may end up conflicting with each other. However, it should be alright to have more than one antispyware or antimalware program installed on your computer at the same time. If you need a free antimalware program, perhaps you should try using MalwareBytes, which can be downloaded from the link below. http://MalwareBytes.org If you are still unable to stop these pop-ups, perhaps you should try booting your computer into Safe Mode with Networking by pressing F8 while your computer is booting up and then running both an antivirus scan and an antispyware or antimalware scan again. Good luck and I hope I helped you!

First method: (Google Redirect virus) 1. Turn on your PC and log in as the "Administrator" so you will be able to make changes to the registry. 2. Press the "Ctrl" "Alt," and "Delete" keys at the same time to launch the Task Manager. This program keeps track of every process running in the background and shows you how much memory each one uses. 3. Hit the "Processes" tab on the Task Manager menu and look through the list of running processes for "Google Redirect." Click on the file name and press "End Process." This will temporarily stop the virus from running. 4. Go to the "Start" button and then "Run." Type "regedit" and hit "OK." The Registry Editor menu will open. 5. Search for the Google Redirect Virus registry keys by going to "Edit > Find." Type in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Google Redirect Virus" and hit "Enter." 6. Right-click on the Google Redirect Virus registry key and choose "Modify > Delete." Close the Registry Editor. 7. Go to "Start" and then "Search > All Files and Folders." Type in "Google Redirect" and hit "Enter" to find any left-over virus files. Click on the files as they appear and hit your "Delete" key to remove them. Second Method: (Google Ad Virus): 1. Click "Start," and then "Run" or "Start Search" (depending on your version of Windows). 2. Type "regedit" (without the quotation marks) into the window and click "OK." 3. Click "Edit," and then "Find." 4. Type in each of the following files one at a time. After each file appears, right-click on it and select "Modify," and then "Delete." HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Controlset00… HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Controlset00… HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentContr… 5. Close the Registry Editor window. 6. Click "Start." 7. Click "Search." 8. Search for and delete the following files: %Windows%\System32\Drivers\gxvxcserv.s… %Windows%\System32\Drivers\gxvxcktkkyp… %Windows%\System32\Drivers\gxvxcuptybt… Third Method: Download Hijackthis http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/ and Anti Rootkits http://www.trendmicro.com/download/rbuster.asp Run the scan on both of them (one after the other) and save a file to show it to http://www.bleepingcomputer.com (Register, it's free and be patient). That will kill its roots!. Next put Spyware Blaster to restrict sites, protect you from ActiveX and protect you from bad third cookies, and tracking cookies, Phishing sites, Rogues, etc. Update it. http://www.filehippo.com/download_spywareblaster/download/835703742f0ec5ad30b5c53f182d78f2/