A while back I had a similar experience when trying to research a medical issue....I clicked on one of the results from my Google search and was taken into a continual loop of pages relating to viagara, sex toys, blow up dolls and porn products. Nothing I did would break the loop, it was just one page of trash after another....and worse still, I could NOT close my browser. Every time I closed IE, it would instantly re-open and continue the same loop....and not one page related to any kind of medical advice/info that I requested, it was all crappola.

In frustration, I did a forced reboot of my PC, but the moment the OS had fully loaded, lo and behold, there was IE restarting in the same unstoppable loop. I noticed there was a browser add-on that wasn't there before and tried to disable it, but all I got was a message saying it could not be disabled due to being currently in use....thus a restart in safe mode (without networking) was necessary to access and disable it.

The add-on was just a bunch of random numbers and letters, and it was a while ago so I can't remember them now, but Adaware, Spybot and other spyware/malware proggies wouldn't touch it. Also, disabling it was only a temporary measure...doing the same or any other Google search reactivated it, so a system reformat became necessary to completely remove it.

I don't know if this particular nasty is still around because a report was submitted to MS, but it was nigh impossible to get rid of, so hopefully it has since been eliminated/counter-acted and will bother nobody else.

Strangely enough, since abandoning Google products & services entirely, switching to Firefox and Yahoo for searches, I have not had a problem with such add-ons...nor have I been inundated with porn/viagara related spam since ditching Google.

Funny thing though, I recently received a couple of emails from someone "desperately seeking a partner" Might see if I can get Hotmail to attach my pic to my email addy....that'll stop 'em dead in their tracks.

While there is certainly a lot of junk on the internet, the internet isn't your problem. As mentioned above, it is an issue with malware. Unfortunately, about the only thing you can do is clean it up after you get infected   

I long ago remove all search bars and junk from my browser. Don't forget to remove search from your address bar. It's a search bar too


Starkers; out of curiosity, did you disable system restore then disable it, restart, then enable system restore?

The LAST thing the Internet needs is a massive Norton.

The LAST thing the Internet needs is a massive Norton.

Broken BITS strewn internet wide... oh the horror!

the internet isn't your problem

He is correct. As I said before, that link that is being inserted into the end of every article you write is a sure sign of infection of the BHO variety.

Starkers; out of curiosity, did you disable system restore then disable it, restart, then enable system restore?

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the System restore thing.....that was my first thought, to go back to the previous day when everything was working fine and I created a restore point prior to installing Cyberlink DVD Solution. However, system restore had already been disabled and there were no restore points to select, so it would seem the nasty had hijacked more than just my browser.

Thanks for comments guys. I am indeed a "HE" as Doc pointed out. I shall try some of your tips.

Ouch Starkers    Post next time you have an issue like that. The pc cleanup team works 3 feet from me, I can probably get a fix for you next time

Post next time you have an issue like that.

There's not likely to be a next time....well fingers crossed there won't be. However, I am most appreciative of the offer and will accept should I happen to strike such an issue again.

Since ditching Google search and switching to Firefox as my primary browser I've had very few issues occur....and certainly much less spam, in fact hardly any at all. I've advised several people since then to use FF and ditch Google as their search engine, and all have reported fewer issues with hijacks, spam and false leads to sites they did not request...in particular continual loops that go from one unsavory site to another.

I'm not too sure it was the browser, either! I've used Yahoo search in IE on several occasions since that dreadful incident, and not once have I been subjected to those cruelties suffered at the hands of Google's questionable search engine.....

With Yahoo I still get irrelevant/unrelated search results, and quite often I'll be taken to pages containing advertising, but I'm never inundated with unsolicited ads or spam that relates to recent search inquiries....which was all too frequently the case when I was using Google. Personally, I think Google believes in its self proclaimed omnipotence, and therefore beyond reproach...that it is nowhere near as honest and transparent as it professes to be, and thus will stoop to any low to ensure its power base and profitability. Inconvenience to users is of no concern to them whatsoever, so they'll continue to employ these dirty underhanded loop/hijack tactics to keep turning a fast buck.

Oh, and I'm not Saying Yahoo are internet angels...but they're certainly not the Lucifer incarnate that Google has become.

I wouldn't be too quick to blame Google. I use it all of the time and don't have those problems. It's most likely malware related.

I wouldn't be too quick to blame Google. I use it all of the time and don't have those problems. It's most likely malware related.

The malware I got was derived from a Google partner/sponsor...their page was plastered with Google ads, banners and other paraphanalia...and once I clicked on it there was no way out of the loop created to take me from one depraved site to another. It was the fault of malware alright, but it most certainly originated from a link provided By Google to one of its partners....and this I'm sure of because I had total control of my browser until Google's search result took me to that page.

I wanted some general information regarding a health issue, and Google's result clearly suggested it was what I was seeking, but in fact it bore absolutely no relevance to my enquiry, was entirely deceptive and led me into a downward spiral of depravity that only a deviant mind would happily frequent. I won't go into details here because it's not the appropriate place to do so, but I can assure you that much of the content was several degrees beyond sickening.

Google may not have directly been responsible for the loop, but it would be safe to assume they benefited from the advertising proceeds....and it's very doubtful such a large and well connected company would be that naive so as not to be aware they had gotten into bed with some rather shady and disreputable business associates....not that Google has to worry if someone has to take the fall, they've covered their arses too well by never being directly involved in the unsavoury practices and it'll be the small fry who'll fall instead.

The sun doesn't shine where they can stick their products/services...cos to me the Anti-Christ is alive and well on the internet. You may have been lucky so far, Mason, but enter the wrong words or phrases into your search terms and you'll find yourself subject to circumstances similar to those I and millions of others were put through.

but in fact it bore absolutely no relevance to my enquiry, was entirely deceptive and led me into a downward spiral of depravity that only a deviant mind would happily frequent.

This has nothing to do with google and everything to do with meta-tagging for specific searches. Health problems are often targetted because they are specific and it is very easy to paste a blurb (or the entriety) of the PDR into your meta tags.

This has nothing to do with google

Ah, but it did! Apart from placing the page within the top five results, Google also gave it a healthy score in its ranking system, then used the site to advertise and link back to itself. Given Google's immense capacity to glean information from just about anywhere, I very much doubt it was oblivious to the content and business practices of the seedy site it recommended and advertised on.....

And I'll bet pounds to a pinch of sh!t that I was only one of thousands who bitterly complained about the inconvenience and expense I was put to....so there's now way Google was unaware....

Adnauseum, did the anti-spyware programs help? If so, please post so that others can benefit form your experience.

To Kupe,

Thanks. Hijack this is really good. Thanks too for other link. I seem to have fewer problems now.