If you are looking for a technique to implement manual Google redirect virus removal, this post has what you are looking for.
Once you connect to the Internet, you become a part of the largest connected network of computers and get access to the world’s largest knowledge store. The downside of this privilege is that you expose your computer to virus threats. There are a host of computer viruses designed to hack into your computer system and each has a different way of causing mischief. Among the many viruses that have struck computers of late, the ‘Google redirect’ has gained notoriety as one of the worst. If you search something on the Google search engine and the result links are directed towards web pages that have entirely different URLs from the ones you clicked on, the chances are high that your PC is infected by this virus. This virus manages to hoodwink some of the best antivirus software programs in the world.
About Google Redirect Virus
Hackers spread around the world, keep coming up with ways to hack into computers connected with the Internet. The hackers who came up with the virus, decided to target Google search results of Windows users, to drive traffic towards malicious websites or generate advertisement revenue by directing them towards other specific websites.
Not only does this virus direct you towards unwanted websites to generate revenue through web traffic, but it also makes your computer system vulnerable, by compromising internal security. It opens the proverbial ‘backdoor‘ for other malware programs to spread on your PC. Ergo, it is absolutely important that you remove this threat as soon as possible.
When you type something in the Google search engine, see the search results and click on any one and your web browser opens up a malicious site, which is not the page displayed in the search results, your PC has been infected by the virus, also known variously as Tidserv, TDSS or Alureon. Many users have reported that antivirus software programs have been unable to remove this virus.
Removal Instructions
I found the Google redirect fix explained here, after I extensively researched for a solution online. Personally, I tried this out and it worked for me. Here is the stepwise procedure for removing the virus.
Step 1: Clean the Hosts or Lmhosts.sam File
If your web browser is being redirected, it may be because of manipulation of the ‘hosts’ or ‘lmhosts.sam’ file in the system32 folder of your Windows system. Open your Windows explorer program and open the following folder – ‘C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\’. Using notepad, open the ‘lmhosts.sam’ or ‘hosts’ file. This file has DNS redirect settings. If you see any IP addresses and domain name listings entered there, just remove them and save the file. This will prevent redirection of your search results.
Step 2: Change TCP/IP Settings
Go to the control panel and open the list of network connections. Access the properties of your Internet connection and particularly the window which details the TCP/IP properties. Choose the checkbox which makes it compulsory that IP addresses are obtained automatically.
Step 3: Remove Proxy Settings On Browser
It is quite possible that your web browser’s settings have been messed up with. Open the browser’s internal settings and check if any proxy server settings have been entered. If you find they are, disable them by choosing not to have any proxy server settings.
Step: 4 Run a Complete Virus Scan
Once you have checked for the above three things, it is advised that you run a complete scan of the system drive which will eliminate the remnants of that virus left in the form of trojans or other malware.
If whatever you do, the redirecting still continues, the only option that will definitely work is a complete reformat of you hard drive, which should be followed by a fresh reinstallation of the Windows operation system. A reformat will completely eliminate all the virus species that have populated your hard drive. The installation procedure of Windows Vista and Windows 7 takes less than an hour and it is the best way of getting your hard drive purged. Don’t forget to install a good antivirus software with special Internet security features, which can protect your PC from getting infected by any malicious program.