Removing 'Shopping Wizard' and 'Search Extender'

[tarun]

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3810/13un.th.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/my.php?image=13un.jpg)
When I try to uninstall it sends me here (http://looking-for.cc/smartfinder/uninstall/SearchExtender.html) and I am asked to install more stuff.

Ad-aware isnt removing it... how do I remove these spyware programs?
They're apparently part of Smart-Finder but google doesnt have no soln. HELP.

[Reverend]

Have you tried CWShredder (http://www.trendmicro.com/cwshredder/)

[tarun]

Yes, but it couldnt remove Smart-Finder. I managed to remove it using the full smart-finder uninstall util at their uninstall page here (http://looking-for.cc/smartfinder/uninstall/SmartFinderUninstall.html). (Individual uninstall utilities didnt work).

[Curio]

All malware programs have the same needs of normal programs - they must be started by something, either a direct start method or a start linked to starting another program. You need to find either where it starts or what other program starts it - which is what you use Hijackthis for. Work through the autostarting programs in the HJT log until you can identify which ones should not be there then use HJT to remove them (the autostart links).

This won't uninstall them nor will it remove the program from your computer - the program just won't start, so is not doing any harm. Now you have to locate the program components and delete them manually followed by running a program like CCleaner to remove the registry information and to finish the uninstall. Usually with malware it is a bad idea to run their uninstaller because it will add more stuff or re-install the malware rather than remove it.

In time automated methods of removal will appear in the programs like ad-aware, spybot S&D etc... it just depends on your level of computer knowledge and if you are prepared to wait.

[tarun]

I fixed all items that showed up in HJT, and surprisingly this wouldn't go away. Same with the CWS, CWS Shredder didn't detect it but the ewido 3.5 trial did...