When you say "When I open IE, the Brothers FT search page comes up even though I've attempted to make google my default search engine." do you mean that the Brother's FT search page is your home page of IE?

I really would need an answer before I make any suggestions.

Pam

IE is pretty easy usually to set the Start Page.
Go to Google, then click the gear icon and open Internet Options.. push the button under where it says Home Page 'Use Current'

conduit can be difficult to remove, zep can help you with it by using some scans let me ask him to help you.

Download AdwCleaner http://general-changelog-team.fr/fr/downloads/finish/20-outils-de-xplode/2-adwcleaner
Link below too for your convenience.

Double click on AdwCleaner.exe to run the tool.
***Note: Windows Vista and Windows 7 users:

Right click in the adwCleaner.exe and select "run as adminstrator"

1 Click the Search button.

2 A logfile will automatically open after the scan has finished.

3 Please post the content of that logfile in your next reply.

4 Or you can find the logfile at C:\AdwCleaner[R1].txt.

Joe

Edit,

Here's the link, a box will pop up save the file to the desktop, then double click it, choose search, post the log

Here is a link that might be useful: adwcleaner

wow Joe that was fast LOL! Thanks!

Just like the other search tool hijackers, it's not a simple matter of setting your preferences. Follow Zep's instructions to rid yourself of this piece of malware.

Thanks so much. Sorry it took me awhile to get back to this thread. I will follow Zep's instructions!

is this the same computer you started the new post about if so you need to follow the instructions given here and post results and it's always better to have only one post going so we are not confusing things.
Also do the scans mentioned on the other thread
Things like the problem you have here don't just go away they are deeply embedded in the system. .

Hello marita40,

You have not responded to my request for a log file. If there is something you do not understand please let me know. I will post those instructions once more for you.

First

Link below too
Download AdwCleaner http://general-changelog-team.fr/fr/downloads/finish/20-outils-de-xplode/2-adwcleaner

Double click on AdwCleaner.exe to run the tool.
***Note: Windows Vista and Windows 7 users:

Right click in the adwCleaner.exe and select "run as adminstrator"

1 Click the Search button.

2 A logfile will automatically open after the scan has finished.

3 Please post the content of that logfile in your next reply, just copy an paste it to the forum.

NOTE

When you click on my link, a box will open on this web page, in the box choose SaveFile Save it to you desktop so you can find it once it downloads, Then once on the desktop right click on it and choose "Run as Adminsrtator" then choose Search, post the log it makes to the forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: adwcleaner

Sorry for the delay Zep. I was in bed all day yesterday with the flu. I'm feeling a bit better today and will attempt to do this. Right now I can't get into the computer at all but I'll keep trying (see my other thread: yes raven, same computer).

Unfortunately I've now tried repeatedly and am unable to start the computer past the black screen with flashing cursor. Once the message Operating System Not Found came up. Othertimes there's no message. I did manage to get to a PhoenixBios diagnostic page by pressing one of the F buttons (others don't do anything but beep at me) and ran a comprehensive hard drive diagnostic. It passed. Any ideas?

About one minute after posting the above, the computer decided to boot up normally. Amazing. Zep, here is the log. I hope this is what you are asking for. Do you see anything suspicious in it?

# AdwCleaner v2.104 - Logfile created 01/05/2013 at 07:32:41
# Updated 29/12/2012 by Xplode
# Operating system : Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium Service Pack 2 (32 bits)
# User : Owner - OWNER-PC
# Boot Mode : Normal
# Running from : C:\Users\Owner\Downloads\adwcleaner.exe
# Option [Search]

***** [Services] *****

***** [Files / Folders] *****

File Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\w939nsy6.default\searchplugins\Conduit.xml
Folder Found : C:\Program Files\AskSBar
Folder Found : C:\Program Files\Conduit
Folder Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\Conduit
Folder Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bhnjjbcnbmjmhgpliahlamecmbejpaol
Folder Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\LocalLow\AskSBar
Folder Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\LocalLow\Conduit
Folder Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\LocalLow\PriceGong
Folder Found : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\OpenCandy

***** [Registry] *****

Key Found : HKCU\Software\68768264888510283553557286146693
Key Found : HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\Conduit
Key Found : HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\ConduitSearchScopes
Key Found : HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\PriceGong
Key Found : HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\SmartBar
Key Found : HKCU\Software\Conduit
Key Found : HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\Extensions\bhnjjbcnbmjmhgpliahlamecmbejpaol
Key Found : HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache\AskSBar Uninstall
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\AskSBar.ToolbarPlugin
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\AskSBar.ToolbarPlugin.1
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\(3C471948-F874-49F5-B338-4F214A2EE0B1)
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\(761F6A83-F007-49E4-8EAC-CDB6808EF06F)
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Toolbar.CT3205709
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\(F0D4B230-DA4B-4DAF-81E4-DFEE4931A4AA)
Key Found : HKLM\Software\Conduit
Key Found : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions\bhnjjbcnbmjmhgpliahlamecmbejpaol
Value Found : HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\WebBrowser [(F0D4B239-DA4B-4DAF-81E4-DFEE4931A4AA)]

***** [Internet Browsers] *****

-\\ Internet Explorer v9.0.8112.16457

[OK] Registry is clean.

-\\ Mozilla Firefox v17.0.1 (en-US)

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\w939nsy6.default\prefs.js

Found : user_pref("browser.search.defaultthis.engineName", "BrotherSoft Extreme3 Customized Web Search");
Found : user_pref("browser.search.defaulturl", "hxxp://search.conduit.com/ResultsExt.aspx?ctid=CT3205709&Sea[...]
Found : user_pref("browser.search.selectedEngine", "BrotherSoft Extreme3 Customized Web Search");
Found : user_pref("keyword.URL", "hxxp://search.conduit.com/ResultsExt.aspx?ctid=CT3205709&SearchSource=2&q=[...]

-\\ Google Chrome v23.0.1271.97

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences

[OK] File is clean.

-\\ Opera v [Unable to get version]

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\operaprefs.ini

[OK] File is clean.

*************************

AdwCleaner[R1].txt - [3127 octets] - [05/01/2013 07:32:41]

########## EOF - C:\AdwCleaner[R1].txt - [3187 octets] ##########

"see anything suspicious in it?"

Yes Hijackers

Please rescan with AdwCleaner.
Double-click AdwCleaner.exe to run the tool again.
Click Delete.
Everything that was found will be deleted.
Your computer will reboot
Please post the contents of that logfile after the reboot with your next reply so we can see the bad things are gone

Here, Joe. Unfortunately I don't think it worked, however. When it rebooted I got the same black screen with flashing cursor. Had to do cnt-alt-del several times (no result), then turned the computer off for a few minutes. Only then did I get a full boot.

I also ran Microsoft Security again this morning, and it did pick a suspicious item: exploit: java/toniper. It was fixed.

Any other ideas?

# AdwCleaner v2.104 - Logfile created 01/05/2013 at 10:35:54
# Updated 29/12/2012 by Xplode
# Operating system : Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium Service Pack 2 (32 bits)
# User : Owner - OWNER-PC
# Boot Mode : Normal
# Running from : C:\Users\Owner\Downloads\adwcleaner(4).exe
# Option [Search]

***** [Services] *****

***** [Files / Folders] *****

***** [Registry] *****

***** [Internet Browsers] *****

-\\ Internet Explorer v9.0.8112.16457

[OK] Registry is clean.

-\\ Mozilla Firefox v17.0.1 (en-US)

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\w939nsy6.default\prefs.js

[OK] File is clean.

-\\ Google Chrome v23.0.1271.97

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences

[OK] File is clean.

-\\ Opera v [Unable to get version]

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\operaprefs.ini

[OK] File is clean.

*************************

AdwCleaner[R1].txt - [3256 octets] - [05/01/2013 07:32:41]
AdwCleaner[R2].txt - [3319 octets] - [05/01/2013 07:39:13]
AdwCleaner[R3].txt - [3376 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:20:12]
AdwCleaner[R4].txt - [1323 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:26:45]
AdwCleaner[R5].txt - [1194 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:35:54]
AdwCleaner[S1].txt - [3496 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:20:47]
AdwCleaner[S2].txt - [1383 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:27:39]

########## EOF - C:\AdwCleaner[R5].txt - [1374 octets] ##########

That log you just posted shows you did a search Option [Search] we want to hit delete, I also understand you're having other difficulties too, so do the best you can.

Try it again, right click on the adwCleaner Icon, choose "run as administrator," when adwCleaner opens choose Delete your computer should automatically reboot and a log will pop up, post that if you can, so we can see the deletions were made.

Hi zep, well I thought I did all this. I did a search then hit delete. I'll try it again.

# AdwCleaner v2.104 - Logfile created 01/05/2013 at 11:05:30
# Updated 29/12/2012 by Xplode
# Operating system : Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium Service Pack 2 (32 bits)
# User : Owner - OWNER-PC
# Boot Mode : Normal
# Running from : C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\adwcleaner.exe
# Option [Delete]

***** [Services] *****

***** [Files / Folders] *****

***** [Registry] *****

***** [Internet Browsers] *****

-\\ Internet Explorer v9.0.8112.16457

[OK] Registry is clean.

-\\ Mozilla Firefox v17.0.1 (en-US)

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\w939nsy6.default\prefs.js

[OK] File is clean.

-\\ Google Chrome v [Unable to get version]

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences

[OK] File is clean.

-\\ Opera v [Unable to get version]

File : C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\operaprefs.ini

[OK] File is clean.

*************************

AdwCleaner[R1].txt - [3256 octets] - [05/01/2013 07:32:41]
AdwCleaner[R2].txt - [3319 octets] - [05/01/2013 07:39:13]
AdwCleaner[R3].txt - [3376 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:20:12]
AdwCleaner[R4].txt - [1323 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:26:45]
AdwCleaner[R5].txt - [1443 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:35:54]
AdwCleaner[R6].txt - [1510 octets] - [05/01/2013 11:05:16]
AdwCleaner[S1].txt - [3496 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:20:47]
AdwCleaner[S2].txt - [1383 octets] - [05/01/2013 10:27:39]
AdwCleaner[S3].txt - [1441 octets] - [05/01/2013 11:05:30]

########## EOF - C:\AdwCleaner[S3].txt - [1501 octets] ##########

OK. It appears all the hijackers are gone. Very good!

Are you still having boot problems with the Black screen and blinking cursor sometimes?

I knew it! Good work!
Joe I definitely think there's malware lurking even though she reports malwarebytes was clean, could be blocking it.
May need move to LzD?

Yes, I'm still having the same problem--black screen with flashing cursor on most start ups. It appears it can't find the operating system. This morning by pressing one of the F buttons immediately on start up I got a page that asked me to choose the operating system (just Vista was there) and once I did that it started normally. However, most times pressing the F buttons doesn't do anything.
raven, what is LzD? Yes, I'd like to move there :
A sincere thanks for all your help. I don't want to tax your patience.

Oh wow! I think I fixed it! At startup I got into F9, the boot order, and saw that the notebook harddrive was the third one down--below DVD drive and floppy CD! Why that was true, I have NO idea--I certainly have never gone into that page before. Anyway, I moved notebook hard drive to the top and it now seems to be starting just fine. Let's hope that was it.
Thanks so much for a adware--that program will come in very handy in the future and it finally removed all that nasty BrotherSoft stuff.

I'd rather not have you use adwcleaner un -less you're being helped, it can present false positives. Please double click it and choose "Uninstall"

agree that tool really is supposed to be used with the guidance of a trained support forum specialist.

LzD is a support forum with such trained specialist, they will lead you through using several scans that will help determine what is causing the problems and aid in full removal of infections.

You will need to register there to post then post in the malware removal area. Tell your problem and link back to this thread. If you have any questions or problems let me know I am there also, so is Joe.

Here is a link that might be useful: LzD