Just want to add one more thing. . .

[goodtaste]

Going into Program Files\Coomon Files\WinTools, and then Tools, Folder Option and View and clicking on show hidden folders, I can see the following now:

WToolsA
WToolsB.dll
WToolsC.cfg
WToolsD.cfg
WToolsP.cfg

Are these the culprit?

Also I've got more and more fiiles and folders that look pale. Is that a sign that those files and folders have been corrupted by so many hard shut downs?

Thank you!

[Cactus]

That's them all right.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/av ... ntbar.html

When Adware.Huntbar runs, it performs the following actions:


Installs itself to C:\Program Files\Common Files\WinTools as the following files:
wtoolsa.exe
wsup.exe
wtoolss.exe
wtoolsc.cfg
wtoolsp.cfg
wtoolsd.cfg
wtoolb.dll


Creates the registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\CLSID\{87766247-311c-43b4-8499-3d5fec94a183}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{87766247-311c-43b4-8499-3d5fec94a183}


Redirects search requests and gathers browsing habits, and then sends them to a remote Web site.


Update the definitions.
Uninstall "WinTools for Internet Explorer" using the Add/Remove Programs utility.
Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as Adware.Huntbar.


For specific details on each of these steps, read the link above

Cactus

[Geekgirl]

[goodtaste]

I'm glad I asked before doing anything.