Something's adding a new side bar to my Google&Yahoo searchs

Hi, I hadn't seen her response so I guess I will do that soon and take care of this. I too have found a file called ISM2 and it is either write-protected or in use and won't let me uninstall it. I tried renaming it, (to "this sucks," by the way,) but it still wouldn't allow me to get rid of it! Guess there's no easy solution...(

i downloaded highjack and when i try to run it i get a highjack has generated some errors and will be shut down by windows ! i can get a scan compleated .. i did manage to trick it once and got a scan but when i try the analize this button i got the same error and it shut down ! this is making me CRAZY !!! this is day 6 of this nonsence please help . i think its somehow connected with internet explorer because when i open any web site thats when the poop ups start !

Well here's what I did:
First go into Program Files, then either look for a program entitled "Internet Speed Monitor", "ISM", or "ISM2". Now these can work in different ways, so it may take a couple tries. With one of them I just opened the folder and it had an "Uninstall" button. From there I easily uninstalled the program. With another (ISM2 I think) it didn't have an uninstall option, and it wouldn't let me delete it because "it was write-protected or currently in use" or something like that. What I did to solve this problem was hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE and went under the Processes tab and ended all processes that had anything to do with "ISM" (it was risky but it worked ) I then was able to delete the files. Hope I helped!

I got the internet speed monitor bug yesterday. It imbedded itself somehow in my program file. Uninstalling it did absolutely nothing. Couldn't remove it as well, (manually). My systemsuite 8 was useless in removing it. I wasted 3 hours trying to get the dam thing removed, system restore didn't work either.

After searching for forums on google, i came across "superantispyware". I downloaded the professiona version trial, and it actually "removed" the program!!

I wanted to share what worked for me and I hope this solves your problem.

I have just recently been trying out the Free version.
One thing I noted re: SAS was that it doesn't claim to go after viruses (hunts spyware). This is true.
I keep a Trojan Simulator (safe) & EICAR test virus(safe) on my machine
& SAS found the test Trojan but ignored the 6 instances of EICAR.
Don't give up your AV! AVG Free AV found EICAR & Ignored Trojan.
To each it's own!!

No pop-ups for over 24 hours!!!! What a relief!

What worked for me was to search and find the ISM2 folder. I couldn't delete it because it was either write-protected or in use. So, I did control-alt-delete to open my windows task manager, opened the processes tab and found it and closed it there. I immediately was able to delete the folder, emptied my recycle bin and voila....no more Internet Speed Monitor!!!

I really can't believe it was that easy, but it was.

I have been trying to fix this ISM popup all day now. (Very annoying,) to say the least. I've downloaded AVG, ran that, and downloaded the Superantispyware professional (free), I did a scan and so far that has worked. Good advice.

Here's what worked for me:

I immediately ran vundofix and smitfraudfix out of habit. Then I ran a quick scan with Windows Defender. It found clickspring.c, virtumonde.a, berlinads, and Matcash.Gen!J

You should run vundofix and smitfraudfix, for sure.

I've gone to my program files and deleted "Internet Speed Monitor". I then clicked on my C drive and found it again. I tried to delete, but got the message "write-protected". I hit ctrl-alt-delete, and clicked on the processes tab. This is where I lost you on the directions. Are all the processes listed under the processes tab related to ISM? Am I supposed to delete all of them? If not, how do I identify which belong to ISM? Thanks so much for your help - this has been driving me crazy!!!!

If you're going by what "oohallyy" wrote, with the subject titled ""What I did" I believe they said to "First go into Program Files, then either look for a program entitled "Internet Speed Monitor", "ISM", or "ISM2". Now these can work in different ways, so it may take a couple tries. With one of them I just opened the folder and it had an "Uninstall" button, From there I easily uninstalled the program.".

I may have misinterpreted what you wrote, but you said you went "to my program files and deleted "Internet Speed Monitor". Did you delete the folder, or did you open it and find the "uninstall button" as s/he put it. I believe they were referring to the "uninstaller" which was within the folder. I'm not sure I understood which you did.

Referring to the other folder s/he further wrote, "With another (ISM2 I think) it didn't have an uninstall option, and it wouldn't let me delete it because "it was write-protected or currently in use" or something like that. What I did to solve this problem was hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE and went under the Processes tab and ended all processes that had anything to do with "ISM" (it was risky but it worked ) I then was able to delete the files."

You asked, " Are all the processes listed under the processes tab related to ISM? Am I supposed to delete all of them? If not, how do I identify which belong to ISM? I can assure you not all the processes are related to the ISM. Only one example of possibilities with more like it. My personal opinion would be not to begin to try and look!.

With all sincerity meant, because you asked if all the processes listed under the process tab are related to the ISM, it would lead me to believe you might be best served by getting a little help. Go to the below thread which will tell you how to install HijackThis and also where to post your log. We don't read analyze them here, but the forums which do are within the post.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=256526&messageID=2599297#2599297

It's up to you what you care to do. You have the option of going through the various threads and fixes, or posting a log and getting it "over and done with". It may take a little time, but in my opinion, it will be well worth your efforts.

Best of luck..
Carol

I can't find any files with ism ism2 or internet speed monitor but I keep getting these pop ups. I have downloaded spybot, spyware doctor, system mechanic, registry mechanic, superantispyware, NOTHING works or even find its. I looked in program files, nothing, CTR ALT DEL nothing in there, it's like it doesn't exist on my computer!

any of the suggestions in this thread?

For instance, when going to the Programs Files folder, did you look in the Common Files folder?

Did you go to Start>Control Panel>Add/Remove and look for the ISM there? Or perhaps, it goes by a different name. Look for any program which doesn't look familiar to you.

Did you try scanning with Spybot in Safe Mode?

Did you unhide your Files and Folders?

In addition to looking for Internet Speed Monitor in your Program Files, try looking for qdrdrive or qdrpack. Again.. look for anything, which doesn't look familiar to you.

If you're completely sure these pop ups are ISM related, I only know to tell you to try posting a HijackThis log. We don't analyze them here, but the forums which do are within the below post.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=255339&messageID=2533167

Lastly, I would wait a bit before posting the log. Maybe someone else has some additional suggestions.

Best of luck to you..
Carol

hi ,
To remove "internet speed monitor" , you will need to login "safe mode" and use a tool called smitfraud to remove it manually

Link to smitfraud tool

http://siri.urz.free.fr/Fix/SmitfraudFix.exe

Good luck

i had it too and it was under add remove programs in control panel so just remove it and it be gone!!!

I found it quite simply in the Add/Remove program list. Got rid of it!

find it in he add remove programs removed it, but like I said before I still got 2 pops after that, one of which went away a few seconds after it popped the other I had to close... I have searched for all these different files everyone has mentioned but I have found nothing related to ISM... I haven't gotten a pop up in awhile so maybe it was just a fluke? I dunno. maybe it didn't have anything to do with ISM... I was afk when the second one happen but it was on one of the websites that often popped up from ISM. I'm not toooooo terribly worried about it, its more annoying than anything. I don't really do much on my computer but my daughter likes to play nickjr.com and noggin.com a lot and she gets upset with the pop ups.

chele..

If you are still getting pop ups, it means it hasn't been completely removed. In my prior response to your original post, I suggested installing HijackThis. I see where you've mentioned elsewhere, "I also downloaded "highjackthis" buuuut it came up with sooo many things that didn't look like a good idea to "fix" I didn't mess with it". That was an excellent idea not to fix anything. There are people trained to analyze the logs and they will help you. They will in essence, "hold your hand" and walk you through the entire process. It's worth doing, in my opinion.

You can post a log at any of these forums:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html

http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showforum=18

http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7

http://forum.gladiator-antivirus.com/ - Gladiator Security

Here are the instructions again:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=255339&messageID=2533167

Good luck with whatever you decide..
Carol

You may be best served by posting a HijackThis log, but if you're hesitant to do it, and if per chance it's something other than the ISM, you can try downloading and installing (free) Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. It may (or may not) find something.

You can download it from here:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html

Save it to your Desktop, or somewhere you know you'll find it, in order to install it. Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application.

* Make sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select "Perform Quick Scan", then click Scan.
* The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart.
* The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.

Extra Note:
If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove,you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts,click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process,if asked to restart the computer,please do so immediately.

**If you encounter this message:"c:\program files\malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamext.dll Unable to register the dll/ocx: RegSvr32 failed with exit code 0x5" Click on ignore mbamext.dll

Thank you so much

Well i went through the first few steps by going to add remove programs and removing it there. Then I brought up my task manager and made sure nothing in the processes tab had anything to do with it. I thought it was removed but anytime I did a search from any search engine this littl ISM window would pop up to the left of my web page search results. Obviously something was in there still running this.

I have installed IE8 beta and in there under the tools pull down you now have an option to manage add ons. In there I found the ISM add on disable it but it still popped up when I did a search. I did a right click on it in the manage add ons window and did a properties on it. The next dialog box shows you where the file is the name of the file and some other info. Found out that the folder c:\program Files\QdrDrive and the files QdrDrive20.dll and QdrDrive20.exe were related to this. Tryed to hide it from me by making the name as different as possible from IMS or IMS2. To delete these files you must close IE and delete them while IE is closed. Then open IE and in the tools menu make sure you have disabled the ISM toolbar.

Good luck folks

I just wanted to thank you guys so much. I kept getting ISM pop-ups and it was driving me crazy. I tried looking up answers but nothing worked until I read this forum.
What worked for me:
I went to the Add/Delete programs and got rid of Internet Speed Monitor there. I couldn't find anything in the Ctrl-Alt-Del, although I checked a thousand times. Then I checked my C/:Program files and common files and found one of the files there. I deleted that. Then I ran a search for ISM, ISM2, qdrdrive, qdrpack, bndloader,dll, and all the other names listed in the other posts. I found countless files that I deleted. Then I emptied my trash bin.
Then I ran a search on explorer.exe b/c when I shut off my computer the nite before the only program waiting to close was an ISM pop-up. I got a message saying that explorer.exe needed to close like always does when a program is still up and my computer shuts down. In the search, I got about ten different ones and I checked the properties on each one. Most had been created around the time I got my interent or my computer and had company labels anyways. But there was one that had been created two days ago and it's function was unknown. I deleted that one.
The last thing I did was I ran msconfig and defraged my computer.
So far, no pop-ups.
If that all fails, I would suggest downloading Hijackthis and posting a log at one of the sites listed in the forums. I ran a scan with HJT but couldn't make heads or tails of it. If you're going that route, don't mess around with your systems.

thank you all so much!!!

I've been inflicted with the ISM for about 3 days, getting all those anoying popups full of spam. I found a partial solution. When I ran Spybot S"&D, it detected ISM, and removed it. It didn't completely solve problem, but I seem to be getting fewer popups, and they are all BLANK! Of course, I can still recognize their origin by the title of the screen.
I tried looking in the 'add & remove programs' page, but could not find it.