Spyware, viruses, & security forum: Ask Toolbar.Com - again

in Control Panel, System, System Restore Tab and put in a check to remove them all. Reboot, uncheck that and if you have Ad-Aware, run a scan and you can set a System Restore Point there. Darrell

either SUPER or MBAM or both. They are better than Ad-Aware anyway IMO.

You guessed it, Carol. I checked the list and, sure enough, I had loaded FoxIt for a few days as a replacement for my Adobe Acrobat 9 that had gotten a mind of its own <g>.

But I unistalled FoxIt yesterday when I re-installed Acrobat. Maybe the Ask Toolbar is left over as a remnant from FoxIt?

If it is a remnant, it'll be harder to find, I think. But I'll keep trying. Thanks for that.

Just as I suspected, this morning on first start-up, the Ask.com toolbar reappeared when I opened Firefox. I closed FF and re-opened it. The second time there was no Ask.com toolbar.

I have checked my "settings" in "remove software" and there is no more FoxIt or other obvious program that owns that damn Ask.com toolbar.

So I searched my registry (regedit) for "ask.com" and found the following entry:
Software
AppDataLow
AskSA
---------
http://toolbar.ask.com/toobarv/askRedirect?gct=&gc=18xq=%s&toolbar=FXT

What do you think? Should I delete that registry entry or will that leave me open to more problems? Im not an expert at messing with the registry. Thanks.

Thanks, but did you know that on the Softpedia download web site, Auslogics Registry Cleaner is considered "ad-supported software" because it's linked to - what else? - the Ask.com toolbar? <grin>.

flingwing..

Take a look at some of the following suggestions:

"Problematic Extenstions"
Scroll down to Ask Toolbar, then look under the column "workaround". It offers different ways (and places to look) to uninstall it.

"I want to delete (Ask) Toolbar". - See the fifth comment down, where you see the 5 different steps.

"Reviews for Ask.com Toolbar" - You may find something there, which might help.

While the suggestion to use a registry cleaner, which came with the Ask Toolbar, might not have been appropriate in your case, using CCleaner IS something worth trying. (Good catch, btw. ) Amongst other things, it removes leftover files, after uninstalls. There's a sticky at the top of the forum, which will instruct you how to install it and set it up. How to Install CCleaner.

I would suggest installing the "slim" version from here:
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds

You can read about CCleaner here:
http://www.ccleaner.com/

The registry item you mentioned looks as though it is for Ask Search Assistant (AskSA). I would try using CCleaner first, to see if you can get rid of any registry entries, in that manner. I've used it for years, and never had a problem with it.

Best of luck..
Carol

I thought it would work, but I didn't know what you originally had it set to. If it was Google, I'm willing to bet it worked. Dinner is on me, if it doesn't.

PLEASE.. do post back with a progress report.

Let's hope for an "Ask Free" tomorrow!
Carol

but I'd be a fool! OR.. I could say, knowing you finally got rid of the Ask Toolbar, is satisfaction enough. No dinners. No limos. No Learjets necessary. Even more so .. "The Bigger Fool".

With the above said, I really AM happy to hear it's gone! I'll accept your thanks, but the fact is, I only pointed you in the right direction. You did all the work and decision making. And if I might finally add, you did some "mighty fine" work and decision making!

Thanks for posting back..

Carol~ aka *Ms Moderator*