about:blank hijacked my homepage - how do I fix it?

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HOW to kill about:blank hijacker: USE ADWARE AWAY

I got hit with this $%^&*# piece of crap on or about 7/2/04. I went online to many of the sites where I will be posting this removal suggestion. I already had Ad-aware as I have used it for years. I did need to update, as my version wasn’t current. Ad-aware found problems, but didn’t manage a cure, as “the cat came back” (the hijacker returned in short order). I downloaded Hijack This; a wonderful little fast tool, that clues you into suspicious changes in the registry. That got some of the symptoms but not the root cause. The hijacker uses a hidden file that re-creates the files killed by Ad-aware and the others tools recommended on these sites. I found a couple of recommendations for running down the hidden file by using a registry editor. The idea was to find the hidden file by checking the contents of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\windowsNT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Applint_DLLS. Unfortunately, this didn’t work for my infection. I used run:regedit in windows (the st
I downloaded and tried CWShredder. I downloaded and tried AboutBuster. I downloaded and tried Spybot search and destroy. I downloaded and tried Starter. I downloaded and tried ScanAbout. I downloaded and tried Killbox. All of these found some or all parts of the non-hidden malicious code. All of them failed to locate the hidden file that was the root cause.
I finally found a recommendation to download and try Adware Away. I downloaded version 2.2 on 7/7/04. This product has specific data files for many known pieces of mal-ware. It has two different specific files for killing about:blank. One is for windows2000/XP (my OS was/is windows 2000). The other file was for windows98/ME. I ran this program. Upon completion it told me to reboot and run the program again upon reboot. I did so. At long last, after 5 evenings partially devoted to getting rid of this pest, it was gone. I found a link on one of the sites I found in fighting this problem. My search request in Google was: “about:blank homepage hijacker” One of the many sites had a link to download Adware Away. I didn’t note which site that was that had the link.
There is a link below to ZDNET to download a copy, although it says version 2.1 and I have version 2.2. You may have to update this version, and Zdnet says it’s a 5 day evaluation version. The one I downloaded doesn’t have any indication that it’s a time limited evaluation version, but then I haven’t had it for more than 5 days.

http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/Adware-Away/3000-8022-10293405.html

Many well meaning people have posted a LOT of advice on the removal of the about:blank hijacker; my experience has been that most of that advice was NOT effective. Adware Away was effective. Save yourself a lot of time and trouble and START with Adware Away. Brian Kuehn. kuehn@mtco.com

WENT TO ZDNET, ADWARE AWAY IS NOT AVAILABLE.
ANY IDEAS ON OTHER FIXES FOR ABOUT:BLANK?

This is the best advice I have found on the net. Everyone else makes it very complicated. Adware away does the trick... so far so good. The program itself requires that you go into the specialty removers, do a general scan, and then once you find out what you have you must do the individual remover for each of those items, that is how it worked for me anyway. Don't just load up the program and hit "scan" because that will do nothing for the about:blank homepage hijacker. Thanks man.

Use the following link for version 2.2

http://www.zdnet.com.au/downloads/0,39024478,39079784s,00.htm

I followed Kazankota's advice and went to http://www.zdnet.com.au/downloads/0,39024478,39079784s,00.htm appears to have worked perfectly. What sweet relief. Thanks

i downloaded adware away 2.2 but still am havn probs wit that damn about:blank. how do you use adware away to rid of this pest? tried everything and it isnt workn, tried to follow your steps but im stuck after the scan on what to do next. please help if you can.......thankssssssssss

Go here http://computercops.biz/article-5199-nested-0-0.html

I had a terrible time trying to remove the "About:Blank" Hijacker. I tried CWShredder, Adaware, Spybot, Hijack this, etc. Finally I found the "adware away" product. I have now had now been four days with no about blank, so I think "adware away" has actually removed it permanently. (With some of the other programs, the hijack seemed to have been removed, but it came back on the very next day.)

Some boards that I read gave very complex instructions that would be too risky for someone with my knowlede to even attempt. With Adware Away, I just selected the icon for "About:Blank/Windows ME", pushed the remove button, and it was gone!! What surprises me is that none of the other (more popular) adware removal programs are able to remove the about:blank hijacker, whereas the programmers of Adware Away have apparently found the secret.

I am also amazed that I don't see Adware Away being touted on more of these boards. Perhaps that is because the About:Blank removal is apparently a new function in Adware Away.

Here is where I downloaded it from:

http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/Adware-Away/3000-8022-10301552.html?tag=lst-0-1

Bless you my son. I downloaded Adware Away 2.2 and it immediately cured my problem. May you find great favor with the Lord.

Hey

If you want to get rid of About:blank in 2sec
go to http://oz.msie.tv and click on unistall software.
I had the about:blank problem for a wahile and I tried many ways to get rid of it that were suggested on various forums which didn't work I was just about to format, but i decided to look in the source code for the page. at the bottom of the page was the site your acutally being directed to. the link above was the base adress since I was about to format anyway i figured i had nothing to lose so I downloaded the .exe and suprisingly enough It worked.

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