Hijack doesn't remove Search Assistant?

Hi Folks, luckily it's been a few months since I've been here! I have had some pop-up issues and ran Hijack (after running Adaware and Mcafee Virus Scan). The log shows two HKLM entries for search assistant? I check fix but they don't go away.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Pat

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 11:20:26 PM, on 10/6/2005
Platform: Windows 2000 SP4 (WinNT 5.00.2195)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINNT\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\services.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Network Associates\Common Framework\FrameworkService.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mctskshd.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\regsvc.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\MSTask.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\stisvc.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\WBEM\WinMgmt.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\SonicWALL\SonicWALL Global VPN Client\RampartSvc.exe
C:\WINNT\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\VSO\mcvsshld.exe
C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\VSO\oasclnt.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Distillr\AcroTray.exe
C:\Program Files\SonicWALL\SonicWALL Global VPN Client\SWGVpnClient.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Documents and Settings\Pat\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\VSO\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\VSO\mcvsshld.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\McUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINNT\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OASClnt] C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\VSO\oasclnt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CleanUp] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Shared\mcappins.exe /v=3 /cleanup
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Acrobat Assistant.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Distillr\AcroTray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: SonicWALL Global VPN Client.lnk = C:\Program Files\SonicWALL\SonicWALL Global VPN Client\SWGVpnClient.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O16 - DPF: ChatSpace Full Java Client 3.1.0.224 - http://66.28.246.1:9000/Java/cfs31224.cab
O16 - DPF: ChatSpace Full Java Client 3.1.0.229 - http://surechat.com:9000/Java/cfs31229.cab
O16 - DPF: {01A88BB1-1174-41EC-ACCB-963509EAE56B} (SysProWmi Class) - http://support.dell.com/systemprofiler/SysPro.CAB
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) - http://support.gateway.com/support/profiler/PCPitStop.CAB
O16 - DPF: {33E54F7F-561C-49E6-929B-D7E76D3AFEB1} (Pool Control) - http://mirror.worldwinner.com/games/v45/pool/pool.cab
O16 - DPF: {4ED9DDF0-7479-4BBE-9335-5A1EDB1D8A21} (McAfee.com Operating System Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/shared/mcinsctl/4,0,0,99/mcinsctl.cab
O16 - DPF: {6BB594E2-6E4D-4CC9-98B0-931C323F9165} (DepHlp Control) - http://mirror.worldwinner.com/games/shared/dephlp.cab
O16 - DPF: {97BB6657-DC7F-4489-9067-51FAB9D8857E} (CWebLaunchCtl Object) - http://support.gateway.com/eSupport/static/weblaunch/weblaunch2.cab
O16 - DPF: {BCC0FF27-31D9-4614-A68E-C18E1ADA4389} (DwnldGroupMgr Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/shared/mcgdmgr/1,0,0,26/mcgdmgr.cab
O16 - DPF: {F58E1CEF-A068-4C15-BA5E-587CAF3EE8C6} (MSN Chat Control 4.5) - http://chat.msn.com/controls/msnchat45.cab
O16 - DPF: {FAE74270-E5EE-49C3-B816-EA8B4D55F38F} (H2hPool Control) - http://mirror.worldwinner.com/games/v50/h2hpool/h2hpool.cab
O23 - Service: Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service (dmadmin) - VERITAS Software Corp. - C:\WINNT\System32\dmadmin.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Framework Service (McAfeeFramework) - Network Associates, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Network Associates\Common Framework\FrameworkService.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee.com McShield (McShield) - McAfee Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Task Scheduler (McTskshd.exe) - McAfee, Inc - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mctskshd.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SecurityCenter Update Manager (mcupdmgr.exe) - McAfee, Inc - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\mcupdmgr.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Driver Helper Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINNT\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINNT\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: SonicWall VPN Client Service (RampartSvc) - SonicWALL, Inc. - C:\Program Files\SonicWALL\SonicWALL Global VPN Client\RampartSvc.exe

 

First you should know that Hijackthis was provided initially asand is primarily an enumerator . It lists what is present in certain specific locations in the registry, certain system files, etc; so that a professional can look for the entries which would positively identify certain specific infestations and then propose a specific course of treatment to cure the infestations present. While hijackthis can remove certain entries, this does not necessarily fix the problem. Often there are other entries which are not shown in hijackthis which must be fixed first. Some of what is listed, are just normal parts of windows. If you delete them with hijackthis they will be recreated. Others can be deleted with hijackthis , but will be recreated if the program using them is launched prior to restart.
In your case
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
Are normal components of internet explorer.
Go launch IE.
Click on search or view/ explorer bar/ search
You will now have a pane on the left side, where you can click on customize and you can now select search engines for various searches. (you will also have options such as use search asistant, use search companion, use one search service)
At the bottom of this list you will see auto search settings.
Here you can select the auto search search engine.

It is best to change these particular settings here.
I would set the first to use search assistant and select the various ones for each.
Then autosearch set to your favorite like google.

 

cool....thanks for the help!