Saving settings when loading windows

behold888 · 07-12-2004, 06:31 AM

I use windows xp and I have been battling spy and adware constantly, using Ad-Aware. Recently, I did a scan and deleted everything the scan found, as I had always done before then. When I restarted, I got a message saying that "bridge.dll" was missing; I also noticed that there was a little toolbar in my taskbar that was a "Search Assistant". I presumed this was spyware as well and tried to delete its files, through ad-aware and otherwise. Trouble is, the toolbar still keeps coming up, and my quick launch buttons are constantly shuffled around in order, even after I rearrange them and restart (which usually saves your settings for good).

My question is: do you think spyware is still at work here, or is there a Windows problem about saving my settings and preferences as far as keeping my quick launch icons in order and keeping that Search Assistant toolbar off the taskbar.

By the way, the SearchAssistant toolbar looks like the search field in the google toolbar with a little button saying search, almost as if it were a webpage searcher. For hahas, I did a search for something on it and immediately I ran Ad-aware to find 129 new files of spyware on my pc.

HELP!!! Thanks so much in advance.

**Praetor** · 07-12-2004, 06:59 AM

1. Have a go at Spybot also
2. Two possibilities

a) the bridge.dll was really important (unlikely) or (b) there is still more spywhere left on the system

72montecarlo · 07-12-2004, 08:46 AM

I have seen the Bridge Crap on my computer and others so i know it is not important. and yes their is certainly spyware still at work. you will need to use a program like HiJackThis to remove it from the config.sys file i believe it is. might be something else. anyway if you dont its going to keep searching for it trying to load. I had a system32 virus and it kept telling me it was missing. Hijackthis got rid of it.

**Praetor** · 07-12-2004, 08:49 AM

Quote:

I have seen the Bridge Crap on my computer and others so I know it is not important.

WOuld that mean you have spywhere lurking somewhere?

I did a quick check with some paranoid people I know and nobody has bridge.dll -- soemthing worth looking into

07-12-2004, 06:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
behold888 New Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enfield, CT Age: 22 Posts: 1	Saving settings when loading windows I use windows xp and I have been battling spy and adware constantly, using Ad-Aware. Recently, I did a scan and deleted everything the scan found, as I had always done before then. When I restarted, I got a message saying that "bridge.dll" was missing; I also noticed that there was a little toolbar in my taskbar that was a "Search Assistant". I presumed this was spyware as well and tried to delete its files, through ad-aware and otherwise. Trouble is, the toolbar still keeps coming up, and my quick launch buttons are constantly shuffled around in order, even after I rearrange them and restart (which usually saves your settings for good). My question is: do you think spyware is still at work here, or is there a Windows problem about saving my settings and preferences as far as keeping my quick launch icons in order and keeping that Search Assistant toolbar off the taskbar. By the way, the SearchAssistant toolbar looks like the search field in the google toolbar with a little button saying search, almost as if it were a webpage searcher. For hahas, I did a search for something on it and immediately I ran Ad-aware to find 129 new files of spyware on my pc. HELP!!! Thanks so much in advance.

07-12-2004, 06:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
Praetor Administrator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Age: 24 Posts: 19,946	1. Have a go at Spybot also 2. Two possibilitiesa) the bridge.dll was really important (unlikely) or (b) there is still more spywhere left on the system __________________ ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, Q6600@3.7 / ASUS P5ND, E6400@3.8 4GB OCz Platinum XTC 8500 / 4GB CorsairXMS2 6400 5x500GB Seagate 7200.10 / 2x500 Seagate 7200.10 OCz 8800GTX 768MB @ 630/800 / 2x Galaxy 8800GT SLI

07-12-2004, 08:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
72montecarlo Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ohio Age: 20 Posts: 135	I have seen the Bridge Crap on my computer and others so i know it is not important. and yes their is certainly spyware still at work. you will need to use a program like HiJackThis to remove it from the config.sys file i believe it is. might be something else. anyway if you dont its going to keep searching for it trying to load. I had a system32 virus and it kept telling me it was missing. Hijackthis got rid of it. __________________ Dell XPS M170 OS: XP Professional SP2 CPU: Intel Pentium M 2.13Ghz MOBO: Intel 915PM Chipset HDD: 100Gb 7200rpm Ultra ATA OD: DVD-RW CD-RW Burner RAM: 2gb DDR2 533mhz VGA: PCi16x Geforce Go 6800 Ultra 256mb GDDR3 SCREEN: 17' WUXGA Ultrasharp TFT 1920x1200 native AUDIO: 2 Speakers, 1 1" subwoofer

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