Please! I need help removing the malware called CWS.HomeSearchAsst or that is the only name I can find.

Spyware Doctor has "escalated to Malware Research Center" and said to keep scanning and it should be corrected in a few weeks. Yiks!

Avast has also located this malware, given me 2 alerts and transferred it to their "virus chest" which I am now unable to open because the file is "null" plus Avast protection has been disabled. I have not heard from them.

My firewall, Armournet2 has been removed (downloaded 3 times) So my system tray/startup is infected. Have not heard from them.

I get dll and exe warning messages that can shut down a program that I am in. There is an anonmous survey popup that happens randomly.

Where should I start--or rather where can I continue?? Thx

I tried CWShredder last week and again earlier this week both times came up empty. After 7 hours of scanning with Trendmicro I gave up--my longest scan previously was 3 hours so something was not working--I can try again tomorrow.

Thanks for answering so quickly. Here is the log.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 3:05:02 PM, on 3/14/2007
Platform: Windows ME (Win9x 4.90.3000)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON UTILITIES\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\SYMTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALWIL SOFTWARE\AVAST4\ASHSERV.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RESTORE\STMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RPCSS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\LOADQM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QTTASK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALWIL SOFTWARE\AVAST4\ASHWEBSV.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALWIL SOFTWARE\AVAST4\ASHMAISV.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SPYWARE DOCTOR\SWDOCTOR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SPYBOT - SEARCH & DESTROY\TEATIMER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ROXIO\GOBACK\GBTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\HEWLETT-PACKARD\HP OFFICEJET T SERIES 9X\BIN\HPOSTR05.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON CLEANSWEEP\CSINSM32.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\WINZIP\WZQKPICK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NIKON\NKVIEW5\NKVMON.EXE
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton CleanSweep\Monwow.exe
C:\PROGRAM FILES\HEWLETT-PACKARD\HP OFFICEJET T SERIES 9X\BIN\HPOVDX05.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MOZILLA FIREFOX\FIREFOX.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\HIJACKTHIS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = ;127.0.0.1;<local>
O2 - BHO: PCTools Site Guard - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~2\TOOLS\IESDSG.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCHealth] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\Support\PCHSchd.exe -s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QTTASK.EXE" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NPROTECT] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Utilities\NPROTECT.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast! Web Scanner] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\AVAST4\ASHWEBSV.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ashMaiSv] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\AVAST4\ashmaisv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [*StateMgr] C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [StillImageMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [NPROTECT] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Utilities\NPROTECT.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SymTray - Norton SystemWorks] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SymTray.exe "Norton SystemWorks"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [KB918547] C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\KB918547.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [avast!] C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Spyware Doctor] "C:\PROGRAM FILES\SPYWARE DOCTOR\SWDOCTOR.EXE" /Q
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - Startup: HP OfficeJet T Series Startup.lnk = C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP OfficeJet T Series 9x\Bin\HPOstr05.exe
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Startup: CleanSweep Smart Sweep-Internet Sweep.lnk = C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton CleanSweep\csinsm32.exe
O4 - Startup: WinZip Quick Pick.lnk = C:\Program Files\WinZip\WZQKPICK.EXE
O4 - Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Startup: NkvMon.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Nikon\NkView5\NkvMon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: GoBack.lnk = C:\Program Files\Roxio\GoBack\GBTray.exe
O9 - Extra button: Related - {c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a} - C:\WINDOWS\web\related.htm
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links - {c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a} - C:\WINDOWS\web\related.htm
O9 - Extra button: Spyware Doctor - {2D663D1A-8670-49D9-A1A5-4C56B4E14E84} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~2\TOOLS\IESDPB.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\npjpi150_11.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\npjpi150_11.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\armor2net\armor2net personal firewall\netdog.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\armor2net\armor2net personal firewall\netdog.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\armor2net\armor2net personal firewall\netdog.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\armor2net\armor2net personal firewall\netdog.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\armor2net\armor2net personal firewall\netdog.dll
O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) - http://www.installengine.com/engine/isetup.cab
O16 - DPF: {E87F6C8E-16C0-11D3-BEF7-009027438003} (Persits Software XUpload) - http://www.sparedollar.com/sdImage/XUpload.ocx
O16 - DPF: {90A29DA5-D020-4B18-8660-6689520C7CD7} (DmiReader Class) - https://support.dell.com/us/en/syste...SysProfLCD.CAB
O16 - DPF: {E855A2D4-987E-4F3B-A51C-64D10A7E2479} (EPSImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/activex...l_v1-0-3-0.cab
O16 - DPF: {F58E1CEF-A068-4C15-BA5E-587CAF3EE8C6} (MSN Chat Control 4.5) - http://chat.msn.com/bin/msnchat45.cab
O16 - DPF: {2B323CD9-50E3-11D3-9466-00A0C9700498} (Yahoo! Audio Conferencing) - http://us.chat1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com...45/yacscom.cab
O16 - DPF: {7D1E9C49-BD6A-11D3-87A8-009027A35D73} (Yahoo! Audio UI1) - http://chat.yahoo.com/cab/yacsui.cab
O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/S.../bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {70647AB5-18FD-4142-82B0-5852478DD0D4} (Vividence Connector Launcher) - http://task.vividence.com/download/C...orLauncher.cab
O16 - DPF: {4C39376E-FA9D-4349-BACC-D305C1750EF3} (EPUImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/wl/acti...l_v1-0-3-9.cab
O16 - DPF: {21F16767-8DA7-4113-BEB0-F161B313407F} (XMirage Control) - http://www.myfamily.com/plugins/ue/Install_UE.exe
O16 - DPF: {29B2C103-AB53-4971-B765-FC1CE5D8B2D1} - http://www.silvercrk.com/php/hwsolii...98_5722598.cab
O16 - DPF: {D54160C3-DB7B-4534-9B65-190EE4A9C7F7} (SproutLauncherCtrl Class) - http://real.gamehouse.com/real/games/SproutLauncher.cab
O16 - DPF: {DF780F87-FF2B-4DF8-92D0-73DB16A1543A} (PopCapLoader Object) - http://anu.popcap.com/games/popcaploader_v6.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/Ms...Downloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {B8BE5E93-A60C-4D26-A2DC-220313175592} (ZoneIntro Class) - http://zone.msn.com/binFramework/v10...o.cab34246.cab
O16 - DPF: {4F1E5B1A-2A80-42CA-8532-2D05CB959537} (MSN Photo Upload Tool) - http://by3fd.bay3.hotmail.msn.com/re...s/MsnPUpld.cab
O16 - DPF: {D719897A-B07A-4C0C-AEA9-9B663A28DFCB} (iTunesDetector Class) - http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite...ITDetector.cab
O16 - DPF: {D77EF652-9A6B-40C8-A4B9-1C0697C6CF41} (TikGames Online Control) - http://zone.msn.com/bingame/shpo/default/shapo.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\VxD\MSTCP: Domain = qwest.net
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\VxD\MSTCP: NameServer = 205.171.3.65,205.171.2.65