Help, computer, please

[guardpig]

Will make this brief.

My plonker of an OH has been and downloaded something.  He supposedly downloaded a Flash update.  He did this because news videos, iplayer and some of you tube had stopped working. Personally it didn't bother me but I had already tried and failed to update Flash.  He succeeded!.

Now we have what appears to be or may not be Bing or conduit or something which is coming up instead of Google and has loads of adverts.  Have managed to reset homepage so it comes up with Google just not the "new tabs" function.  Can manually set a number of new tabs to google but just want it back how it was, automatically to plain and simple Google search..

OH is blaming me because he can't stand the adverts. He cannot, naturally, remember what he did, what he downloaded and what he took off and what boxes he forgot to "untick".  Daughter has reset homepage as have I, son is flummoxed.  Does anybody have any ideas as to how to reset the darn thing back to normal.

Please bear in ind that Chrome is MY browser,himself prefers Firefox.

It is driving me mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fionajohnston]

not too sure but if you click the 3 lines in top right corner then settings then extensions you might find and disable if not try uninstall a program in the control panel

[made-for-an-angel-charms]

do a restore to the day before update and if you dont like ads after the restore download adblock plus its free and all the ads magicaly dissapeaer:) if you dont know how to restore just put in google ..how to restore in windows (version you have )

[guardpig]

Thanks can do a restore but then the videos etc still won't work LOL.  Have never had an ad problem before so presume we already have an ad blocker somewhere and OH has agreed to accept them for this particular annoying page!  Just need to disable what ever he has dome to MY computer!

[duck_a_lorange]

Try going to Start => Settings => Control Panel => Add or Remove programs.

Have a look down the list and if you find a Bing or Ask toolbar,  just click on it and "remove" it.

As for Flash, I have a feeling that you need to update it for each browser - so you need to be using the browser then update Flash while you're in it.

[**towery**]

i think  Duck is right, im sure i had to download twice

and then look for the sneaky  ticked boxes that add the browsers

[captainbovine]

oh that I could help...I know nothing about computers I'm sorry to say, it's the jargon, it totally goes over my head.

I hope you get it sorted out. I have a guy who I can ring and he comes to sort stuff out...but he's £30 an hour

[lost.parrot]

Older version of flash will not always function on some sites, and the latest versions require more hardware grunt

When you install things, even from known trusted sites these days, look carefully because they may have by default ticked that you accept having your home page set, etc

Thats not to difficult to change. New tabs function should able to be changed in the browser

If you want your old version back a recent restore point  may do it, assuming you dont know which version you previously had

No, it wont erase your files, though some things may change position depending on how old the restore point is and what you have changed recently. 

[spring_rabbit]

Chrome doesn't need you to download Flash as its built in

To reset Chrome search engine

click on the three little bars top right

Settings

half way down the page under Search, ensure that Google is selected

Bare in mid that Chrome uses settings fron Internet Explorer, even if you don't use it

Fire up Internet Explorer, Tools, Manage Addons, Search providers, ensure that only Google is enabled

In Firefox, on the right of the address bar it should show your default search engine, if it isn't Google (G), then left click on the G and select Google

[calibra101]

Its sounds like u have malware like a very nasty one called Whilokki which has been doing the rounds lately.. pop up ads everywhere .Download the free version of Malawarebytes and scan your PC. If u have it and need more help mail me.

[calibra101]

Just to add it hijacks all your browsers...like another nasty piece of work called Wajam

[the-ginger-ninja]

---

@calibra101 wrote:
Just to add it hijacks all your browsers...like another nasty piece of work called Wajam

---

Is that like ilivid because that was a pain in the harris to get rid of 😞

[calibra101]

Yep most of these malware piggyback on to freeware programs so be aware of what you download and always click advanced install so u can uncheck any cr*p u do not want. Never click on an .exe file unless your absolutely sure you know what it contains.

[guardpig]

Many thanks.  First chance I have had to get on computer since last post.  Son has solved the problems and we have both told oH what will happen to him next time he is bored and wants to play something if he does not consult first!. 

Bing had already beed uninstalled but was still there, son has now uninstalled loads of stuff he (and I) do not recognise.  Internet explorer that wouldn't even boot up for the last year is now working and everything has reverted to normal.  All he needed was to know where what I was complaining about came from and the rest of his uninstlling cascaded from there. 

We have loads of protection so that wasn't a problem.  Thing had been invited in!.  Flash has been updated on Chrome and computer was flying.

Thnk you.

[stroppy*cow]

Glad to hear that you got it sorted - just one of the reasons that "him indoors" has his own computer and is not allowed to touch mine.