tiggerkenwood
Level 1 (9 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Centurylink.net Webhelper Safari Redirect Bot-How Do I Remove it?  I have completely reformatted my computer, and it is still there

Hello.  For a few months now I have had a redirect bot on my computer (Safari Redirect).  I got it after I downloaded Maverick.  I have been in touch with Apple Support and have done several things to try and remove it.  I have reset Safari.  I have deleted all extentions and add ons.  I deleted Safari and reinstalled it. I erased all free space using Disk Utility.  Finally, I reformatted my disk drive completely using Disk Utility and reinstalled OS X Moutntain Lion from the computer.  We also attempted to reset the DNS cache, but I am not sure that was successful because I coul not see whether it accepted my password or not. 

 

The redirect is an address bar redirect and it used to redirect me to a fake Centurylink.net webhelper page.  It does this at first by adding 20's and percents between my search words.  Like this:  lexeon%20titan%2010000%20gpd%20commercial%20ro%20reverse%20osmosis%20whole%20hou se%20water%20filter

 

 

Before I reformatted my computer, it was taking me to a fake Centurylink.net Webhelper Page or a fake GoDaddy Page.  Since I have reformatted my computer, Safari cannot find the server it used to be redirected too.

 

Now I get a message like this:

 

Safari Can't Find the Server

 

Safari Can't Open the Page "French%20Huguenot" because Safari can't find the

server "french huguenot"

 

 

I put Java on the highest security setting possible and that seemed to take care of the problem for awhile.  However, it is now back.  I just ordered a Mountain Lion OS X disk from Apple.com and I am going to reformat my computer again and reinstall with that disk because I cannot figure out what else to do.

 

HELP PLEASE?!  DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TO FINALLY GET THIS THING COMPLETELY OFF MY COMPUTER?!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), Happened after I upgraded to Maveri

Posted on Dec 1, 2013 12:57 PM

by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer
Linc Davis Linc Davis
Level 10 (208,022 points)
Applications
A:

Back up all data.

  

Unlock the Network preference pane, if necessary, by clicking the lock icon in the lower left corner and entering your password. Cllck Advanced, open the DNS tab, and change the server addresses to the following:

 

8.8.8.8

8.8.4.4

 

That's Google DNS. Click OK, then Apply.

 

In Safari, select

  

Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data

  

and confirm. If you’re using another browser, empty the cache. Test. Any difference?

 

Notes:

 

1. If you lose Internet access after making the above change to your network settings, delete the Google servers in the Network preference pane, then select the TCP/IP tab and click Renew DHCP Lease. That should restore the original DNS settings; otherwise restore them yourself.

 

2. I’m not advocating Google or anything else as a DNS provider; the server addresses are offerred merely for testing purposes. There may be privacy and technical issues involved in using that service, which you should investigate personally before you decide whether to keep the settings. Other public DNS services exist.

Posted on Dec 5, 2013 3:55 PM

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tiggerkenwood

Q: Centurylink.net Webhelper Safari Redirect Bot-How Do I Remove it?  I have completely reformatted my computer, and it is still ... more

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  • by tiggerkenwood,

    tiggerkenwood tiggerkenwood Dec 5, 2013 5:28 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 5, 2013 5:28 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Disregard.  I figured it out.  Still Working on the step.

  • by tiggerkenwood,

    tiggerkenwood tiggerkenwood Dec 5, 2013 6:13 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 5, 2013 6:13 PM in response to Linc Davis

    I think this last step worked.  I will need a day of searches to make sure.  Can you tell me why it worked?  What happened?  What was it?  Please and thank you.

  • by Linc Davis,Helpful

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 5, 2013 6:35 PM in response to tiggerkenwood
    Level 10 (208,022 points)
    Applications
    Dec 5, 2013 6:35 PM in response to tiggerkenwood

    Can you tell me why it worked?

     

    It worked because your ISP is run by scumbags who are doing something that either is, or should be, illegal. I strongly suggest you switch, if you have a choice. If not, you may be able to request that they stop hijacking DNS queries for search engines. Otherwise you'll have to stick with Google DNS or one of the other public DNS services, none of which I particularly recommend.

     

    If you choose the latter option, you should change the DNS settings on your router, and then delete the server addresses on the Mac. That way all your devices on the network will use the same name servers, and any future change will only have to made on the router.

     

    It's possible to run your own name server without depending on either Google or your scumbag ISP, but there are issues with that and I don't recommend it to non-technical users.

  • by tiggerkenwood,

    tiggerkenwood tiggerkenwood Dec 5, 2013 7:12 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 5, 2013 7:12 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Thank you.  It was my husband's idea to change to CL because he wanted to have a DTV.  He didn't tell me about it until he changed.  I had heard such things about them and was not happy.  I will try hard to convince him to change.

  • by tiggerkenwood,

    tiggerkenwood tiggerkenwood Apr 10, 2014 7:36 PM in response to tiggerkenwood
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 10, 2014 7:36 PM in response to tiggerkenwood

    I am adding to this because I found an app that has helped my internet to run so much faster without problems.  It is an app the clears the DNS cache.  It is called clear DNS cache and you can buy it at the apple app store. 

  • by MadMacs0,

    MadMacs0 MadMacs0 Apr 10, 2014 8:11 PM in response to tiggerkenwood
    Level 5 (4,801 points)
    Apr 10, 2014 8:11 PM in response to tiggerkenwood

    tiggerkenwood wrote:

     

    ...you can buy it at the apple app store. 

    Or you can just follow these instructions from Apple and do the same for free: OS X: How to reset the DNS cache.

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