How to remove IWantSearch adware toolbar

An unwanted IwantSearch toolbar installed itself, uninvited, across the top of Tuck's internet browser the other day. How do you get rid of these intrusive things?  It's easy once you know how, and you don't have to spend any money. For some reason, we happened to know the toolbar's software was called SBsoft, but when we went to Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > SBsoft and clicked the Add/Remove button, nothing happened.

Symantec Security Response describes the toolbar as follows:

Type: Adware

Behavior: Internet Explorer toolbar. If you browse the Web when the toolbar is enabled, certain URLs can trigger the display of pop-up ads.

But Symantec's solution was to remove the toolbar via Settings, which we had already tried to no avail. We googled "how to uninstall SBsoft" and, as usual, found the answer in a help forum:

To uninstall newest version of IWantSearch plugin please go to
Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and Uninstall "SBSoft"

To uninstall the older version of IWantSearch Plugin please click on the following link: http://www.iwantsearch.com/uninstall/remove.exe

Tuck's little intruder was presumably the older version, as clicking and running that link (which is also available at IwantSearch.com, bottom of page, under Terms, scroll down) did the trick. Don't they always say "read the small print"?

Comments

[Sydney Carton]

Unsolicited installation of software like that should be treated as a traditional trespass on property, with liability ensuing and so forth. In fact, it's intentional trespass, and software makers should be strictly liable for it. These things are becoming a real problem, and should be attacked accordingly.

[andophiroxia]

Download SpyBot and AdAware, two very good and very free utilities from this page. It's also great to scan your computer using the very reliable UK link I found.

http://www.nethomehelp.co.uk/

Really. Quite a good site. I do an intensive scan every week.

[Barry Campbell]

Sissy,

Symantec's antivirus and firewall software became so unstable over time and such an incredible resource suck--and I had such a thoroughly unpleasant experience with their alleged "customer support"--that I abandoned it about a month ago and have never looked back.

Here are my recommendations (and although what follows may sound like an extended software commercial, I have no affiliation with these companies whatsoever, other than as a satisfied dues-paying owner of their products):

I now use ZoneAlarm Pro as my anti-virus/software firewall solution, and am delighted with it. (http://zonelabs.com)

As for the thornier problem of adware/spyware, I agree that AdAware and Spybot (both free) are decent solutions, but if you spend a lot of time on the Internet(s) you might want to spend a few dollars on what is generally considered to be the Top Dog of anti-spyware protection, Counterspy (http://www.sunbelt-software.com/CounterSpy.cfm)

Counterspy found and removed stuff on my system that both AdAware and Spybot had repeatedly missed in their weekly scans, for what it's worth, and it wouldn't have even broken a virtual sweat ridding you of your browser-hijacking toolbar. An annual subscription runs $20.

Also... the nicest thing you can do for yourself as a frequent Web user is abandon Internet Explorer and switch to Firefox (100% free.) Firefox will import your bookmarks and most of your settings when you make the change, and you can basically pick up right where you left off without dropping a stitch. In addition to offering useful and innovative features like tabbed browsing, Firefox is much more secure (by design) than Internet Explorer. (http://getfirefox.com)