CoolWebSearch / about:blank

Hi there. I'm running Windows XP Pro and have the "CoolWebSearch / about:blank" problem.
I was able to follow the 2nd part of the instructions pasted below from a previous post, but not the 1st part involving Reglite.exe. (I did not see "AppInit_DLLs" in the list and was therefore unable to delete the "hidden dll".)
Please help me with this. I urgently need my machine and my browser is still hijacked. Thanks. - Julius
Here's the pasted previous post...

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Accepted Answer from knoxj81
Date: 01/11/2005 10:13AM PST
Grade: B
 Accepted Answer  


FYI/: About:Blank can't be detected by hijack this due to the hidden feature it uses to bypass detection. So if M$ tool doesn't do the trick, be sure to:

1) turn off system restore (xp users)

2) Follow these directions: ( http://www.securiteam.com/securityreviews/5RP0L0UD5U.html )

Programs Needed:
 * Reglite.exe

 * Microsoft Recovery Console (an application available on your Windows installation disc). To access the recovery console run the following command: D:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
(Where D should be replaces with the CD driveletter)

 * HiJackThis.exe

Removal Procedure:
There are two application extensions (.dll) files that Need to be deleted. One is hidden (thanks Akadia!), one is detected with "HiJackThis.exe"

1) With "Reglite.exe" find name of hidden file:
Double Click on "AppInit_DLLs" located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\\ The "value" window reveals the hidden file name. (mine was "hlpl.dll", yours may be different!)
In this example we'll call it "hidden.dll"
Browse to the file, right click it, select Properties. Under the General tab, uncheck Hidden and Read-Only. Select the Security tab and Check the 'Full control' check box to allow deleting it.
Try deleting the file (Shift + Del or right click and Delete) If it was impossible to delete the file, continue to step 2. Otherwise skip to step 3.

2) Rename the hidden file:
Close Windows and reboot using "Windows Recovery Console"
Bwose to the system32 directory located at: C:\Windows\system32\
Replace this path with your system32 dir. In order to know your system32 run cmd and type:
echo %WINDIR%\System32

After finding your system32 directory do the following:
a) Change file from read only by typing attrib -r hidden.dll
b) Rename the file (For some reason this only works after rename) type: rename hidden.dll nasty.dll
(and remember that "hidden.dll" is for this explanation only use the name you found earlier)
Type "exit" and reboot to Windows.

3) Edit registry to remove hidden file:
Run "reglite.exe" again.
Double Click on "AppInit_DLLs" located in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\\
Delete the file in "value" window, the "size" window changes also.
"Apply" changes and exit "reglite.exe"

4) Edit registry to remove the second file:
Run HiJackThis.exe and scan the registry.
Check the boxes to remove the following entries:
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar =
res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\jheckb.dll/sp.html (obfuscated)
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page =
res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\jheckb.dll/sp.html (obfuscated)
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\jheckb.dll/sp.html (obfuscated)
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar =
res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\jheckb.dll/sp.html (obfuscated)
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page =
res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\jheckb.dll/sp.html (obfuscated)
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\jheckb.dll/sp.html (obfuscated)
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,HomeOldSP =
about:blank
(as you can see the second .dll in the example was called "jheckb.dll" yours may be different) For this example let's call it "obvious.dll".

* Note: As there are MANY variations to this hijacker, the registry entries might differ from the ones listed above. If the entries are different, look for entries containing the name of the second dll, in this example jheckb.dll.

Finally delete the two .dlls ("hidden.dll" and "obvious.dll")

That's it! You should be running again
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Good Luck,

Jordan