Why is my search suddenly being redirected when I click on a link in a Yahoo search?

Question

It may be linked to another problem I'm having right now, where Microsoft keeps popping in to tell me I should buy their newest security package, and has put three icons on my desktop which come back when I delete them.

But I just did a Yahoo search, and clicked on the most likely-looking response, and was redirected two or three times before landing on a Google search result [eek! there's the Microsoft interrupt again!]. So I tried another one, saw the page I wanted for maybe two seconds, and then was redirected again!

Did that stupid "buy our spyware" thing actually carry a virus, or what the heck is going on?

Answer 1

First turn off the Microsoft automatic Update.  This is for their benefit, not yours.

Next, use a package like AdAware or Spybot to remove the software that keeps putting the icons on your desktop.

If you saved a Return configuration, put the registry back where it was before the problems started.