How to Get Rid of BrowseItNow

If you have downloaded and installed a screensaver infected with the BrowseItNow.net hijacker, you might be unable to change your default homepage and your computer might generate pop-up advertisement windows at regular intervals. This browser hijacker is able to automatically reinstall itself by using the Windows' System Restore feature. To get rid of this hijacker and regain full control of your browser settings, you first have to disable System Restore and then use a utility to clean your computer.

Instructions

Disabling System Restore

1. Open your Windows Start menu and click on "Control Panel." Click on "System and Security" and then click on "System."

2. Click on "System protection" in the left-hand pane.

3. Click on the hard-drive partition on which you have previously installed Windows. On most systems, that drive is "C:". Then click on "Configure." Select "Turn off system protection" and click on "OK."

Removing the BrowseItNow.net Hijacker

1. Visit the "HijackThis" download page on Trend Micro, Inc.'s website (free.antivirus.com). Click on the "Installer" link to start downloading the program. HijackThis is a program which can detect and remove programs which try to modify your Internet browser settings.

2. Double-click on the installer once your computer has finished downloading it. The installer will start running. Follow the instructions to install the program onto your hard drive.

3. Run HijackThis by clicking on the application's shortcut in your Windows Start menu. Click on "Do a system scan only." The program will scan your hard drive for all files corrupted with the BrowseItNow.net hijacker.

4. Check the boxes next to each line which contains "BrowseItNow.net." Then click on "Fix checked." HijackThis will fix the corrupted files.

5. Restart your computer by clicking on the Windows Start button and selecting "Restart."

Enabling System Restore Again

1. Click on the Windows Start button and select "Control Panel." Click on "System and Security" and then click on "System."

2. Click on "System protection" in the left pane.

3. Select the same hard drive partition as the one you previously selected when you disabled System Restore. Click on "Configure."

4. Click on "Restore system settings and previous versions of files" and then click on "OK."

References

• Microsoft Corporation: System Restore

Resources

• Trend Micro, Inc.: HijackThis Download