An unknown application is trying to change your default search engine
I have Windows XP and I use google as my default search engine.
I recently downloaded a new version of Bear share and ever since then several times a day a window appears that says;-
DEFAULT SEARCH ENGINE PROTECTION
An unknown application is trying to change your default search engine.
Changing these settings controls the way Internet Explorer treats search queries.
What would you like to do
1. Keep my current search engine (Recommended)
2. Replace my default search engine with the one from the unknown application.
The first option is checked so I leave it that way and I just close the window. How can I stop this window appearing all the time. I have removed Bear Share.
A program is trying to change your browser’s search engine. This is known as “browser hijacking” and it’s common trick by software distributors to make a few more dollars.
The software might have been bundled with Bear Share or it’s come through the same website. Often these programs claim to be download accelerators.
You’ll need to uninstall the program trying to hijack your computer. The best thing to do would be to follow our “removing a Trojan” instructions which should pick up and remove the hijacking program.
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November 12th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I ahd a similar problem. I found that the latest version of Imesh caused this problem. I ran a Spybot and this did not solve the problem. I decided to enter “Start” then “Search” Imesh*.*. I deleted all the files and Spybot requested changing the default and this I did. The problem was solved.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:01 am
I am having the same problem with bearshare. I just tried your suggestion of deleting the files associated with the program and there are some files that I can’t delete. I get a message saying that I cannot delete, access denied and makesure the disk is not full or write-protected or that the file is not currently in use.
How can I fix this?
December 27th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Open the control panel and add/remove programs. Close any open internet browser, then remove MediaBar. This was installed on your machine when you upgraded Bearshare.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Thanks Annette – it sorted it for me – my daughter installed Imesh and with it came the ‘mediabar’
January 17th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
My teenage son downloaded imesh yesterday. I got the same message as others have stated, that it was trying to change my search engine. Even after he went in and deleted all the associated files, I kept getting that annoying pop-up window. (This was after we had deleted the program, emptied the reycle bin, and restarted the computer. I do not know that much about computers so I decided to go into the computer and try “accesories, tools, system restore”. I have Windows Vista. I left the first option checked on system restore. After this, my computer was back to normal!
January 26th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
GO INTO CONTROL PANEL, UNINSTAL PROGRAMS FEATURE, AND UNINSTALL MEDIABAR. THAT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM
February 12th, 2009 at 10:17 am
After I install bearshare a default search engine box appears everytime i try to go to the internet. How can I fix this problem. It states that unknown application is try to change your search engine. The first choice is recommended original setting. and when you try to select your recommended choice it won’t allow you, so you end up exited out the default search engine request.
February 20th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
FREDDIE, thanks for the tip. Blasted mediabar! is now in the bin
February 24th, 2009 at 11:16 am
I just recently download bearshare and it is doing the same thing to my computer. It is really annoying. I do I stop it?
February 25th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
As many of us, I have the similar problem. I think that it is also because of BearShare. It may solve the problem if I remove it but I also need it. So, do you have any idea what I should do.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Thank you so much for the tip! it was the media bar! now that annoying thing is gone! thanks again!
March 17th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Thank you, thank you, thank you again. I removed the Mediabar after (having removed Bearshare with no results). My computer is back to it’s normal self and so am I. This site saved me $85.00 for a techncal call. Bless you FREDDIE.
April 26th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Thanks to all the replies. I removed Bear Share from Control Panel then went to the Registry Editor and found all Bear Share folders and keys and deleted them. I no longer get the annoying pop up!
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:18 am
Don’t download iMesh. It has this trojan, and you’ll get repeated popups generated prompting you to change your default search engine.
You will have to do a system restore if someone makes this mistake.
September 5th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I had the same issue on a vista machine. I tried to unistall the program but it would pop up and ask why I was uninstalling. I selected something and nothing happened. Had to browse to the folder containing iMesh and right click on the uninstall file. I was able to run as administator and it successfully uninstalled the program.
October 5th, 2009 at 7:29 am
thanks, the thing trying to affect my search settings was disguised by using the google name… tricksie hobbitsies
October 13th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I was having the same problem as others with some program trying to change my browswer. I didnt even know I had Imesh ever installed on my computer. I did a search for it…and deleted ever instance of it I could find. Problem Solved! Thanks for the advice. What is strange is neither spybot or malwarebyte found these files. Thanks again!
November 1st, 2009 at 2:31 am
Imesh is the bloody culprit — Uninstall it.