How can I get Google through Firefox to stop redirecting my search requests to commercial information providers?

Question

As a typical example that has been plaguing me for months, I asked on Google for information about "crystal sets" and was shown the usual list of possible sources. When I clicked on the Wikipedia entry for this subject I was redirected to the commercial Tazinga site telling me where I could buy a crystal set in my area. This never happens when I go into Google through Internet Explorer on my desktop, but more than fifty percent of the time does when I go to it through Firefox. Notably, it never happens when I use Google through Firefox on my laptop. What setting or other means can I use to avoid this problem?

Answer 1

Sounds like search re-direct Malware or a Rootkit on that PC.
Install, update, and run these programs in this order. They are listed in order of efficacy.<br />'''''(Not all programs detect the same Malware, so you may need to run them all to solve your problem.)''''' <br />These programs are all free for personal use, but some have limited functionality in the "free mode" - but those are features you really don't need to find and remove the problem that you have.<br />
''Note: If your Malware infection is bad enough and you are mis-directed to URL's other than what is posted, you may have to use a different PC to download these programs and use a USB stick to transfer them to the afflicted PC.''
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - [http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php] <br />
SuperAntispyware - [http://www.superantispyware.com/] <br />
AdAware - [http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/] <br />
Spybot Search & Destroy - [http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html] <br />
Windows Defender: Home Page - [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx]<br />
Also, if you have a search engine re-direct problem, see this:<br />
http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2010/02/remove-google-redirect-virus.html
If these don't find it or can't clear it, post in one of these forums for specialized malware removal help: <br />
[http://www.spywarewarrior.com/index.php] <br />
[http://forum.aumha.org/] <br />
[http://www.spywareinfoforum.com/] <br />
[http://bleepingcomputer.com]