So what gives with Google Toolbar?

Dr Guy

Join Date 09/2004

+129

So what gives with Google Toolbar?

Twice in the last week I have been called in to fix a computer that would not "browse" the Internet. The browser of choice was internet Explorer (one was 6 the other 7), and while the home page would launch when the browser would start, they could not then type in another URL and have the browser connect.

But it was not 100%. In other words, type in a second URL, and it would not connect. Type in a 3rd and it woudl. 4th, would not, 5th would, etc.

I checked for all kinds of bugs (using Symantec for standard bugs and Malwarebytes for the sneaky ones) and none were found. So I started killing processes and ripping out Add ons in IE. And it started working great! Every URL would pop up. So I started putting the URLs back in one at a time, and stumbled when it came to Google Toolbar.

Fortunately neither user was enamored with the Google Toolbar (they just wanted to make sure they could get to Google).

I personally do not like those tool bars and never install them on my PC. And it is the first things I take off when my wife starts complaining about "slowing computer" on hers as well. But I guess some people like it as it does seem popular (I know you can get it from installing just about any freeware these days if you do not uncheck the box during installation). And in days past, I have seen some that have 3 or 4 of those irritating things (Google, Yahoo, AOL, and MSN).

I was just wondering if anyone else had seen this on computers they have worked on. There is no error associated with the problem. The page just never loads.

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Quoting DrJBHL,

reply 49

^ That kind of personal attack irks me a good deal, Infidel. Would you mind rephrasing that in more acceptable language before a Mod ambles along and takes you to task?

Thanks, awfully.

I think he was just announcing his new name. And I doubt he will rephrase it as it seems to fit him well.

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

Quoting Dr Guy,

reply 50

Just like how "Joe User + Joke User" got pirated.

You get a few like-minded lunatics to take the thread of topic.

Ring any bells???

Arrgg matey! That was a fun voyage while it lasted.

Aye, that it wur! 'Tis sad, tho, that most of our shipmates 'ave moved on. I sees that thar seldomsee'd about now n' then... but I fink 'e's sufferin' amneshia cos 'e fergits tha ho-ho-ho n' a bottle o' rum.

Come ta think of it, 'ave 'e sobered up yet frum that thar last cask o' rum??? [e digicons]:-"[/e]

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

And I doubt he will rephrase it as it seems to fit him well.

It's a bit like the cartoon dogs, innit... running along at full pelt and have to come to a immediate stop... next thing they're wearing their asshole for a collar.

[e digicons]:-"[/e]

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kona0197

Join Date 02/2003

+86

I'm just like you guys. Don't care to use any toolbars and I get rid of them while fixing other people's PCs. They can become quite annoying.

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

I'm just like you guys. Don't care to use any toolbars and I get rid of them while fixing other people's PCs. They can become quite annoying.

I was fixing a friend's PC a few days ago and removed 11 toolbars from IE. 6 were active and 5 were hidden/inactive, but I did suggest to her it may have been the reason she couldn't surf the net without constantly being redirected to sites she'd never even heard of.

I ended up doing a complete reinstall of XP to resolve the multitude of issues this machine had... with her daughter going to various music download sites, and her son-in-law into the porn, it was highly infested and it would have taken nigh on for ever to clean it all up. The other thing I did was make the PC password protected, so only she could use it... being she complained that she kept finding inappropriate material in her download folder.

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Come ta think of it, 'ave 'e sobered up yet frum that thar last cask o' rum???

Since the voyage ended, I 'ave been high and dry! On both the land and the rum! Me first mate says I drank enough to last me the rest o' my life.

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Quoting starkers,

reply 53

And I doubt he will rephrase it as it seems to fit him well.
It's a bit like the cartoon dogs, innit... running along at full pelt and have to come to a immediate stop... next thing they're wearing their asshole for a collar.

[e digicons]:-"[/e]

[e digicons]:grin:[/e] You do come up with some of the best analogies.

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Quoting kona0197,

reply 54

I'm just like you guys. Don't care to use any toolbars and I get rid of them while fixing other people's PCs. They can become quite annoying.

And now that I know it fixes half the problem, that will be my first step in working on a computer! Friend or client!

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The other thing I did was make the PC password protected, so only she could use it... being she complained that she kept finding inappropriate material in her download folder.

I have "sneekily" set up the user accounts as regular users and not given out the admin password on some of mine. Then when they complain about some add-in they need, I quickly add it. It lasts a while before they wise up and demand the admin password - and proceed to trash the computer. But at least that is a couple of months rest between computer over hauls.

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

You do come up with some of the best analogies.

I tries ter keep ev'ryone 'appy wiv me lil anecdotes.... arrrr.

The other thing I did was make the PC password protected, so only she could use it... being she complained that she kept finding inappropriate material in her download folder.

I have "sneekily" set up the user accounts as regular users and not given out the admin password on some of mine. Then when they complain about some add-in they need, I quickly add it. It lasts a while before they wise up and demand the admin password - and proceed to trash the computer. But at least that is a couple of months rest between computer over hauls.

With Shirley's PC I left her account as administrator so that she's not constantly coming back to get permissions for things. For example, Microsoft Update and some software updates require an active-X plugin, so I left her account as administrator so that she could authorise such actions. However, I told her about the toolbars and advised her ( free or not) not to install any whatsoever because they can screw up her browser/surfing experience. I don't envisage any major problems now, though, her daughter and son-in-law have now got their own place and have bought a basic rig for themselves... I can see me fixing that one sometime soon, however.

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Who doesn't love toolbars?

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

Who doesn't love toolbars?

That is going from the sublime to the completely ridiculous. [e digicons]:S[/e]

Tools... and toolbars, eh! [e digicons]:-"[/e]

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However, I told her about the toolbars and advised her ( free or not) not to install any whatsoever because they can screw up her browser/surfing experience.

It is not that most users are just obstinate or stubborn, just lazy. They get the tool bars by just clicking "ok, ok, ok" when installing something. All my friends and relatives know about the evils of tool bars now - but they still get them due to the "default" being to install it. of course when the computer bogs down like a drunken sailor, I still get called.

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Quoting Luckmann,

reply 61

Who doesn't love toolbars?

Reduced 57%Original 1024 x 768

That one wins the prize as the most polluted browser I have ever seen! [e digicons]:grin:[/e]

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Quoting Dr Guy,

reply 64

That one wins the prize as the most polluted browser I have ever seen!

Yeah, it's a bitch to do my bank affairs on.

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

Quoting Dr Guy,

reply 63

However, I told her about the toolbars and advised her ( free or not) not to install any whatsoever because they can screw up her browser/surfing experience.
It is not that most users are just obstinate or stubborn, just lazy. They get the tool bars by just clicking "ok, ok, ok" when installing something. All my friends and relatives know about the evils of tool bars now - but they still get them due to the "default" being to install it. of course when the computer bogs down like a drunken sailor, I still get called.

Yes, I did mention to Shirley to be vigilant when installing anything... to be on the lookout for toolbars and the like. So far so good.... she's had the machine back for a couple of weeks now... and no calls for help.

A while ago I had issues with Google Chrome being installed by default with one of the shareware media players... Winamp or JetAudio or something. There was no option to opt out, and I stuck it to 'em with an irate email cos I don't want that crap on my rig. I did get a reply with an apology for the inconvenience, but it was too late by then... my trust had been broken and I've not tried it (the media player) since.... and I had previously considered buying it.... not that it matters now, since the media centre that came with my TV tuner card does all I need it to.

That one wins the prize as the most polluted browser I have ever seen!

Yeah, it's amazing, hey.... like oozing with pollution... er, positively dripping with it, even. [e digicons]:S[/e]

Yeah, it's a bitch to do my bank affairs on.

Well no wonder... you've not left enough room to complete the account number and type, to then scroll down to the login button. [e digicons][/e]

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A while ago I had issues with Google Chrome being installed by default

I preempted them. I installed it on purpose, but it is the least used of my browsers. I am coming to not trust Google at all.

Well no wonder... you've not left enough room to complete the account number and type, to then scroll down to the login button.

I guess that makes it safe banking then.

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

I am coming to not trust Google at all.

I never did... think it comes from watching Bewitched.... and how Larry Tate would get real low down and devious to make a sale. Google are advertisers as well... devious as all buggery and far less trustworthy than Larry Tate ever was.

Nah, it has nothing to do with Larry Tate. It's just that you'd have to be living under a rock to have never heard of Google... and if you are living under a rock or have your head buried in the sand, "never fear, Google is coming soon to a rock or a grain of sand near you." Then there's: "If you've never seen a Google ad because the computer under your rock doesn't get Wi-Fi, don't despair, we've collected millions of Wi-Fi addresses and one can be yours for the very low price of $29.95 and six Google coupons"

Yup, pretty much says it all, don't it? The bastards are everywhere... even outside bedroom windows in city and suburban streets everywhere... taking photos of who knows what??? Well we know what of ... just not how much they'll charge people to keep them off-line. Hmmm, that'd be all I need... photos of my naked fat arse going viral cos I spent my last $29.95 on a Wi-Fi address.

[e digicons]:-"[/e] [e digicons][/e] [e digicons]:rofl:[/e]

I guess that makes it safe banking then.

Well sort of! Could be that one of those toolbars (and I wouldn't put it past Google) has looked into the cache and phoned home with all the account details and passwords... and if there's porn stored anywhere, could be the blackmail emails start coming soon.

[e digicons]:-"[/e] [e digicons]:rofl:[/e] [e digicons][/e]

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The only surprising part is that some people still thought certain toolspyware bars were actually okay. If they were legitimate software, they wouldn't keep trying to sneak them in with random freeware apps. The fact you have to take action to NOT install them tells you all you need to know about them.

And I feel the OPs pain. I do IT support at a company that still had a few people with IE6 and 7. But try to kick someone off for 10 minutes to install some software and they make it sound like you asked them if you could burn down their house. And of course, I don't have to authority to tell them 'too bad'.

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I never did... think it comes from watching Bewitched.... and how Larry Tate would get real low down and devious to make a sale. Google are advertisers as well..

[e digicons]:grin:[/e] Yea, Larry was the snake oil salesman. But really, Google IS the ad salesman. They do not charge for their email (they provide great services to colleges who opt for it - eliminates a ton of headaches adding and deleting students) or search (or any other actual service like YouTube). So you are right, they are the ultimate Ad Company.

(and I wouldn't put it past Google)

nor would I. They only plead innocence when they get caught, not before.

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The fact you have to take action to NOT install them tells you all you need to know about them.

Good point! If a toolbar was worth anything, people would install download and install them on their own.

Ours is the selfless career.

Actually with the toolbar issue now, I tell them "Want to work, or continue to scream?" Surprising how fast they think 10 minutes is no big deal.......even if the problem is not really a toolbar.

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kona0197

Join Date 02/2003

+86

I just don't understand. You guys think Google is evil and all yet there are other corporations that use the same tactics as Google does. No matter what you do or don't do there will be ome company gathering info about you out there.

Do you guys think the same think about Microsoft? Yahoo?

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Do you guys think the same think about Microsoft? Yahoo?

No considering they aren't outside of my house taking pictures and then "accidently" spying on my home wifi network and uploading it to a database. That's a breach of my privacy and I won't tolerate it. I haven't used anything google since this came to light.

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kona0197

Join Date 02/2003

+86

Bing has pictures of streets just like Google Earth. I have never heard of Google spying on wifi networks. As long as your wifi network is secured how are they monitoring where you go on the net?

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

As long as your wifi network is secured how are they monitoring where you go on the net?

Um, with the phone home toolbar... the phone home browser. [e digicons]:-"[/e]

And when the Google OS comes out, it won't need to phone home... Google will already have had an open door into your life... did the moment you installed it. Your privacy is only important to Google when you find out they've breached it... but don't hold your breath waiting for an apology. While you're waiting their lawyers are looking for ways to put the onus back on you. Like it wouldn't matter that they had to hack into your system and unencrypt a plethora of master passwords, then open 42 folders to access the real private stuff on your PC... you simply left it laying around, and therefore it was fair game... for them to peer greedily into your business.

So yeah, Google is more evil than anybody else... more evil than Microsoft and Mr. Smug, Steve Jobs himself. Yup, when the second coming is at hand, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will ride through Google HQ slicing and dicing like nobody's business, and no-one within the walls shall't be spared.

[e digicons]:rofl:[/e] [e digicons]:rofl:[/e] [e digicons]:rofl:[/e] [e digicons]:rofl:[/e]

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