Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Short answer: The HijackThis log in the matching support thread does not prove that the PC is infected—or that it is clean. It shows legacy Internet Explorer settings and a list of processes, but not enough context to identify malware. The thread was closed after the user stopped responding, without a completed diagnosis. Don’t use HijackThis’s Fix button on entries from the log; use current security tools and get help if the symptoms or scan results warrant it.
What the referenced HijackThis log shows
The BleepingComputer thread matching this title was opened on January 18, 2026. It contains a scan from Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.5, a reported platform string of Unknown Windows (WinNT 6.02.1008), an Internet Explorer 11 field, a short process list, and several R0 and R1 entries pointing to Microsoft go.microsoft.com redirect URLs. The topic was closed on January 28 after no user follow-up; it was not marked resolved. Read the thread.
Those details are not an infection verdict. In particular, Microsoft redirect URLs in old Internet Explorer settings are not, by themselves, evidence of an active browser hijacker. The MSIE: Internet Explorer v11.0 field does not prove that Internet Explorer is the browser the person uses. Nor does the platform string identify a precise Windows edition or build. HijackThis may report legacy settings that are still present even when the user’s normal browsing happens in another browser.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The process names in the log—such as ASUS, Epson, and Elgato components—cannot be authenticated by name alone. A responsible diagnosis would need details such as each file’s path and digital signature, what starts it, the symptoms and when they began, and whether a reputable scanner detects it.
#1 Best Overall
![Norton 360 Deluxe Antivirus, 3 Devices, Auto-Renews [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qw3FS3qLL._SL160_.jpg)
- ONGOING PROTECTION Download instantly & install protection for 3 PCs, Macs, iOS or Android devices in minutes!
- TOP-PERFORMING VPN Faster speeds, more server locations, and greater connection control to protect your privacy across all your devices, including Smart TVs.
- ADVANCED SCAM PROTECTION Help spot hidden scams online. With the built-in Genie AI assistant, you’ll never wonder if a message or email is suspicious again.
- REAL-TIME PROTECTION Advanced security protects against existing and emerging malware threats, including ransomware and viruses, and it won’t slow down your device performance.
- DARK WEB MONITORING Identity thieves can buy or sell your information on websites and forums. We search the dark web and notify you should your information be found.
Why this log cannot settle the question
HijackThis is best treated as a legacy inventory tool, not an authoritative malware detector. BleepingComputer’s current malware-removal guidance says it is no longer supported and asks for Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) reports instead. See that guidance.
A HijackThis entry records a setting or startup-related item; it does not establish that the item is malicious. The tool also does not provide the broad view a modern investigation may need, including scheduled tasks, services, drivers, WMI persistence, browser extensions, Defender history, file hashes, signatures, and current threat intelligence. A clean-looking HijackThis report cannot prove a PC is clean, and a suspicious-looking line is not enough to justify deleting it.
Rank #2
- DEVICE SECURITY - Award-winning McAfee antivirus, real-time threat protection, protects your data, phones, laptops, and tablets
- SCAM DETECTOR - We'll automatically identify risky texts, emails, and videos that attempt to steal your personal or financial information. You can even use our mobile app to check social messages and QR codes for scams on-demand, without missing a beat.
- SECURE VPN – Secure and private browsing, unlimited VPN, privacy on public Wi-Fi, protects your personal info, fast and reliable connections
- IDENTITY MONITORING – 24/7 monitoring and alerts, monitors the dark web, scans up to 60 types of personal and financial info
- SAFE BROWSING – Guides you away from risky links, blocks phishing and risky sites, protects your devices from malware
Its Fix function can remove a registry reference without removing the file or another mechanism that launches it. It can also break legitimate software or erase useful diagnostic context. Do not delete R0, R1, O4, or other entries just because someone labels them suspicious in an unrelated post.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat to do instead
- Protect accounts and data first. If you suspect credential theft, stop entering passwords or payment information on the affected PC. From a known-clean device, change important passwords, revoke unfamiliar account sessions, and turn on multifactor authentication. If the computer is showing active ransomware, unauthorized remote access, or other active suspicious behavior, disconnect it from the network and seek qualified help. Back up essential documents and photos, but do not copy unknown executables, scripts, cracks, keygens, suspicious archives, browser profiles, or entire AppData folders.
- Update and run a full Microsoft Defender scan. Open Start, search for Windows Security, then select Virus & threat protection. Update protection intelligence, then choose Scan options → Full scan → Scan now. Microsoft documents this scan flow in its Windows Security antivirus guidance. Record the detection name and whether Defender removed, quarantined, allowed, or failed to remediate it. A potentially unwanted application (PUA) or “suspicious” label is not automatically the same as a confirmed malware infection.
- Use Defender Offline if a threat appears persistent. If a detection returns after reboot, normal scans are interrupted or manipulated, or you have reason to suspect malware hiding while Windows runs, save your work and select Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → Microsoft Defender Offline scan → Scan now. The PC restarts to scan outside the normal Windows environment. Microsoft describes its purpose and procedure here. The scan is designed to help detect threats that may hide during normal operation; it is not a guarantee of detection or removal. Results can be checked in Windows Security’s Protection history.
- Check prerequisites before an Offline scan. Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) must be available. In an administrator Command Prompt,
reagentc /inforeports its status;reagentc /enableenables it if needed. If BitLocker is enabled, make sure you have the recovery key available; the restart may prompt for it, and Microsoft advises suspending protection when applicable. See Microsoft’s prerequisite and limitation details. - Optionally get a second opinion. Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free, manually launched, on-demand tool, not continuous protection. Download a fresh copy from Microsoft shortly before use: each download expires 10 days later. Its detailed log is at
%SYSTEMROOT%debugmsert.log. Microsoft Safety Scanner details and download. - Use FRST only with appropriate guidance. FRST can gather more useful modern Windows diagnostic information than HijackThis, but it is not a consumer cleaner with a safe universal Fix button. If a reputable malware-removal helper requests it, download it from a trusted source, run it as directed, and provide both
FRST.txtandAddition.txt. Do not apply a fix script copied from another person’s case. BleepingComputer provides its FRST download page and advises users to follow their helper’s instructions rather than taking unrelated steps.
If a scanner finds something
Follow the scanner’s recommended quarantine or removal action, restart if asked, then update protection intelligence and scan again. Review Protection history for the exact detection and action. If the same threat returns, security tools are disabled or blocked, or the scan cannot complete, stop trying unrelated cleaners and use an Offline scan or seek expert assistance.
Rank #3
![Norton 360 Deluxe Antivirus, 5 Devices, Auto-Renews [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IYV5zGyCL._SL160_.jpg)
- ONGOING PROTECTION Download instantly & install protection for 5 PCs, Macs, iOS or Android devices in minutes!
- TOP-PERFORMING VPN Faster speeds, more server locations, and greater connection control to protect your privacy across all your devices, including Smart TVs.
- ADVANCED SCAM PROTECTION Help spot hidden scams online. With the built-in Genie AI assistant, you’ll never wonder if a message or email is suspicious again.
- REAL-TIME PROTECTION Advanced security protects against existing and emerging malware threats, including ransomware and viruses, and it won’t slow down your device performance.
- DARK WEB MONITORING Identity thieves can buy or sell your information on websites and forums. We search the dark web and notify you should your information be found.
Malware cleanup and account recovery are separate tasks. A removal result does not make a password safe if it was entered while the PC may have been compromised. Change affected passwords from a clean device, revoke unfamiliar sessions, and check important accounts for unauthorized changes.
When to get professional help or reinstall Windows
Contact your organization’s IT or security team for a work- or school-managed PC; do not remove enterprise software or change security settings yourself. Professional incident response is appropriate for ransomware, suspected data theft, business or domain compromise, high-value accounts, or when evidence needs to be preserved. Do not trust unsolicited callers or pop-ups claiming to be Microsoft support; verify a provider independently and use a known official contact channel.
Rank #4
- SPEED-OPTIMIZED, CROSS-PLATFORM PROTECTION: World-class antivirus security and cyber protection for Windows (Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11), Mac OS (Yosemite 10.10 or later), iOS (11.2 or later), and Android (5.0 or later). Organize and keep your digital life safe from hackers
- SAFE ONLINE BANKING: A unique, dedicated browser secures your online transactions; Our Total Security product also includes 200MB per day of our new and improved Bitdefender VPN
- ADVANCED THREAT DEFENSE: Real-Time Data Protection, Multi-Layer Malware and Ransomware Protection, Social Network Protection, Game/Movie/Work Modes, Microphone Monitor, Webcam Protection, Anti-Tracker, Phishing, Fraud, and Spam Protection, File Shredder, Parental Controls, and more
- ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING: Your product-specific code is printed on a card and shipped inside a protective cardboard sleeve. Simply open packaging and scratch off security ink on the card to reveal your activation code. No more bulky box or hard-to-recycle discs. PLEASE NOTE: Product packaging may vary from the images shown, however the product is the same.
A Windows reset or clean reinstall may be the better option if malware repeatedly returns after reputable scans, security tools are blocked, unknown remote-access software is present, or you cannot establish system integrity and need a dependable operating system again. It is not the only reasonable response to one ordinary adware alert. A reinstall is disruptive and can destroy evidence; back up only essential personal files carefully, secure accounts from a clean device, and obtain installation media and drivers from official sources. It does not address stolen passwords, unsafe backups, or other compromised devices and accounts.
How to ask for a useful diagnosis
A log is much more useful alongside a precise account of what happened. Include:
Best Value
- DEVICE SECURITY - Award-winning McAfee antivirus, real-time threat protection, protects your data, phones, laptops, and tablets
- SCAM DETECTOR - We'll automatically identify risky texts, emails, and videos that attempt to steal your personal or financial information. You can even use our mobile app to check social messages and QR codes for scams on-demand, without missing a beat.
- SECURE VPN – Secure and private browsing, unlimited VPN, privacy on public Wi-Fi, protects your personal info, fast and reliable connections
- IDENTITY MONITORING – 24/7 monitoring and alerts, monitors the dark web, scans up to 60 types of personal and financial info
- SAFE BROWSING – Guides you away from risky links, blocks phishing and risky sites, protects your devices from malware
- Windows edition and exact build, if known.
- Symptoms, when they began, and whether they persist after a restart.
- The affected browser, suspicious URLs, redirects, pop-ups, or extensions.
- Recent downloads and installations.
- Security software in use and exact detection names, timestamps, and actions.
- Whether the device is personal, work-managed, or school-managed.
- Whether you entered passwords or payment details while the problem was present.
- FRST and Addition logs, if a reputable helper specifically requested them.
Describe what you observed; do not try to pre-diagnose it from an unfamiliar filename or registry line. That gives a helper the context needed to distinguish an unwanted but legitimate component from a real threat.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
