Hijacked Google.com homepage

WoofEWolf · 12-17-2007, 04:35 PM

Greetings to all in the GoogleCommunity. I am a new member here and I hope someone out there can assist me in a problem that has developed on my system.

My Google.com homepage suddenly has changed to Google.de! Though I have read a few entries here refering to this form of hijack, I have found nothing that can correct my problem.

Is there someone who can give me some pointers on how to fix this? I would be grateful.

I will do my best to answer any questions about my system, if requested to do so.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

andrew247 · 12-18-2007, 07:46 AM

First of all, are you from Germany?
Google's homepage geolocates what country you are in, and serves you with that country's homepage.
If you are using a proxy that is located in Germany, then you could also be presented with the German homepage.
I.e. Whatever country the IP you use to connect is associated with, you will get a matching Google homepage.

There is normally a link in the bottom right hand corner saying "Go to Google.com".

WoofEWolf · 12-18-2007, 05:27 PM

I am in the US, NC to be exact.

How would I go about checking the IP I am associated with (I am not using a proxy to my knowledge). I admit to being severely uninformed about this aspect of webdom so please excuse me for sounding rather dense here

. My access to the web is through RoadRunner, if that is any assistance.

Thanks for responding. I sincerely appreciate your answering.

jaketmerah · 12-18-2007, 08:01 PM

Google think that your ISP is from German. Maybe any internal change with your ISP that make Google think your ISP is from German.

My Google homepage is redirect to google.com.hk too and I usually choose English as my Google homepage

intelliot · 12-18-2007, 08:51 PM

Your IP address is 98.26.124.x (last digit hidden for privacy); your host name, as expected, is cpe-098-026-124-002.nc.res.rr.com (you can see the "rr" for RoadRunner in the name).

Every website you visit receives your IP address, which can usually be geolocated to a certain region on earth. Somehow, Google is detecting your location as being in Germany, or perhaps you have a cookie or setting on your account which says you prefer the German version of Google.

WoofEWolf · 12-19-2007, 02:10 PM

Once again, thanks for the responses to my problem. I have been wracking my brain (and my computer) trying to understand why this has happened and any responses are a help as they give another potential direction to try.

I have gone so far as to re-format my c:\ drive and re-install WinXP. The first thing I did after the re-install was to go online and see what came up. It was Google.de! To my mind, this would mean that there were no incorrect settings on my system before the re-install.

My last thought on this subject is that my cable modem's IP address has somehow been picked up as being in Germany. I am going to switch out this modem and get another one and see if this will correct the problem.

I will post again as soon as I try this and let you all know what happened.

Addendum:

It is now in the late afternoon and I have switched out the modem and discovered I am STILL directed to Google.de! Sheesh! I have no idea where to go from here. HELP!

WoofEWolf · 12-20-2007, 02:44 PM

Sorry to take so long to respond.

I have checked every setting I know to check (nothing was incorrect) and have even gone so far as to contact my computer's tech support so they could walk me through a c:\ drive reformat and reinstallation of WinXP. As soon as I completed those tasks, I immediately accessed the internet and, lo and behold, I STILL had Google.de.

I have reached my wit's end.

WoofEWolf · 12-22-2007, 03:35 AM

Last entry.

This morning I started my computer and got on the 'net and the CORRECT Google was there. No more Google.de! Not sure why or how but am very glad to have it back.

Though I got very little help here, I nonetheless thank those who tried.

andrew247 · 12-22-2007, 01:24 PM

Reformatting your hard drive in this situation won't do any more than clearing cache/cookies/etc.
Click the link in the bottom right hand corner that says "Go to Google.com".
If you have a Google Account, you could try doing this:

- Go to http://www.google.com/accounts/ (Sign in if you aren't already)
- Then click on "edit"
- Check what country it says you are in, and change if it is wrong

12-17-2007, 04:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
WoofEWolf Noogle Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hijacked Google.com homepage Greetings to all in the GoogleCommunity. I am a new member here and I hope someone out there can assist me in a problem that has developed on my system. My Google.com homepage suddenly has changed to Google.de! Though I have read a few entries here refering to this form of hijack, I have found nothing that can correct my problem. Is there someone who can give me some pointers on how to fix this? I would be grateful. I will do my best to answer any questions about my system, if requested to do so. Thanks in advance for any assistance!

12-18-2007, 05:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
WoofEWolf Noogle Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I am in the US, NC to be exact. How would I go about checking the IP I am associated with (I am not using a proxy to my knowledge). I admit to being severely uninformed about this aspect of webdom so please excuse me for sounding rather dense here. My access to the web is through RoadRunner, if that is any assistance. Thanks for responding. I sincerely appreciate your answering.

12-19-2007, 02:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
WoofEWolf Noogle Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Google.com siwtched to Google.de - more info Once again, thanks for the responses to my problem. I have been wracking my brain (and my computer) trying to understand why this has happened and any responses are a help as they give another potential direction to try. I have gone so far as to re-format my c:\ drive and re-install WinXP. The first thing I did after the re-install was to go online and see what came up. It was Google.de! To my mind, this would mean that there were no incorrect settings on my system before the re-install. My last thought on this subject is that my cable modem's IP address has somehow been picked up as being in Germany. I am going to switch out this modem and get another one and see if this will correct the problem. I will post again as soon as I try this and let you all know what happened. Addendum: It is now in the late afternoon and I have switched out the modem and discovered I am STILL directed to Google.de! Sheesh! I have no idea where to go from here. HELP!

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12-18-2007, 07:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
andrew247 Google Guru Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: c:\GoogleCommunity Posts: 3,367 Thanks: 3 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts	First of all, are you from Germany? Google's homepage geolocates what country you are in, and serves you with that country's homepage. If you are using a proxy that is located in Germany, then you could also be presented with the German homepage. I.e. Whatever country the IP you use to connect is associated with, you will get a matching Google homepage. There is normally a link in the bottom right hand corner saying "Go to Google.com".

12-18-2007, 08:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
jaketmerah Noogle Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Google think that your ISP is from German. Maybe any internal change with your ISP that make Google think your ISP is from German. My Google homepage is redirect to google.com.hk too and I usually choose English as my Google homepage

12-18-2007, 08:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
intelliot Google Guru Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,517 Thanks: 14 Thanked 46 Times in 26 Posts	Your IP address is 98.26.124.x (last digit hidden for privacy); your host name, as expected, is cpe-098-026-124-002.nc.res.rr.com (you can see the "rr" for RoadRunner in the name). Every website you visit receives your IP address, which can usually be geolocated to a certain region on earth. Somehow, Google is detecting your location as being in Germany, or perhaps you have a cookie or setting on your account which says you prefer the German version of Google.

12-20-2007, 02:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
WoofEWolf Noogle Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sorry to take so long to respond. I have checked every setting I know to check (nothing was incorrect) and have even gone so far as to contact my computer's tech support so they could walk me through a c:\ drive reformat and reinstallation of WinXP. As soon as I completed those tasks, I immediately accessed the internet and, lo and behold, I STILL had Google.de. I have reached my wit's end.

12-22-2007, 03:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
WoofEWolf Noogle Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Last entry. This morning I started my computer and got on the 'net and the CORRECT Google was there. No more Google.de! Not sure why or how but am very glad to have it back. Though I got very little help here, I nonetheless thank those who tried.

12-22-2007, 01:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
andrew247 Google Guru Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: c:\GoogleCommunity Posts: 3,367 Thanks: 3 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts	Reformatting your hard drive in this situation won't do any more than clearing cache/cookies/etc. Click the link in the bottom right hand corner that says "Go to Google.com". If you have a Google Account, you could try doing this: - Go to http://www.google.com/accounts/ (Sign in if you aren't already) - Then click on "edit" - Check what country it says you are in, and change if it is wrong

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