How to remove Safe Search

[Astralv]

Hey guys

I am fixing my son's computer, Windows 7, Core 2 Duo. I clean installed Windows 7 on it, and it never worked well enough, had issues with the internet connection and slow performance. My son likes to play video games and some time download stuff that may contain malware.

We let antivirus to laps on it for a while, and now I found Safe Search. It is search engine redirect malware that can cause all kinds of issues.

The symptoms:

It blocks Internet Explorer from opening. The window is opening white and then closes itself. On my son's account, I see small golden lock in the task bar icon.

Chrome is working but asks odd questions about setting default search engine, making Yahoo my default home page (which is ok, but why it asks me?) and I can see Safe Search code in the adress bar.

Webroot Secure Anywhere deleted some threat but not anything that looks like safe Search and now does not see anything.

Malware Bytes Pro fails scan when reaches the same file, something in $Windows/SaveOS- it just freezes and becomes unresponsive.

I been searching about this issue on the web, and found these two forum posts, but It is too complected for me to follow. Any better solutions?

http/community.spiceworks.com/topic/481446-internet-e...

In the first post it has a picture of IE lock I have. There is a link to another thread about how to remove it, but it is too advanced for me- I can not follow the directions.

https/productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/YTsjmFFCPn8

Thank you.

 

[smorizio]

try hitman pro and avg or avast or bitdefender pro. also in windows turn off the restore points and clear them out so windows does not back up the virus your trying to remove. also if it more then malware you may have to run all your scans in safe mode or make a anti virus rescue disk from one of the large anti virus people.

 

[SherbetAddict]

Try MalwareBytes, Hitman or Avira.
They are all free malware removal tools.

 

[USAFRet]

And if none of the above options work, go nuclear.
Wipe it and reinstall.

Yes, it's painful. But sometimes, it''s the only way to be sure.

 

[Astralv]

I attempted to run Malware Bytes Pro. It failed at least 5 times, but now it holding up, past the point it was freezing it.

I just installed Avira antivirus, (free) and it offers me to install Avira SafeSearch. This is exactly what I am trying to remove! Is it some kind of coincidence?

 

[SherbetAddict]

I attempted to run Malware Bytes Pro. It failed at least 5 times, but now it holding up, past the point it was freezing it.

I just installed Avira antivirus, (free) and it offers me to install Avira SafeSearch. This is exactly what I am trying to remove! Is it some kind of coincidence?

Nah, probably the standard included software thing.

 

[Astralv]

malware Bytes is still running. Been sitting here all day. Nothing is more exciting than watching full system scan running. No threats detected so far, but everybody on the net says- it will not detect it. Why would Avira include SafeSearch? It must not be the same thing I am trying to uninstall. Also I attempted the solutions in the link I provided- I dont have what they all talking about- no .pol file with Safe search references. Now what? The Internet Explorer is still not loading. I am waiting for mal Bytes to finish so I can try from my son's account, which is probably not going to help. For now- deleting 30 Gb Windows.old folder. It even more fun to watch. 🙁

 

[SherbetAddict]

Well, the only solution I can think of, is to wipe your hard drive. 🙁

 

[Skylyne]

Have you tried a basic uninstaller service with it already? I'd recommend trying IObit Unintsaller, and doing the "powerful scan" after you've uninstalled it (if possible). Using that tool, you'll find most the files related to it, and you'll be able to fully wipe them, if desired.

IF that fails, or even just after trying that, I'd say to try booting into safe mode, and run Malwarebytes that way. Once it's finished, use the Avira you already installed to run a scan. Depending on what's going on, you might be able to get through the scans in safe mode, and possibly be able to remove it that way. I'd recommend running Panda and Bitdefender, as well as Hitman Pro, if you want to do a little more thorough searching. If you need to, install them in "Safe Mode With Networking," and then reboot into regular safe mode once all the definitions are up to date. Run your scans that way, and do whatever else to remove it in safe mode, before running it normally again.

Depending on what you've already removed, you might run into some issues getting rid of it through a basic uninstaller. Give all that a shot, since I have to assume you're running Windows normally right now. If that doesn't pan out, I'd either have to look at it, or recommend a clean wipe before reinstalling Windows. And yes, do a thorough wipe, not just a reformat.

 

[Astralv]

I was working on this thing the entire Saturday. Watched Malware Byte full system scan until 2.30 am. Wake up this morning to find that computer froze at 2.45 am. How did it know that I went to bed? (lol).

The IO Bit uninstaller- there is no guaranty that it will see it installed. Is there a way to tell it what to look for? Most of people say they had safesear.ch file, but I searched for it in Start menu and it did not find any.

How do you boot in to Safe mode? (other than turn power button off and then it would ask when you start computer)?

I installed Panda Online Scan- also it installed something to the computer- I dont know if this is the same as Panda Antivirus. Bitdefender? I dont know if it is good for this computer to have all these programs installed. They all trying to run on a background at the same time, I would have to find the way to stop them from running...

What is clean wipe? You mean, like buying a new hard drive? It is an option, because hard drive on this computer is only 250 Gb... You mean- formatting it when installing Windows is not enough?

 

[USAFRet]

What is clean wipe? You mean, like buying a new hard drive? It is an option, because hard drive on this computer is only 250 Gb... You mean- formatting it when installing Windows is not enough?

When installing the new OS, delete all partitions and start over with a blank slate.

 

[USAFRet]

From your initial statement:

I clean installed Windows 7 on it, and it never worked well enough, had issues with the internet connection and slow performance. My son likes to play video games and some time download stuff that may contain malware.

Clean install, wiping the drive as you do it.

 

[Astralv]

I have a good news and a bad news.

The good news is that I ran Malware Bytes again, this time as "Quick Scan" and it found some traces and folder of Safe Search. It was PUP.Optional.SafeSearch.ShrtCln file in C/Users/_______/AppData/AppData/Components/com.exe There was also PUP.Optional.Like.A file (I uninstalled Like via add/remove the other day, but it did not go away). So it is a small victory.

The bad news is that after it was removed, it took even longer to start Windows. When it got to user accounts and I selected my account and put in password, it was thinking for good 3 minutes, and then had black screen for another minute, before it loaded. The Internet Explorer is still blocked or it may be permanently damaged.

I am going to try enter safe mode and run mal Bytes again, and if it not resolves it, I will have to reinstall the Windows. It is not so good, because I will have to reinstall Steam games, and then- likely my child will download something again and this will happen.

I have to admit that my child has newer custom build gaming rig, and he is being very good with maintaining it. This is his older computer, but it stays in his room, where he supposed to do a homework. Also it could never stay on line via wireless in his room...

 

[Astralv]

Internet Explorer is working in the Safe Mode. Webroot and Malware Bytes did not find anything. Avira takes forever- doubt it will find.