I have this pesky ad-ware on my laptop and every time I search something the homepage comes up, I have ESET Smart Security 7 and Malwarebytes, none has been successful in getting rid of it, Malwarebytes is the only one that detects it and supposedly cleans it but it always comes back, it's as if it is immortal…
I have Windows 7 up to date.
Thanks.
I have CCleaner it doesn't remove it…
You could always format your PC.
If you're on Windows 8, there is a Refresh option which will reinstall windows and wipe your apps, but won't affect personal data.
Got nothing important? Drop a Nagasaki on it.
Sounds like a browser hijack. Are you using Chrome/ Firefox? If so, there is a "reset" everything to defaults button.
on Firefox, on the addres bar type in:
about:support
then press the Reset button.
On chrome,
Select Settings.
Click Show advanced settings and find the "Reset browser settings” section.
Click Reset browser settings.
This'll reset your homepage and search settings. This works for a lot of browser hijack issues but if the underlying cause is not removed (e.g. there is a malware which hasn't been removed by your AV) then the issue will come back again to haunt you the next time you reboot your PC.
Have you installed a program by iobit? (Something like that)
I have the same problem. Don't know from where the hell it has come…
sounds like it could be rootkit, try run TDSS Killer http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/kaspersky_tdsskiller…
I got this when I installed a program named CDisplay EX which was on a RAR file which I failed to scan before I extracted it… to read my Japanese xxx manga (manga is clean)… if I reset Firefox will that wipe my bookmarks? I have a lot of bookmarked stuff… just wondering… thanks so far.
Yes, reset Firefox, then you should be Ok.
For the plugins itself, sometimes they can removed via Add/Remove programs in control panel.
Hopefully it CAN be removed otherwise you will need to manually delete the offending items.
Install trial version of Kaspersky or Bitdefender. If one of these two don't remove it, I doubt anything else other than a reformat will.
Eset and malwerbyte are good, but Kaspersky or Bitdefender are noticeably better in terms of detection rates.
It's something the OP installed, it's packaged with a lot of legitimate software nowadays (Java Updates for e.g comes with Ask Toolbar) and AV software do not flag them as malware when they get installed due to them paying to be whitelisted.
Always uncheck the extra offers whenever you're installing something, because removing them can be a PITA later on.
I tried a million things when this happened to me; from memory the only thing that worked was resetting Firefox. So frustrating - good luck.
Last resort option is to un-install and re-install your browser.
mine cleaned using malwarebyte's anti malware trial version
I was also recently bitten by it — just by installing NitroPDF.
You will need to uninstall Conduit Search from the Control Panel first (using "Uninstall a Program"). Then you need to go through every browser you have (IE, Chrome, Firefox) and remove the extensions / plugins. Then look for "search.conduit" in registry and purge that. Still felt tainted afterwards.
If you consider yourself resonably competent, try hijackthis. Old tool, but thats how I got rid of it. That and process explorer, to find out what process was starting it. Then find and delete it.
I must say its doing rather well for itself. When I checked the list of most popular sites used (australia), it was in the top 20
Wikipedia has a short note about it. The main point about it is that the uninstall can damage your system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_hijacking#Conduit_Searc…
SpyHunter 4 (excellent malware killer BTW) successfully removes Conduit.
go to control panel, programs, uninstall.
Click on the "installed on" heading to sort the programs so the most recent is at the top of the list.
Have a look there and see if something has installed that you don't want.
Uninstall it if you know the file, or google the file to see what it is to see if it is the possible problem.
This gets me out of most pesky problems.
Good luck
[ now if someone could find my water leak, I'd be a happy camper ;-) ]
Yeah I got this sneaky sucker when I installed DIVX player. I have Malwarebytes Pro and it got rid of it.
The conduit webpage could also be set as your default homepage when you start up your browser.. just go to control panel>internet Options and change your homepage back to google or whatever you want it to be. as well as getting rid of it using the uninstall option within your control panel
Reseting Firefox did the trick the bugger is gone! thanks.
In future type
I just uninstalled it from add remove programs.
To fix browser afterwards.
Type
About:config in the address bar of Firefox and remove any references to conduit or other weird urls and theN replace with Google instead.
Chrome under advanced settings
Search for references to conduit and other search ur URLs swapping for Google
The first port of call for virus/malware/spyware is usually install malwarebytes anti-malware and superantispyware and then restart the computer in safe mode by pressing F8 before windows logo comes up. Run both and then restart the PC.
If you think it's just a stock standard virus you've got I'd just use Avast! pre-boot scan, it picks things up before they go and hide somewhere.
I had that and managed to remove it. It was long time ago. Try the following link.
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/conduit-search-removal/
I had to clean it up on all 3 browsers (IE, Firefox, and Chrome). I did not install those anti-malware mentioned in the doc… elected to do things manually (was time consuming though).
The biggest issue I recall was conduit wasn't the only thing which got installed. A whole lot of other bunch of weird software got installed. You need to remove them too. Try to recall all the weird, extra apps / icons popping up in your task bar or desktop. You need to reboot a few times to make sure you cleaned everything fully (esp. conduit). It was a real pain to clean conduit and other dodgy apps manually, maybe those two free anti-malware would make things easier.
Good luck.
Run a full scan on malwarebytes and it will get rid of it or reset chrome and ie back to default settings
google it, a few threads onto removing it. it is a process to make sure you delete any part of the software. good luck
Try CCleaner. I use it all the time for clearing out shit.