This is my first post, I need some help to remove Search Protect from my computer. I inadvertently downloaded it with some photo editing software and I cannot find it to get rid of it. I have tried resetting back to a date before I did the download but this didn;t work. I have found Conduit folders in Control Panel and removed them but the little blue icon is still present on the bottom right toolbar. I have also found two .exe files which are by conduit but I don't know how to delete them. Can anyone help please?
Hi, Keith. If restoring does not work, I'd suggest visiting one of the free malware removal sites that delphinium has suggested, as Conduit can be awkward to get rid of.
These have trained volunteers who will help clean your system.
I would recommend visiting one of the removal sites before even attempting a system restore. As with any malware, you should not try to clean it up yourself unless you know what you are doing. Trying on your own might make the malware harder to get rid of and will make it harder for the malware remmovalist to see how deeply the malware got into your computer. Using system restore could also activate any possible malware that was present on the computer at that date...
This is my first post, I need some help to remove Search Protect from my computer. I inadvertently downloaded it with some photo editing software and I cannot find it to get rid of it. I have tried resetting back to a date before I did the download but this didn;t work. I have found Conduit folders in Control Panel and removed them but the little blue icon is still present on the bottom right toolbar. I have also found two .exe files which are by conduit but I don't know how to delete them. Can anyone help please?
Hi, Keith. As you've already attempted a restore, as floplot says, it's best you try one of the malware removal forums previously listed, in case you may have restored to a point which indeed did have malware.
We always advise against system restore, as a means of removing malware.
Stay with one of the specialists, until your system is clean.
I totally agree with what has been explained by F4E and floplot. The intent of my previous post was to suggest to Keith why the system restore would not work.
@ Keith: It would be appropriate for you to follow carefully the procedure suggested by F4E.
I recently had Conduit on my system via some software I shouldn't be using. I was able to uninstall both Conduit programs through my Control Panel Programs and Features. After that I deleted Conduit search from my search providers in my web browsers.
It will also show up here;
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Conduit
Next I ran Malwarebyes Anti-Malware Full Scan and it showed up as a PUP (potentially unwanted program). So I check marked it for removal and it was removed.
For those leary of monkeying around with the registry of their computers, it's best to go to one of free removalist forums and use their tools under direct 1 to 1 help and supervision. No insult to other posters is implied or inteded. They might have a program and create a script which will clean it up. Just remember every one's computer is different, so therefore different solutions and cleanups may be necessary. Just like 1 antibiotic will not work for everyone. Not every pain pill will work the same way for everyone either.
Even though I use Norton 360, I inadvertently downloaded Search Protect by Conduit about 10 days ago, which was hidden within another program I downloaded, which Norton passed as safe. These little critter programs are so annoying - I only found it on my computer today.
If you download Malwarebytes from this website https://www.malwarebytes.org/free/, you can use their freeware version and it will scan your computer for any malicious software, pups etc. and delete them for you. It's very quick, simple and effective. It will remove all traces of Search Protect from your computer.
Many thanks to all of you that offered me advice. In the end I purchased SpyHunter and that has cleared the problem. Once again thanks for all your support.