Manual Removal Guide for SearchALot
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "SearchALot" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
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Threat Details:
Categories:
Description: SearchALot start page installer sets the searchalot website as the default start page as described, but it also tries to redirect searches the user makes to msn via the hosts file.
Supposed Functionality: supposed to be a legit internet search engine.
Removal Instructions:
Installed Software List:
You can try to uninstall products with the names listed below; for items identified by other properties or to avoid malware getting active again on uninstallation, use Spybot-S&D or RunAlyzer to locate and get rid of these entries.
- Products that have a key or property named "Blank".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\favorites\Downloadalot.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\favorites\ModemBoost.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\favorites\Searchalot.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\favorites\TalkingBuddy.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\Favorites\Downloadalot - The best freeware and shareware on the Internet.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\Favorites\ModemBoost - dramatically boosts your Internet speed!.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\Favorites\Searchalot - We search a lot, so you don't have to!.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\Favorites\Web Eraser - Protect your Privacy - Erase all traces of your Computer Activity!.url".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\downicon.ico".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\mbicon.ico".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\searchicon.ico".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\wicon.ico".
- The file at "<$WINDIR>\Inf\IEReset.inf".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If SearchALot uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
- The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Blank".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If SearchALot uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
- Delete the registry value "searchalot.com" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SafeSites\".
- Delete the registry key "{C21AE3DD-2E97-406B-8C87-A9AD5BBD49D1}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\".
If SearchALot uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer, RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
Browser:
The following browser plugins or items can either be removed directly in your browser, or through the help of e.g. Spybot-S&D or RunAlyzer.
- Please check your bookmarks for links to "searchalot.com".
- Look for Internet Explorer extensions named "Download piles of Free Software".
Final Words:
If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help, - Please read these instructions before requesting assistance,
- Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.
