Friday
2017-03-13, 09:43
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "PU.PinnaclePCPerformance" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=donate).
Threat Details:
Categories:
pups
Description:
PU.PinnaclePCPerformance is a program that tries to improve the system speed. After it detects possible stability problems it only fixes them if the user buys a license.
A license costs 29.95 EUR (February 2017).
Links (be careful!):
: ttp://pinnaclepcperformance.com
Removal Instructions:
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "Pinnacle PC Performance_Logon" and pointing to "?<$PROGRAMFILES>\Pinnacle PC Performance\ppcp.exe? startupshow".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$APPDATA>\FileOpenerWindows\wfo.exe".
The file at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\PPCPValidator\PPCPValidatorService.exe".
The file at "<$COMMONDESKTOP>\Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance\Buy Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance\Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance\Uninstall Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$FILE_EXE>\Pinnacle PC Performance\ppcp.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Pinnacle PC Performance\unins000.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PU.PinnaclePCPerformance uses rootkit technologies, use the rootkit scanner integrated into Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) 2.x or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$APPDATA>\FileOpenerWindows".
The directory at "<$APPDATA>\pinnaclepcperformance.com".
The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\pinnaclepcperformance.com".
The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\PPCPValidator".
The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Pinnacle PC Performance".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PU.PinnaclePCPerformance uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 key "{0C525D7C-2A9C-4C1C-9E0E-5A9EFF92DB25}_is1" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\".
Delete the registry key "pinnaclepcperformance.com" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
Delete the registry key "pinnaclepcperformance.com" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "ppcp-pr" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\Eventlog\Application\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\Eventlog\Application\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidatorService" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If PU.PinnaclePCPerformance uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=regalyzer), RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288) before requesting assistance,
Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=donate).
Threat Details:
Categories:
pups
Description:
PU.PinnaclePCPerformance is a program that tries to improve the system speed. After it detects possible stability problems it only fixes them if the user buys a license.
A license costs 29.95 EUR (February 2017).
Links (be careful!):
: ttp://pinnaclepcperformance.com
Removal Instructions:
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "Pinnacle PC Performance_Logon" and pointing to "?<$PROGRAMFILES>\Pinnacle PC Performance\ppcp.exe? startupshow".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$APPDATA>\FileOpenerWindows\wfo.exe".
The file at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\PPCPValidator\PPCPValidatorService.exe".
The file at "<$COMMONDESKTOP>\Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance\Buy Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance\Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance\Uninstall Pinnacle PC Performance.lnk".
The file at "<$FILE_EXE>\Pinnacle PC Performance\ppcp.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Pinnacle PC Performance\unins000.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PU.PinnaclePCPerformance uses rootkit technologies, use the rootkit scanner integrated into Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) 2.x or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$APPDATA>\FileOpenerWindows".
The directory at "<$APPDATA>\pinnaclepcperformance.com".
The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\pinnaclepcperformance.com".
The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\PPCPValidator".
The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\Pinnacle PC Performance".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Pinnacle PC Performance".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PU.PinnaclePCPerformance uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 key "{0C525D7C-2A9C-4C1C-9E0E-5A9EFF92DB25}_is1" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\".
Delete the registry key "pinnaclepcperformance.com" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
Delete the registry key "pinnaclepcperformance.com" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "ppcp-pr" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\Eventlog\Application\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidator" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\Eventlog\Application\".
Delete the registry key "PPCPValidatorService" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If PU.PinnaclePCPerformance uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=regalyzer), RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288) before requesting assistance,
Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.