Remove "MAINTENANCE\WINDAT" virus (Removal Guide)

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What is MAINTENANCE\WINDAT?

MAINTENANCE\WINDAT is classified as Win32:PUP-gen (potentially unwanted program).

MAINTENANCE\WINDAT detected as Trojan.MAINTENANCE.
What is PUP? PUP is crapware.
MAINTENANCE\WINDAT have several types of unwanted behaviour:

  1. Displaying popup ads.
  2. Hijacking your browser.
  3. Infecting your desktop shortcuts, etc.
  4. Inserting ads to the web pages.
 

MAINTENANCE\WINDAT can redirect your browser search, collect your personal information and sell it for advertising.
MAINTENANCE\WINDAT is usually hard in removing. Some people could not find uninstall program for MAINTENANCE\WINDAT in the Control Panel.
Sometimes MAINTENANCE\WINDAT uninstaller does not work.

 

How MAINTENANCE\WINDAT got on your computer?

Usually you got MAINTENANCE\WINDAT with as part of a bundle with another tool you downloaded from the Internet. Since MAINTENANCE\WINDAT manufacturer pays software developers for distributing MAINTENANCE\WINDAT within their applications, MAINTENANCE\WINDAT is often included as part of the installer.
Usually, you have not only one MAINTENANCE\WINDAT problem, but a bunch of similar WIN32:PUPs.

You have 2 ways to remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT:

You have 2 ways

Remove it automatically1. Remove Automatically.
Remove it manually2. Remove Manually.

Why I recommend you to use an automatic way?

  1. You know only one virus name: "MAINTENANCE\WINDAT", but usually you have infected by a bunch of viruses.
    The UnHackMe program detects this threat and all others.
  2. UnHackMe is quite fast! You need only 5 minutes to check your PC.
  3. UnHackMe uses the special features to remove hard in removal viruses. If you remove a virus manually, it can prevent deleting using a self-protecting module. If you even delete the virus, it may recreate himself by a stealthy module.
  4. UnHackMe is small and compatible with any antivirus.
  5. UnHackMe is fully free for 30-days!

Here’s how to remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus automatically:

STEP 1: Install UnHackMe (1 minute)

STEP 2: Scan for malware using UnHackMe (1 minute)

STEP 3: Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus (3 minutes)

So it was much easier to fix such problem automatically, wasn't it?
That is why I strongly advise you to use UnHackMe for remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT redirect or other unwanted software.

How to remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT manually:

STEP 1: Check all shortcuts of your browsers on your desktop, taskbar and in the Start menu. Right click on your shortcut and change it's properties.

http://…

You can see MAINTENANCE\WINDAT or another web site at the end of shortcut target (command line). Remove it and save changes.

In addition, check this command line for fake browser's trick.
For example, if a shortcut points to Google Chrome, it must have the path:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe.
Fake browser may be: …\Appdata\Roaming\HPReyos\ReyosStarter3.exe.
Also the file name may be: “chromium.exe” instead of chrome.exe.

STEP 2: Investigate the list of installed programs and uninstall all unknown recently installed programs.

check installed programs to uninstall

STEP 3: Open Task Manager and close all processes, related to MAINTENANCE\WINDAT in their description. Discover the directories where such processes start. Search for random or strange file names.

Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus from running processes

Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus from running processes

STEP 4: Inspect the Windows services. Press Win+R, type in: services.msc and press OK.

Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus from Windows services

Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus from Windows services

Disable the services with random names or contains MAINTENANCE\WINDAT in it's name or description.

STEP 5: After that press Win+R, type in: taskschd.msc and press OK to open Windows Task Scheduler.
Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT from scheduled task list.

Delete any task related to MAINTENANCE\WINDAT. Disable unknown tasks with random names.

STEP 6: Clear the Windows registry from MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus.
Press Win+R, type in: regedit.exe and press OK.

Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus from Windows registry

Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT virus from Windows registry

Find and delete all keys/values contains MAINTENANCE\WINDAT.

STEP 7: Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT from Google Chrome.
Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT Virus from Chrome Extensions

STEP 8: Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT from Internet Explorer.

Set Internet Explorer Homepage

Set Internet Explorer Homepage

STEP 9: Remove MAINTENANCE\WINDAT from Mozilla Firefox.

Change Firefox Home Page

Change Firefox Home Page

STEP 10: And at the end, clear your basket, temporal files, browser's cache.

But if you miss any of these steps and only one part of virus remains – it will come back again immediately or after reboot.

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