Remove "SEARCH-GENIUS" virus (Removal Guide)

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What is SEARCH-GENIUS?

SEARCH-GENIUS detected as search-genius.
The main purpose of SEARCH-GENIUS is to display ads on your PC and to hijack your browser by changing its settings.
Today we will find out what is SEARCH-GENIUS, how it works and how to delete SEARCH-GENIUS from your computer.
 

SEARCH-GENIUS usually infiltrates your computer while being downloaded in a bundle with a popular hacked programs or while being included in downloaded file with a bunch of other trojans.

SEARCH-GENIUS causes the great problems for you, such as replacing your browser starting page with malicious one, browser search redirecting, changing security settings and allowing popup advertisements to show up.

SEARCH-GENIUS virus accomplishes this tasks by registering virus process in startup or by automatically launching malicious sites.

You have 2 ways to remove SEARCH-GENIUS:

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: "SEARCH-GENIUS", 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 SEARCH-GENIUS virus automatically:

STEP 1: Install UnHackMe (1 minute)

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

STEP 3: Remove SEARCH-GENIUS 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 SEARCH-GENIUS redirect or other unwanted software.

How to remove SEARCH-GENIUS 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 SEARCH-GENIUS 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 SEARCH-GENIUS in their description. Discover the directories where such processes start. Search for random or strange file names.

Remove SEARCH-GENIUS virus from running processes

Remove SEARCH-GENIUS virus from running processes

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

Remove SEARCH-GENIUS virus from Windows services

Remove SEARCH-GENIUS virus from Windows services

Disable the services with random names or contains SEARCH-GENIUS 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 SEARCH-GENIUS from scheduled task list.

Delete any task related to SEARCH-GENIUS. Disable unknown tasks with random names.

STEP 6: Clear the Windows registry from SEARCH-GENIUS virus.
Press Win+R, type in: regedit.exe and press OK.

Remove SEARCH-GENIUS virus from Windows registry

Remove SEARCH-GENIUS virus from Windows registry

Find and delete all keys/values contains SEARCH-GENIUS.

STEP 7: Remove SEARCH-GENIUS from Google Chrome.
Remove SEARCH-GENIUS Virus from Chrome Extensions

STEP 8: Remove SEARCH-GENIUS from Internet Explorer.

Set Internet Explorer Homepage

Set Internet Explorer Homepage

STEP 9: Remove SEARCH-GENIUS 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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