Remove "SMSEARCH" virus (Removal Guide)

What is SMSEARCH?

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

How SMSEARCH got on your computer?

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

You have 2 ways to remove SMSEARCH:

1. Remove Automatically.
2. Remove Manually.

Why I recommend you to use an automatic way?

1. You know only one virus name: "SMSEARCH", 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 SMSEARCH virus automatically:

STEP 1: Install UnHackMe (1 minute)

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

STEP 3: Remove SMSEARCH 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 SMSEARCH redirect or other unwanted software.

How to remove SMSEARCH 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.

You can see SMSEARCH 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.

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

Remove SMSEARCH virus from running processes

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

Remove SMSEARCH virus from Windows services

Disable the services with random names or contains SMSEARCH 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.

Delete any task related to SMSEARCH. Disable unknown tasks with random names.

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

Remove SMSEARCH virus from Windows registry

Find and delete all keys/values contains SMSEARCH.

STEP 7: Remove SMSEARCH from Google Chrome.

STEP 8: Remove SMSEARCH from Internet Explorer.

Set Internet Explorer Homepage

STEP 9: Remove SMSEARCH from Mozilla Firefox.

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.