How To Easily Remove Google Redirect Virus
One of the most annoying computer infection I ever encounter is Google redirect virus. If you are reading this post,either you are my regular reader or you’ve been a victim of this virus and wants to know how to remove Google redirect virus.
What is Google redirect virus?
For those who still don’t know how this virus works, let me give you a “hands on” explanation. Say you are searching Google for some research works, assignments or just random browsing. You found what you are looking for, you click the link, but to your dismay, you’ve been brought to a different site. The next link you clicked also brought you to the same site. And the site has no connection to your searches or to the site you are trying to open. In other words–you’ve been redirected! Some of your computer programs won’t run, without producing any error. Also, this Google redirect virus has a capacity to block sites.
Who are usually the victim of this Google redirect virus?
Regular users like you are the usual victim of this Google redirect virus. This virus hijacks your Google searches and then redirect you to another website, that is usually a fake websites with advertisements or corrupted pages.
Where can you get Google Redirect Virus?
Don’t curse Google for this! Google has nothing to do with this virus. Blame it to the crazy head computer genius criminals who created and distributed the malware. You can usually get this annoying virus from visiting a malicious websites with unsecured browsers.
How can you get rid of Google Redirect Virus?
Of course that’s the question you want me to answer. You still don’t need to run to your computer technician or do some formatting to your computer. Follow the instruction below in removing the Google Redirect Virus.
- The first thing you need to do is download tdsskiller from the following link and save it to your desktop. Click to Download TDSSKiller
If for some reason you are unable to download the file then TDSS may be blocking it. What you can do is to download TDSSKiller from a clean computer then transfer it to any external drive or USB flash drive.
- Not that simple as running a regular program. The creator of the google redirect virus is smart enough to know what TDSSKiller can do. But don’t worry we’re wiser than him. First, rename TDSSKiller by right-clicking the TDSSKiller.exe icon from your desktop and select RENAME. Now you can edit the name with any name you want but do not forget that it should end with the .com extension. For example, asdfgh.com or 14344.com. Now that it is wearing a mask, you can proceed with the running of the program.
- Click the Start scan button to scan your computer for TDSS infection. It will then display a result screen to find out any infection was on your computer.
- If the infection is on your computer, you can get rid of google redirect virus by clicking the Continue button. The TDSSKiller will now work on attempting to clear your computer from the infection. If you do not get the message Cure, then just choose the default action Skip and press Continue. Do not attempt to change it to Delete or Quarantine as it may also delete the infected files that are needed for Windows to operate properly.
- Once finished, it will give you a report stating whether the cleaning operation is successful. Reboot is required to finish the cleaning process, so click on the Reboot now button and let it finish the removal of the TDSS infection.
Removing Google Redirect Virus using with FixTDSS.exe
In some cases the TDSSKiller fails to do the job even after renaming the program. If you are unable to remove the virus using TDSSKiller, you can use FixTDSS by Symantec. Follow the steps below to remove google redirect virus using FixTDSS.
- Download the FixTDSS.exe tool from Symantec
- Run FixTDSS.exe then then click the Proceed button to begin the process and allow the tool to complete the cleaning
- Restart your computer
- After reboot, The tool will provide you the scan and cleaning results.
- Check if the Google redirect virus is gone.
All set! Now your computer will be Google redirect virus free.
Removing Google Redirect Virus using Fix Redirect Virus
Fix Google Redirect Virus using FixBrowserRedirect
How to remove Google Redirect Virus manually
- Go to Drive C: (or Wherever drive your Windows is installed)
- Go to Windows –> System32 –> drivers –> etc folder
- Look for the host file
- Reset your host file – Here is the instruction on how you can easily reset your Windows host file
Related posts:
- How To Easily Remove Yahoo Redirect Virus
- Get Rid Of The Google Redirect Virus
- How to Remove Virus from USB Device
- How to remove TAGA LIPA ARE! Virus
- How to remove autorun.inf and prevent virus spreading and infection
- How to Remove Huelar.exe (mscvhost.exe, winlogos.exe) virus
- How to Remove MSBLAST.exe worm virus
- How to Remove JAY.EXE and MVEO.EXE Virus
- How to remove SCVHOST.exe (W32/YahLover.Worm.gen or Win32/Autorun.R.worm)
- How to remove FUN.XLS
This did not work for me. Everything i’ve tried will not get rid of this thing. I followed the instructions to the “T”
install and scan your computer with Malwarebytes. It will help clean the malware.
I have updated my article today, I added a new tool to help you remove the virus
Does not work for me, it just says “Infection: Not Found”
Also can I get a link to malwarebytes? I can’t use Google lol
here is the link http://www.malwarebytes.org/
I’ll update my article and will include other removal removal method
I tried dozens of things, and worked for many hours trying to get rid of this stupid virus. This method worked. It worked! Thank you so much!
thank you for this article.
i have followed the directions and it didn’t work.
the kaspersky program didn’t give me the ‘cure’ option. and when i clicked ‘skip’ and ‘continue’, it just took me to the beginning scan screen. the symantec product says it is scanning processes but stays frozen on that for hours. no change or movement. I am going to install malwarebytes now in case that can help.
Has anyone noticed after you google redirect virus or google redirect links, the links work after these words are googled?
thank you. ran the tdss killer but when it scanned it didnt recognize any threats but I was able to get back on this site from a google seach so I’m assuming it worked. Had to use my ipod to get the info because I couldnt go anywhere on the laptop! lol
I used the FixTDSS.exe tool and this seemed to momentarily fix the redirect issue, however, moments after my couple searches my screen went blue and now windows will not open. I don’t know what to do.
That worked
I also recommend http://www.eset.co.uk/Antivirus-Utilities/Online-Scanner
Finally I think it’s gone! I downloaded FixTDSS and it worked. I did numerous scans using Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes, Spybot S&D, Kaspersky, and other similar scanners, and after detecting spyware on the first couple of scans, they stopped finding any problems. I could not get TDSSKiller to run, even after renaming, whether in safe mode or regular. There seem to also be many unreliable “Google Redirect Fix” web sites out there that look to me like they’re really just an extension of the virus itself. Beware!
One thing I noticed which I never saw in any other discussion was that while infected, Task Manager showed services.exe taking about 278MB of memory and running at 99%. This was happening even in safe mode. After running FixTDSS it is stable at a more normal 4+MB using 0% of resources.
I never thought I would say it, but hurray for Symantec!
Thank you so much for the easy instructions and tool to remove the redirect virus!! I can now surf again without swearing at my computer… =)
Thank you very much. The TDSS Killer did not work but the FixTDSS did.
just wanted to let people know of some other sysmptoms and fixes. other symptons (and i know from experience) is it can give you the blue screen of death. -not fun. Usually it will blue screen you just before the screen pops up to type in your password to the computer or right as it is loading your desktop. I had this happen on multiple computers at work (im the IT guy). Another symptom of this virus is random error messages popping up on your desktop saying some sort of temp file could not be found and your only option is to click ok. Also if you bring up Task Manager, you will be eating up a ton of memory. 2 more signs are if you try to bring up device manager, it will fail and also if you try to rewrite your HOSTS file, it will not let you. So here is what you do. first off let me say TDSSKILLER DOES WORK. However i did run into the problem on one computer where even changing the name did not let me run it. so heres the first fix naviage to C:/windows/system32/drivers/etc then look for the file called HOSTS, open it with notepad. scroll down and you should see # 127.0.0.1 localhost
at the bottom. If underneath this you have something like
# ::01
then you need to delete that line. then click save.
This should now allow you to operate normally to run TDSSKILLER and google search. Some times though this malware may prevent you from updating the file. it will say you do not have admin privileges or will say it is currently being used by another program. so now you turn the computer off and as it is turning on, keep pressing the F8 key. it should then give you the option of booting in Safe Mode. Use Safe Mode With Networking if you want to be able to get online. Now you should be able to follow these steps and the steps in this blog to remove the malware. Hope this helps!
thanks for the article it worked like a charm! Worked on this computer two eveings trying all different types of solutions.
Thanks Again
Malwarebytes and Spyware Doctor could not find anything wrong. The redirect virus is very deep in my computer because when I go to Google in safe mode, the same thing happens it goes to the same sites. Even one of the sites comes up at the top of the search menu when I use another site to search (Yahoo or MSN). The websites or gimmieanswers(dot)org, scanerrors(dot)com, uniblue(dot)com/regis, addedsuccess(dot)com, and antivirusoffers(dot)com. I checked my Host file but there is nothing after the 127.0.01 local host. So I don’t know where this stupid virus is. I am not going to download anything from a search, but I am going to download the above files from a jump drive and try again. Don’t know how to get rid of this but I will try these steps. Wish me luck.
thanks. it worked perfectly.
Nothing has worked for me so far. I’ve ran both the above. My redirect looks like this – google.com/go?12345 – I don’t know if this is a new variant, maybe. Most people report it looks like this: go.google.com/blah
One thing I noticed though is the redirect only affects google.com – google.co.uk is fine. So until I find the solution, I recommend using a localised version. Or my Mac…
Thank you so much!
The first method worked for me
Cheers
The first one with the TDSSKiller worked perfectly for me. Thank you so much.
Same as Benji. The instructions in the article worked! And we have run FIVE different anti-virus programs in the past two days and this TDSS Killer is the only thing that has worked. Crossing my fingers the problem doesn’t come back.
I don’t want to be overlyexcited but……I think…IT WORKED!!!!!!!!! I’ve tried everything and finally this first method worked for me. I’m praying now that the first few “practice searches” I just attempted weren’t some sort of fluke but for now I am very grateful!
Nope…Back to redirections. I knew I shouldn’t have been “overlyexcited”
The scanner can’t find anything but Google is still being redirected to those dumb sites. I need to make some money but all I’m doing is wasting my f*ing time hour after hour. It seems to have also wrecked my OS, every now and then a window pops up saying that I’m not using genuine Microsoft software – which I am! And when I go to MS they want me to buy Windows again. I’m using a Toshiba laptop from Argos – so of course no Windows CD supplied. I picked this virus up when I downloaded the timetable from my local bus company. Isn’t this industry ridiculous?
Brilliant article! Some great advice, thanks!!