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In this article we are going to try and help you remove WinArcher “Virus”. Our instructions cover all Windows versions as well as most browsers – Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer etc.
WinArcher “Virus” is an Adware-based program that may infect all popular browsers – Firefox, Opera, Explorer, Chrome and others. The infection usually manifests itself when you notice that the pop-up ads you see on your monitor are no longer web-page-hosted, but produced by the browser itself. Basically, that is the main function of all Adware-type products: to display numerous banners, pop-unders, pop-ups, boxes, tabs and other versions of ads. These ads may sometimes correspond to your recent search requests thanks to WinArcher’s ability to match the data from your surfing history to the current ad campaign. This feature of Adware might seem a little too intrusive to some experts and users and that’s why the image of these programs is not completely positive as some of them could be identified as potentially unwanted.
Does a potentially unwanted program equal a virus?
There is no reason for you to panic. WinArcher has never been labeled a virus. None of its functions resemble the ones of any typical malware. Every single program classified as malware is usually capable of crashing your PC, hijacking your system and encoding some of your important data, which is typical for Ransomware, or destroying it. Some malicious programs are even able to spy on you using your own webcam. This is not what you have been experiencing currently. It is true that the number of the produced ads may be ridiculously big and your system may have become slower due to their generation. Despite that, nothing really malicious could come from WinArcher or any other Adware program.
Where can WinArcher be found on the web?
When it comes to probable ways of spreading Adware, there are some very typical places on the Internet where such a program might be lurking. These are spam emails, their attachments (if any), shareware and torrent-spreading web pages and, of course, the usual suspect: any program bundle. If you have used, downloaded or installed anything from the aforementioned list, that is why your system is now infected.
What is a software bundle?
The typical source of any Adware product is usually a program bundle. These bundles are combinations of various software that gets distributed as one. They may include Adware, browser hijackers and original programs. Programmers create them only for one reason – by combining their own original software with ad-generating software like the one on your system right now and other Adware and hijacker programs, they get both the chance to spread their own software for free, and the opportunity to receive some income from the ads that get displayed later by the ad-producing programs like WinArcher. This famous practice is called pay per click and allows developers to fund their business but to get more users explore their own software at no charge. However, it is not about putting adware together with other programs and trick any user into downloading it. In order to start producing pop-ups and banners, the adware should first be installed.
Installation of program bundles – how to do it right
WinArcher could infect your PC from a bundle if you do not complete the installation process of the program you want from this bundle in the correct way. Adware cannot self-install on your machine, as it is NOT malicious. The feature of the installer that guarantees you the installation of the whole bundle on your PC is usually the quickest, the easiest or the automatic one. Its name usually is Default or Typical. If you want to be able to choose what to incorporate into your system and what to leave behind, forget about this option. On the other hand, if you want to use any original program from any bundle for free but without being annoyed by ads, remember the following names – Advanced and Custom. These are the options of the wizard you should use no matter what you want to install. If you use them, you will get all the necessary info about any bundle in the EUCA and you will get to choose what to put into your PC.
Removal of WinArcher – how to do it right
While WinArcher is usually considered quite harmless, you should still be careful when it comes to the uninstallation process. Make sure that you have someone prepared to help you, the right piece of software to assist you or you can simply study the following removal guide to get a clear idea of how it should be removed from your system. We hope it will help and you will have positive feedback!
WinArcher “Virus” Removal
Many types of malware will restrict your access to their core files. It is highly recommended that you reboot your PC in safe mode before attempting to use this guide.
- To enable Safe Mode reboot you PC, then hit F8 repeatedly. When the corresponding menu opens please select Safe Mode with Networking.
WARNING! If you are using Windows 8,0 or later and/or your operating system is installed on a fast SSD drive this may fail to work. In this case click here to see how to start your PC in Safe Mode.
#1: Uninstall the malicious program from your control panel
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Enter control panel to look for any suspicious programs, which may have installed on your PC. To do that:
- Navigate to your Desktop
- Press simultaneously the Win button together with the R button (Win+R)
- In the Run window that just opened type appwiz.cpl
- Go through the list of programs and find WinArcher or anything else that may seem suspicious. Right-click on it and choose the uninstallation option
WARNING! Carefully read any confirmation messages that may be created in the process. Sometimes you may get offers to download more Adware applications and this can be linked to either the Yes or the No answer depending on the wording!
- Optional:
Go through the list of programs again and check online for any potentially unwanted programs. We have an article that covers this awesome free software that makes sure that your computer is free from bloatware and programs that you don’t need.
#2: Remove WinArcher From Chrome
Now we’ll remove the extensions that the malware has attached to your browser.
- Open your Google Chrome browser.
- Type chrome://extensions/ in the URL address bar and press Enter.
- Click on “Developer Mode” on the top right and look for the extension installed by WinArcher and anything that might be related to it. Copy their IDs (the string of letters), then remove them by clicking on the trash bin icon.
- Type Regedit in the Windows Start Menu and press Enter. Go in : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions and delete the entries corresponding to the suspicious IDs you recorded.
#3: Remove WinArcher From Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
- Type “about:support” in the URL address bar and press Enter.
- Click on the “Refresh Firefox” button on the right and confirm.
#4 Remove WinArcher From Internet Explorer
- Open your Internet Explorer internet browser.
- Click on the Gear icon on the up right, then on manage add-ons.
- Go through the list disable any suspicious extensions.
#5 Remove any leftover parasitic processes
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From the task manager:
- Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc and open the Task manager, then click on the Processes
- Go through the list of processes and look for unknown or otherwise suspicious entries.
- If you see anything suspicious right click on the process and shoes Open File Location, then terminate the process and delete any files you find in the directory.
WARNING! If the directory you open from this menu has no files inside of it it’s probably because the malware has hidden them. You need to reveal hidden files and folders in order to be able to see them. Click here if you don’t know how to do that.
From the start menu:
- Press simultaneously the Win button together with the R button (Win+R)
- In the Run window that just opened type msconfig
- Click on the Startup tab.
This menu controls which programs are loaded when windows starts after a reboot. Disable anything that seems suspicious. Optionally you can also disable any program that you don’t need and also has a high impact on your startup time.
Feel free to write to us in the comment section with any questions that you may have. Also if we have been helpful to you please share this article to help us reach more people like you.