Friends have a PC with Conduit as a default search engine. They'd like it removed as it seems to be some sort of spyware.
I've had a go, but I can't find it in control panel - programs - uninstall. There are four I don't recognise: WiseConvert B Toolbar, FLV Runner B Toolbar, I Want This and Logmein. I suspect one or more of these could be uninstalled.
I've googled how to uninstall conduit and got a few directions to different programs. I spent a few hours last night, but they all install, do a scan and then want a subscription to remove it.
Can anyone suggest a way of removing it to a relative simpleton like me please?
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Downloading this should sort it.
www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
Although you will probably want to download something called Super Anti Spyware and run a scan too.
www.superantispyware.com/
Conduit is not supposed to be that easy to remove, it is very easy but not for the average user.
The way I would remove it is to use a program called autoruns, then see you can see where everything is loading such as toolbars, then you can delete the actual files.
From what I understand of Conduit is it is more annoying than anything else, most anti virus programs don't even flag it up. It replaces your default search engine, in the hope you use theirs and they get revenue from advertising. I have seen worse variants of it though it just depends what other crap is on there.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 16 Aug 13 at 10:23
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A quick google suggests that CCleaner and Malwarebytes can remove the Conduit virus for free.
botcrawl.com/how-to-remove-conduit-search-malware/
Here's another thing to try.
philliprearick.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Remove-the-Conduit-Virus
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From experiences Malware Bytes usually misses it, and not sure how CC Cleaner can get rid of it as all it does is remove temp files and cookies etc. The problem with Conduit is it is classed as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) rather than malware or a virus. This means so many anti virus programs don't touch it as they think it was installed by the user.
Conduit usually comes bundled with software you download, maybe a video converter or something like that.
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Which browser are they using?
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After running the spyware/malware software recommended, (I would also try Spybot SD), If the problems still exist, :
First go into internet options in control panel set homepage to whichever one you use, (www.google.co.uk )If it's IE, click gear icon top right, click "internet options" - advanced tab - reset internet settings,
if it's Firefox, click firefox box, options -options and in general tab select desired home page. then help menu - troubleshootinf information - reset Firefox (rh side.).
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>> Which browser are they using?
Sorry, should've included it. Windows 7 professional.
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Well I failed to remove it. Thanks to Rats and VX for their suggestions. Perhaps if it had been on my own machine I could have spent more time and concentrated harder, but as it is, it's an SEP (Someone Else's problem).
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Within the novel Life, the Universe and Everything of Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" his character Ford Prefect describes Somebody Else's Problem as:
An SEP is something we can't see, or don't see, or our brain doesn't let us see, because we think that it's somebody else's problem.... The brain just edits it out, it's like a blind spot. If you look at it directly you won't see it unless you know precisely what it is. Your only hope is to catch it by surprise out of the corner of your eye.
The narration then explains:
The technology involved in making something properly invisible is so mind-bogglingly complex that 999,999,999 times out of a billion it's simpler just to take the thing away and do without it....... The "Somebody Else's Problem field" is much simpler, more effective, and "can be run for over a hundred years on a single torch battery."
This is because it relies on people's natural predisposition not to see anything they don't want to, weren't expecting, or can't explain.
from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somebody_Else%27s_Problem
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A System Restore to a date just before Conduit appeared (if not too long ago) should kill it. Just type point in the search box by the Start Orb and select Restore system files and settings from a restore point.
Last edited by: Victorbox on Sat 17 Aug 13 at 16:35
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>>A System Restore to a date just before Conduit appeared
They have personal information on their PC. Would that lose any info inserted after the restore date?
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>> They have personal information on their PC. Would that lose any info inserted after the
>> restore date?
No - Microsoft state: System Restore does not affect personal files, such as e-mail, documents, or photos. Also it's completely reversible. Q&A here: tinyurl.com/lrmmlrs
It would only affect the opening of say a Microsoft Word document if the actual programme for Microsoft Word was installed after the restore date that was chosen for the roll back. In which case you would just reinstall the programme. It doesn't delete any personal files.
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You may have found this by now, but if you haven't:
malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-conduit-search-virus/
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Removal of Conduit search engine - RattleandSmoke
