Unwanted software installed by mistake

I was downloading ImgBurn from their own web site. Made a stupid mistake and they installed 2 programs. 'Yahoo powered search' which is a complete mess and some anti malware thing called ByteFence. Later I realized that there was no provision offered to opt out of these. Then it was too late. 'Yahoo powered search' did the following to my computer: configured IE and FF both, installed Chrome browser + applicable updates, installed Search Manager Chrome extension. I don't know how I can find all this crap. They must be all over the computer. This is worse than an invasion and I feel like a horses ass

Worse part is I did a system restore back 48 hours but these things are still there along with other harmless things I downloaded AFTER this restore point. I always thought that a system restore gets rid of downloaded programs after the restore point. No trace of any of these shows in 'Add or remove programs'. But I find pieces of these all over the computer. Help!!!!!!!

 

Try uninstalling them with Revo uninstaller
https://www.revouninstaller.com/download-free-portable.php

Maybe this will help restoring search,etc too
https://windowsreport.com/yahoo-powered-uninstall-windows-10/

Also scan your system with Malwarebytes and AdwCleaner to cleanup the system

Hope this helps

 

Thank you. Am I wrong to assume that Windows XP is supposed to get rid of all downloaded software since the last restore point, when system restore is done

 

I never used system restore that much so i dont know

 

system restore restores the registry, not programs, it does not delete them, that is what add/remove is for,

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/vi...oo-powered-and-us.search.yahoo.com-home-page/

read above to see how to remove yahoo powered search and below for bytefence

https://www.virusguides.com/uninstall-bytefence/

http://www.myantispyware.com/2018/04/03/how-to-remove-bytefence-anti-malware-uninstall-guide/

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you have to read each page carefully, but there is an option to opt out of installing bundled software

 

As I recall, the 'opt out' box is 'greyed out' appearing to be unable to opt out. It is/was anyway, clickable to actually opt out. This is/was a sneaky trick by yAHOO.
In this upgrade version of imgburn, the only 'upgrade' was the package of 2 addons.

I use the one previous version, ( I think 2.5.5.0) I could not find a difference between this & newer version. Also, there is floating out there a $$ version, which DONT install.

 

Yes it apears ImgBurn is now being bundled with adware OpenCandy. I haven't used ImgBurn in years (come to think of it, I haven't burned a CD/DVD in years). Unless they have added some shiny new 'must-have' feature stick with the old version. I notice the latest version, 2.5.8.0 hasn't been updated since 2013 so not exactly a 'new' version.

I did some Google-ing and found v2.5.8.0 on MajorGeeks without the bundled crapware.

This is why I am so loathe to update to latest version of ANYTHING. Unnecessary crap/bloatware gets added, feature you love get removed, etc. Practically everything you download now comes with crapware - not a week goes by that I don't get called to assist with removing garbage bundled with legit programs (toolbars, search redirectors (Conduit, the WORST!)) etc.

These programs are classified as crapware because they do not offer an easy straight-forward method or removing them (one wanted an online survey completed before offering an un-install code). Fortunately I know all these criminals tricks and can remove this garbage using my own methods.

It's a shame that ImgBurn has resorted to these tactics. It's quite possible that the original authors simply sold it to a third party who, from the lack of updates, are only in it for the money.

 

Yes, it is a jungle out there. I am having a time trying to get rid of the crap. They are hiding in places like Windows>Prefetch folder, Scheduled Tasks etc

 

You can always do a CTRL+ALT+DEL and see what is running and end task.. Then you can remove the prefetch files so they don't come back.. This is a great example of why the software out there today is mostly garbage like this, it installs things for the purpose of spying and tracking and your data end ups in the worst of all places in the world.

 

Give Malwarebytes AdwCleaner a try - it's free and specializes in removing adware crud.

More tips on removing OpenCandy here:
https://appuals.com/remove-opencandy/

 

The lateat malwarebytes doesnt support xp.Use version 6.047 or something

 

I followed all the suggestions here and things looked good. After a while I remembered that a clean install is also due for my XP. So I did just that. Thanks for all the help.

 

YES BE DAM CAREFUL INSTALLING A PROGRAM, THERE'S NO FREE LUNCH, THEY TRY TO BUG YOUR MACHINE WITH JINZK WARE, look at each screen very carefully
before agreeing to move to next.

 

you can "Right Click on your Start Button" and get a search device that will scan for the parts of a deleted program you know the names of.

when i install a new program, I go into its file and memorize its "Parts" names,
if i see them after deleting the program, i know i am bugged and delete them from the c drive, part by part.

its your life, don't let it be clubbed in to meaningless-ness by mutant fools, in psycho analysis
their is a actual personality type known as a "Automaton" they are every where
this is very real, but they are not real people.

 

There are three methods of installation w/o OpenCandy described in the last two posts linked below (dated 2015-12-01 and 2015-12-02). Are they still working?

https://www.jdhodges.com/blog/safe-version-imgburn-without-opencandy/

If you google:

Code:

ImgBurn OpenCandy

there are lots of tips available, so it seems to be just a matter of trying to figure out which of them are still working in 2019.

I have had a quick look at all this and the version available below looks relatively clean, having VirusTotal score of 2/69. The version from mirror #7 on the official ImgBurn web site has the score of 25/68.


Clean Version
File: SetupImgBurn_2.5.8.0.exe
Virus Total score: 2/69
Size: 3,101,913
SHA-1: 6a3d20796e1fcd4169d5d339af6e491dcea3367c

https://www.reddit.com/r/software/comments/75ij91/warning_for_imgburn_loaded_with_malware_red_flags/

https://www.videohelp.com/software/ImgBurn/old-versions


Official Version with OpenCandy from Mirror #7
File: SetupImgBurn_2.5.8.0.exe
Virus Total score: 25/68
Size: 3,962,362 bytes
SHA-1: 6FC013ED5944B13EFC54648699EA80F304E37AD0

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

 

works fine for me, welcome to the nightmare, you may have a bug disabling
it

 

THIS JUST IN
OPENCANDY IS THE ANTI-CHRIST
IMHO, NOT THIS WEB SITES