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Startjoytabsearch.com may contain the word ‘joy’ in its name, but don’t get deceived. The website brings you no joy. It’s a menace, which brings nothing but negatives. The page’s popping up indicates the presence of a nasty cyber infection. It’s part of the browser hijacker family, and it’s a plague. The hijacker uses the site as a front. It lurks behind it, and wreaks havoc. The more you allow it to stay on your PC, the more havoc it wreaks. That’s why experts advise towards the immediate removal of the threat. Otherwise, brace yourself. You’re in for a terrible time. The hijacker, lurking on your computer, is quite intrusive. It meddles to the point when your browsing experience becomes hellish. The tool throws pop-up ads your way incessantly. It redirects you to Startjoytabsearch.com. It also forces the site on you every opportunity it gets. So, get used to seeing it. But hijackers are more than a mere nuisance. They’re a threat to both you and your PC. The infection jeopardizes your personal and financial information. It threatens to steal and expose it to strangers. So, even if you have nerves of steel and endure all else, how about that? Are you okay with having your private details stolen and handed to unknown individuals? Why not protect yourself? Why not avoid all the risks that go with a hijacker? As soon as you see the Startjoytabsearch.com site show up, act! Find and delete the hijacker, it’s hiding. And, remember. The sooner you do, the better. Don’t waste time. The infection certainly won’t.
How did I get infected with?
Startjoytabsearch.com takes over your screen after a hijacker slithers into your PC. Once that infection invades your system, it forces the page on you. All the time. But how do you imagine it slithered in? Hijackers have to ask for permission before they enter. They cannot install themselves without your consent. So, if you’re stuck with one, it’s because you allowed it. But don’t be too hard on yourself. They don’t just come forward to seek access. That leaves too much room for denial. Instead, they turn to trickery. Hijackers use the old but gold methods of deception to dupe you into installing them. You get duped. That is, if you’re not vigilant and thorough. Here’s the thing. If you do your due diligence, you increase your chances of keeping an infection-free PC. But if you give into carelessness, those chances diminish. Always do your due diligence when installing a tool or an update. Always take your time to read the terms and conditions. That way, you won’t risk installing an infection on accident. Hijackers, like the one behind Startjoytabsearch.com, prey on your carelessness. They need it. So, don’t grant it. Don’t make it easy for cyber threats to invade your system.
Why is this dangerous?
After the hijacker tricks you into permitting it in, it goes to work. The invasive tool does what it does best. It meddles. It begins by intruding on your browsing. All of a sudden, you find your preferred search engine and homepage replaced. That’s because the tool switched them to Startjoytabsearch.com. It did so without asking for permission, or informing you. Why? Well, because it can. Hijacker can perform changes throughout your system. And, if for even a second you think that’s not so bad, think again! What if the program chooses to install more harmful programs? It can! The hijacker can flood your PC with malware. What if one day your system can’t take it anymore? What if it gets so flooded with infections that it just gives up? Are you ready to face The Blue Screen of Death for a hijacker? Granted, that’s a rather minuscule possibility. But ‘minuscule’ is not the same as ‘non-existent.’ So, as minor and insignificant as the chance may be, are you okay to take it? And, for a hijacker? Understand this. You have nothing to gain from a browser hijacker. Nothing but grievances and unpleasantness. Why put yourself through that? Why put your PC through that? Protect your privacy, system, and nerves. Take the page’s display as a sign you must act. Find and delete the infection, forcing it on you, as soon as you see it appear. Startjoytabsearch.com is a warning. Don’t ignore it.
How to Remove Startjoytabsearch.com virus
The Startjoytabsearch.com infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.
If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Startjoytabsearch.com infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.
Please, keep in mind that SpyHunter’s scanner tool is free. To remove the Startjoytabsearch.com infection, you need to purchase its full version.
STEP 1: Track down Startjoytabsearch.com in the computer memory
STEP 2: Locate Startjoytabsearch.com startup location
STEP 3: Delete Startjoytabsearch.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer
STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus
STEP 1: Track down Startjoytabsearch.com in the computer memory
- Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
- Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.
- Write down the file location for later reference.
Step 2: Locate Startjoytabsearch.com startup location
Reveal Hidden Files
- Open any folder
- Click on “Organize” button
- Choose “Folder and Search Options”
- Select the “View” tab
- Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
- Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
- Click “Apply” and “OK” button
Clean Startjoytabsearch.com virus from the windows registry
- Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.
- A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”
- WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.
Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
- and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]
- Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.
Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection
Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host
If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:
STEP 3 : Clean Startjoytabsearch.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer
-
Open Google Chrome
- In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
- Remove the Startjoytabsearch.com by clicking on the little recycle bin
- Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind
-
Open Mozilla Firefox
- Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
- Disable the unwanted Extension
- Go to Help
- Then Troubleshoot information
- Click on Reset Firefox
-
Open Internet Explorer
- On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
- Click on Internet options
- go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
- Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset
- Restart Internet Explorer
Step 4: Undo the damage done by Startjoytabsearch.com
This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.
Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Startjoytabsearch.com, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.
To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.
- Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
- go to Network and Internet
- then Network and Sharing Center
- then Change Adapter Settings
- Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!
You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to
- Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.
- in the target field remove Startjoytabsearch.com argument and then apply the changes.
- Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
- Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.
How to Permanently Remove Startjoytabsearch.com Virus (automatic) Removal Guide
Please, have in mind that SpyHunter offers a free 7-day Trial version with full functionality. Credit card is required, no charge upfront.
Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your system and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.