Remove Pro-search.me Redirects

Can’t Remove Pro-search.me hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Pro-search.me Removal instructions!

Pro-search.me is yet another browser hijacker. Do not panic! We have seen numerous similar infections. We can help you remove this parasite completely. Let’s take a moment to explain what a browser hijacker is. This pest is not a virus, but a malicious program that is installed on your system. It uses aggressive marketing strategies to generate revenue. One of these strategies is a constant browser redirection. Hence, the parasite is also known as a browser a redirect virus. The Pro-search.me hijacker is a typical member of its family. It uses all well-known strategies. It bombards its victims with pop-up ads, injects ad banners and in-text adverts on all opened websites. This menace will drown you in a sea of advertisements. The longer it remains active on your PC, the more aggressive the ads will become. This, of course, will slow your computer down to a crawl. The Pro-search.me hijacker has never been meant as a light program. This application consumes an enormous amount of computer resources. It will cause your browser to freeze and crash frequently. Some older machines may also experience unexpected crashes. This, of course, leads to data loss and frustration. Don’t put up with this parasite. Follow our guide or download a trustworthy anti-virus application and remove this infection for good.

How did I get infected with?

The Pro-search.me hijacker did not appear by magic. You allowed this app on board. Yes, you did it. However, you may not remember installing it. The reason for this is quite simple. You were cleverly deceived. The hijacker tricked you. It has arrived hidden in a bundle. When installing a program, which setup method do you prefer: the standard or the advanced option. If your answer is the standard one, change your habits now. You are exposing your computer to numerous threats. The standard installation is presented as a fast process suitable for everyone. Yet, it is fast only because it is completely automatic. Once you execute it, it will install every single program that has arrived in the bundle. If you select the advanced/custom installation, however, you will be presented with a list of all apps that are about to be installed. You can deselect them and still install the program you originally planned to install. Be always vigilant. Don’t rush through the installation process. Take your time to understand what you are agreeing to. Read the terms and conditions/EULA. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, abort the installation immediately. Other malware distribution methods include spam emails, torrents, and fake software updates. A little extra caution can prevent these techniques from succeeding.

Why is this dangerous?

The Pro-search.me hijacker is a menace that must be removed upon discovery. It is exposing you to numerous invisible threats. Every ad it displays may lead you to an infected website. The hijacker has no verifying mechanism. It cannot distinguish between a shady website and a legitimate one. Anyone willing to spend some money can use the hijacker to promote. Dodgy websites pay hefty sums for their adverts to be displayed. Therefore, don’t trust a word you read while the Pro-search.me parasite remains on your computer. Many users believe that they can avoid the adverts. This is impossible. Not all commercials displayed by the hijacker are marked as such. This tool injects fake entries among the search results you are provided with. It doesn’t matter which search engine you use, the Pro-search.me utility can corrupt the results. This app is installed on your system. It can control what is displayed on your screen. Furthermore, it will also redirect you to the promoted websites without your interaction. The hijacker will redirect you constantly. Every time you try to follow a link, new tabs will be open in your web browser. At the most unexpected times, the hijacker will open pop-up windows right under the cursor of your mouse. You must put an end to this madness. Clean your computer now!

How to Remove Pro-search.me virus

The Pro-search.me 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 Pro-search.me 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.

WARNING! Stopping the wrong file or deleting the wrong registry key may damage your system irreversibly.
If you are feeling not technical enough just use Spyhunter Professional Malware Removal Tool to deal with the problem!
>>Download SpyHunter – a Professional Remover.

Please, keep in mind that SpyHunter’s scanner tool is free. To remove the Pro-search.me infection, you need to purchase its full version.

STEP 1: Track down Pro-search.me related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Pro-search.me startup location

STEP 3: Delete Pro-search.me traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Pro-search.me related processes 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 Pro-search.me 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 Pro-search.me 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 Pro-search.me traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Pro-search.me 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 Pro-search.me

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 Pro-search.me, 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 Pro-search.me 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 Pro-search.me Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network 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.