Remove GamesSearch.co Redirect (Chrome/Firefox/Edge/IE)

Can’t Remove GamesSearch.co hijacker virus? This page includes detailed GamesSearch.co Removal instructions!

Did the GamesSearch.co domain appear out of the blue? Every time you click on a link, the questionable URL appears in your address bar and then you get redirected to some questionable website? Do you feel like drowning in a sea of online advertisements? Well, you have a reason to worry. Unfortunately, it is true. Your computer is no longer infection-free. You have the GamesSearch.co hijacker on board. Don’t panic! This parasite is not a full-fledged virus, but a malicious application. It has slipped into your computer unnoticed and is now wreaking havoc on your device. The hijacker is an ad-generating parasite. It injects various advertisements on every website you open. It can also redirect your web traffic to sponsored pages. The parasite is extremely intrusive and headache inducing. It can ruin your browsing experience in seconds. Unfortunately, it may cause serious harm too. The hijacker monitors your browsing-related data. It knows your every online step. When the pest has a sufficient amount of information, it reveals it. This parasite jeopardizes your privacy. Do not put up with this situation. The GamesSearch.co hijacker can be deleted. We have prepared a manual removal guide below this article. If you are not confident in your computer skills, you can also use a trustworthy anti-virus app. You have options. The sooner you clean your device, the better!

How did I get infected with?

The GamesSearch.co hijacker did not hack your computer. Neither did it appear by magic. No! This parasite cannot enter your computer without an invitation. The rule is simple. Without your approval, it cannot get installed. So, why did you allow the pest on board? Because you were careless, of course! Freeware and shareware often become hosts of such parasites. When you rush through their installation, you usually end up with more programs than you expected. Software developers often attach additional apps to the payload files of their programs. To prevent the extras from installing, opt for the Advanced option in the Setup Wizard. Under it, you will be presented with the opportunity to deselect all unwanted programs. Make sure you know what you are giving your approval to. Read the Terms and Conditions/End User License Agreement (EULA). If you spot anything out of the ordinary, abort the installation immediately. The Internet is too dangerous to be careless. Your computer’s security is in your hands. Always do your due diligence!

Why is this dangerous?

The GamesSearch.co hijacker can ruin your browsing experience in seconds. This pest injects dozens and dozens of ads on every web page you open. Websites that used to be ad-free are now covered in coupons and discounts. Your online videos get paused for commercial breaks as well. On top of all this, your browser gets redirected to questionable websites. It seems that every time you as much as touch your browser, numerous pop-ups cover your screen. You can thank the hijacker for this. The bad news is, your conditions will worsen if you don’t take prompt actions against the nasty parasite. The GamesSearch.co hijacker gets more and more aggressive with each passing day. This pest will drown you in a sea of advertisement. Your browser will not be able to display the countless ads correctly. It will start to freeze and crash frequently. Your Internet Connection speed will also get affected. You will start to avoid your own device because of the hijacker. Don’t wait for this scenario to unfold. The hijacker is removable. Track this parasite down and delete it on the spot. It has no place on your computer.

How to Remove GamesSearch.co virus

The GamesSearch.co 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 GamesSearch.co 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.

STEP 1: Track down GamesSearch.co related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate GamesSearch.co startup location

STEP 3: Delete GamesSearch.co traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down GamesSearch.co 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 GamesSearch.co 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 GamesSearch.co 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 GamesSearch.co traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the GamesSearch.co 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 GamesSearch.co

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 GamesSearch.co, 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 GamesSearch.co 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 GamesSearch.co 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.