How to Remove NetMeterX “Virus” (SharePal)

Can’t Remove NetMeterX ads? This page includes detailed ads by NetMeterX Removal instructions!

NetMeterX “virus” is not a full-fledged virus. This parasite falls under the Adware umbrella. It is an aggressive ad-generating invader. The parasite uses trickery to sneak into your system. Once in, it wastes no time and corrupts your browser. The adware is a complete and utter menace. It follows instructions to flood your browsers with advertisements. Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, there is no immune program. The parasite takes control of them and turns them into ad-displaying slaves. This adware gets paid when you click on its content. Thus, it floods you with adverts. The adware injects various ads on every web page you load. You would notice that even websites that are otherwise ad-free are now heavy on coupons and discounts. NetMeterX knows no boundaries. This adware even dares pause your online videos for commercial breaks. If you, however, refuse to click, it adapts its strategy and starts browser redirection. The adware can load sponsored, third-party websites in new tabs and windows. And that’s not the end of the story. The adware also gets more intrusive with each passing day. Its aggressive nature, however, is not harmless. The parasite causes many issues which vary from annoying online interference to security issues. Its aggressive behavior and the lack of security is the reason why this parasite is often referred to as a “virus.” Do not let this invader roam your browsers. Take action against it. Remove the nasty NetMeterX adware ASAP!

How did I get infected with?

The NetMeterX adware is not an advanced virus. It cannot hack your system. To get on board, it needs your approval. No permission, no installation. As you can imagine, though, there is a catch. The parasite knows how to sneak in behind your back. It tricks its victims into installing it unintentionally. The parasite lurks in the shadows and waits for you to make a mistake. It hides in bundles, torrents, and fake updates. All it needs to succeed is one moment of carelessness. Do not make its job easier. No anti-virus program can protect you if you give into naivety. Choose caution over carelessness. One keeps the parasites away, the other – invites them in. Download software from reliable sources only. Read the terms and conditions before you agree to them. And, of course, don’t skip installation steps. When available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Most of the programs we download off the web come bundled with bonus apps. The extras, however, are often parasites like the NetMeterX adware. You can prevent the extras from installing only under the advanced setup.

Why is this dangerous?

The NetMeterX adware is like a pain in the neck: the more you tolerate it, the worse it becomes. This invader gets more and more aggressive with the time passing. This, however, is not the worst issue. The problem is that the more time the adware has, the more likely it is to redirect you to dangerous websites. The nasty parasite gets paid to promote, not to guarantee your security. This parasite is created to serve its advertisers’ needs. It collects data on its victims and sends it to the advertisers. NetMeterX spies on you from the moment it invades. When it deems it has enough data, it sends it to a remote server. Anyone willing to pay can access it there. Hundreds of crooks are more than willing to open their wallets. They use the collected information to create irresistible adverts. They would then use the adware to push these ads on you. The crooks show you what you want to see, but when you click, bad things happen. The nasty adware opens your browser to numerous online threats. The parasite may redirect you to scan, phony, and corrupted pages. Do not test your luck. Do what’s best for you and your system’s well-being, remove the adware. The sooner NetMeterX is gone, the better!

How to Remove NetMeterX virus

The NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate NetMeterX startup location

STEP 3: Delete NetMeterX traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX

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 NetMeterX, 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 NetMeterX 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 NetMeterX Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

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.