Remove Search9.askthepotato.com Redirects

Can’t Remove Search9.askthepotato.com hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Search9.askthepotato.com Removal instructions!

A hijacker lurks on your computer. Think of the Search9.askthepotato.com page as a sure sign of the invasion. If it pops up on screen, be wary. You’re in danger. Hijackers are troublesome threats. They infiltrate your system via cunning and finesse. Then, once inside, make a mess of everything. You face a plethora of problems on a daily basis. And, they only worsen with time. Yes, what begins as a mere nuisance evolves into a privacy risk. That’s why, experts advise towards prompt action! As soon as the website shows up, accept it as the warning it is. Acknowledge the presence of a hijacker on your PC. Do your best to find its exact hiding place. Then, delete it! The faster you remove it, the better. These infections are nothing but trouble. They take over your default homepage and search engine, and replace it. In your case, you’ll find Search9.askthepotato.com there, instead. Did you agree to the switch? No. Did you know about it, prior? No. Yet, it’s fact. Hijackers don’t have to seek your permission on the reshuffles, they perform. They do as they wish, and leave you to discover their touch, yourself. That’s dangerous on many levels. Think about it. What if the hijacker chooses to allow the installment of more unwanted infections? Well, it can. If it so chooses, it can fill your PC to the brim with malware. That doesn’t bode well. Don’t extend the hijacker’s stay beyond detection. The faster you get rid of it, the better. Don’t take any chances! Cut the infection’s stay as short as possible. It’s the best thing you can do.

How did I get infected with?

The tool, behind Search9.askthepotato.com, fooled you. It got you to approve its installment. All, while keeping you oblivious to it. How? Well, it’s simple. Here’s the thing. Hijackers need user’s permission to enter. Only if they receive it, can they continue with installation. No permission, no admission. To avoid rejection, they make sure to ask the right way. In other words, the sneakiest way they can. These infections prey on your carelessness. They rely on your naivety, haste, and distraction. Your carelessness eases the hijacker’s infiltration. So, don’t provide it! Choose the opposite approach. Instead of relying on luck, take the time to be thorough. Do your due diligence. Take the time to read terms and conditions. Know what you agree to. Look for the fine print, and double-check everything. Even a little extra attention goes a long way. Remember that. The hijacker’s trickery involves the usual antics. Hiding behind corrupted links or sites, freeware, spam emails. It sure has its pick of tricks to use on you. Make sure to look past the deception. Spot the infection, trying to sneak in. Catch it in the act, and deny it access. Always choose caution over carelessness. It’s the far better alternative.

Why is this dangerous?

Search9.askthepotato.com pops up at every turn. When you open a new tab, it’s there. Type in a search, and it’s among the results. Whatever you do, the hijacker finds a way to force it on you. And, not only that, but you also get flooded with ads. Banner, in-text, pop-up. And, each one is ‘Brought to you by Search9.askthepotato.com.’ But don’t think, it’s only interference that you encounter. As mentioned, you encounter a privacy risk, as well. The hijacker has instructions to spy on you. It keeps track of your browsing activities, it doesn’t only intrude on them. The tool monitors everything you do online, and records it. After it deems it has gathered enough data, it proceeds to send it. It exposes the stolen information to the cyber criminals behind it. Unknown individuals with malicious intentions. Not people, deserving of such power over you. Don’t let them get their hands on your personal and financial data. Protect it! Keep your privacy private. Not to mention, your system safe from the hijacker’s hazardous influences. As soon as you see Search9.askthepotato.com on screen, act! Find the infection’s lurking place. And, delete it. There aren’t enough ways to stress the importance of urgency. The faster it’s gone, the better.

How to Remove Search9.askthepotato.com virus

The Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.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.

STEP 1: Track down Search9.askthepotato.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Search9.askthepotato.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Search9.askthepotato.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Search9.askthepotato.com 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 Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.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 Search9.askthepotato.com 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.