URGENT - Need help with malicious software...

[gamestreamlive]

So I suddenly, somehow, uh... well, I got this seemingly malicious software called "Searchokay" on my computer that redirects webpages from Google to Bing (NOW YAHOO TOO ARGH) automatically (checked Chrome settings, ran MalwareBytes, reset Chrome, Google is still my default search engine), and now I can't get rid of it. I googled it and it is some sort of browser hijacker. Please advise on how to remove this.

 

The software is active on Edge as well. (Haven't tested Firefox but I believe it's the same)

 

Computer is an old Acer Swift 1 SF113-31 running Windows 10 Home.

[Needfuldoer]

Run a full system scan with MalwareBytes and let us know what it finds.

[gamestreamlive]

2 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Run a full system scan with MalwareBytes and let us know what it finds.

Already did. It found 2 malicious files - quarantined them, but the browser redirect continues. Now it has evolved into its second form and started redirecting to Yahoo.

[RONOTHAN##]

At this point is just go for the brute force way and do a complete reinstall of Windows. 

[gamestreamlive]

1 minute ago, RONOTHAN## said:

At this point is just go for the brute force way and do a complete reinstall of Windows. 

You mean performing a full factory reset? Oof... eh, what can you do anyway. I thought about backing up my files but that would do nothing as the software would be carried over to the reinstall

[Hinjima]

9 minutes ago, gamestreamlive said:

So I suddenly, somehow, uh... well, I got this seemingly malicious software called "Searchokay" on my computer that redirects webpages from Google to Bing (NOW YAHOO TOO ARGH) automatically (checked Chrome settings, ran MalwareBytes, reset Chrome, Google is still my default search engine), and now I can't get rid of it. I googled it and it is some sort of browser hijacker. Please advise on how to remove this.

 

Computer is an old Acer Swift 1 SF113-31 running Windows 10 Home.

as mentioned.  At this point it would be best to just do a full windows reinstall.   I would also unplug the PC from the internet if you can.

[gamestreamlive]

1 minute ago, Hinjima said:

as mentioned.  At this point it would be best to just do a full windows reinstall.   I would also unplug the PC from the internet if you can.

Yeah, it seems that's the only option at this point. Should I remove internet connections before I perform the reset, or do it now?

[RONOTHAN##]

2 minutes ago, gamestreamlive said:

You mean performing a full factory reset? Oof... eh, what can you do anyway. I thought about backing up my files but that would do nothing as the software would be carried over to the reinstall

Yeah, kinda like a factory reset, though you don't want to go through the built in method, things can persist through there and it isn't reliable to work in my experience anyway. You want to on a separate machine get a USB, go through the Windows Media Creation tool to make a Windows install drive, format the HDD, and call it a day. 

 

If you really want to save something on there, use RUFUS to make a bootable live Linux environment (Ubuntu is usually the go to, though most will work), copy the files you want to save over to an external HDD of some sort, then reinstall, though it's possible those files could be infected somehow and I'd try to consider them as lost unless you absolutely need them. 

 

3 minutes ago, gamestreamlive said:

Yeah, it seems that's the only option at this point. Should I remove internet connections before I perform the reset, or do it now?

As soon as possible, and don't reconnect until a fresh Windows install is setup. 

[CommanderAlex]

Tried clearing browser cache?

[Applefreak]

1 hour ago, gamestreamlive said:

So I suddenly, somehow, uh... well, I got this seemingly malicious software called "Searchokay" on my computer that redirects webpages from Google to Bing (NOW YAHOO TOO ARGH) automatically (checked Chrome settings, ran MalwareBytes, reset Chrome, Google is still my default search engine), and now I can't get rid of it. I googled it and it is some sort of browser hijacker. Please advise on how to remove this.

 

The software is active on Edge as well. (Haven't tested Firefox but I believe it's the same)

 

Computer is an old Acer Swift 1 SF113-31 running Windows 10 Home.

That stuff is old, like Windows 98 and XP. More annoying than harmful if it is the same stuff. You want to reset your browser to default settings. Problem is that it writes stuff into group policies and registry to redirect every installed browser. It is annoying malware / adware, not a virus and not an emergency, just super annoying. The first step is to remove the program you've just installed. Usually that stuff ships with free somewhat legitimate software. Also make sure to remove your browser extension (probably installed as well). Once it is gone, you can alter your default search engines again. You also want to set your default home page in your browser to whatever you prefer, maybe www.google.com or whatever you prefer. The important thing is that you alter it to change the entry.