How to remove unwanted browser toolbars
Written on 04/12/12 at 17:18:16 EST by Admin
InternetAdware Toolbars
Adware toolbars are a type of browser toolbar that monitor the search queries and surfing habits of their users. The details of that activity is then transmitted to home servers so that targeted or contextual ads can be transmitted back to the users' PCs, where they are displayed in the form of pop-up ads and/or toolbar links. Most adware toolbars secretly install without the user's permission or knowledge. They can resist the user's attempts to remove them and may use hidden reinstaller programs to reinstall the adware after it has been supposedly removed. Most anti-virus software won't detect adware toolbars because they aren't classed as viruses and firewalls can't block them because toolbars are integrated with the browser software.

There are more than one hundred different adware toolbars than can infect your PC. Some examples include the Mirar Toolbar, Tango Toolbar, ShopatHomeSelect, Baidu Toolbar, SeekitAll, ABXToolbar, Accoona, BrowserToolbar, BrowserVillage, EZToolbar, IEToolbar, Leopard Search, Optnet Rogue Security Toolbar and Search Toolbar.

Security Toolbar 7.1, an example of a rogue toolbar you definetely don't want
Security Toolbar 7.1 is a rogue toolbar that claims to protect your computer from security threats such as spyware and viruses. However, onced installed it becomes a major problem for the user and almost impossible to get rid of. It attempts to pursuade users into purchasing rogue antispyware programs by using pop-up windows and fake computer scans that falsely claim the computer is infected with viruses and spyware. Once the rogue antispyware is purchased and installed it will display more pop-ups claiming the computer is still at risk.

Disable Toolbar

The normal procedure to disable a toolbar:

   Click the browser 'View' menu
   Select 'Toolbars'
   Uncheck the toolbar name

This will hide it from view, however be aware that some adware programs remain actively monitoring your internet activity even though their toolbar is disabled.    
Uninstall Toolbar

Reputable toolbars should be easy to uninstall just like any other reputable program.

Removing a toolbar might be achievable by running its uninstaller, which you might find packaged with it or downloadable from its website.

Removing popular reputable toolbars using their supplied uninstallers, accessable from the toolbars themselves:

   Ask Toolbar has an 'Uninstall' option accessed from the 'Option' button on the toolbar itself.
   Google Toolbar - click the 'Settings' or 'Google' logo on the toolbar, then click 'Help' and then 'Uninstall'.
   Yahoo! Toolbar can usually be uninstalled via the 'Pencil' button on the toolbar.

Otherwise try using the Windows Add/Remove Programs utility as follows:

Windows XP:

   Close all web browser windows
   Click the 'Start' menu,
   Click the 'Control Panel'
   Double Click the 'Add/Remove Programs' option
   Locate the name of the toolbar in the list and follow the prompts to remove it.


Windows Vista:

   Close all web browser windows
   Click the 'Start' menu,
   Click the 'Control Panel'
   Under 'Programs' click 'Uninstall a program'
   Locate the name of the toolbar in the list
   Click 'Uninstall and 'Continue'.


Windows 7:

   Close all web browser windows
   Click the 'Start' menu,
   Click the 'Control Panel'
   Under 'Programs' click 'Uninstall a Program'
   Locate the name of the toolbar
   Click 'Remove'.

   

To uninstall Firefox toolbars (eg Yahoo! Toolbar, AOL, Google Toolbar for Firefox):

   Click the 'Tools' menu in Firefox
   Click 'Extensions', or 'Add-ons' in Firefox 2
   Select the unwanted toolbar
   Click 'Uninstall' and follow the prompts to remove it
   Restart the browser

You may also need to reset your browser's homepage and default search preferences. These can accessed by clicking 'Tools>Internet Options' in your browser.

Comments on this article:
 
 It seems simple
Written on 10/17/12 at 06:13:06 EST by rickstr
It seems simple, until not make up your mind a little clean browser. You can even live with that until the appearance begins to resemble a free sites with lots of ads. All flashes and shimmers. So to be able to clean out all the "useful toolbars" - it's very useful

classifieds
craigslist search
http://claz.org

News and Comments Brought to you by: Geeks and Bloggers
The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for its content.