Welcome to Gaia! ::


So my sis recently downloaded Audacity and now we have Vosteran on our computer. (Not 100% sure Audacity was where it was bundled but it's the most likely culprit.)

Currently, the program/virus has changed the home page to Vosteran and made Vosteran the default search engine, and may also be causing extra ads to pop up on different websites.

We have tried:

1. Uninstalling it from the "Uninstall or Change a Program." It is now missing from that panel but it is still the home page and default search engine on Chrome.

2. Locating the program folder in the program files on the C drive. Unable to locate.

3. Searching the keyword "Vosteran" in Windows search on My Computer and deleting any files with that name. Found and deleted one file, but Vosteran is still the home page and default search engine on Chrome.

4. Going into Chrome's settings and deleting it as an extension or as a search engine. Was not listed as an extension and it is still listed as a search engine even after deleting.

5. Searching "How to get rid of Vosteran" on google. Several tutorials were listed but they all include downloading additional software to get rid of Vosteran, which I have no idea if I can actually trust.
Some of these include:
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-vosteran-search/
http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2014/11/remove-vosterancom-search-virus.html

Does anyone know how to get rid of Vosteran? Are any of these tutorials and software services trustworthy? I don't want to get rid of one pest by just installing another one.

Browser is Google Chrome and OS is Windows 7.

Thank you for your help!
Just to clarify, did you try resetting Google Chromes settings?
By;
>Clicking on Chromes main menu button (3 horizontal lines) & clicking settings
>Click show advanced settings
>Scroll down to reset browser settings
>Accepting the confirmation

If you have tried this to no avail, you should definitely seek professional help as I had a quick look at sites offering help, many of which want you to download programs to assist with the removal (as you have stated) and they can't really be trusted.

Another option is going to http://www.pctechbytes.com/forums/ and posting in their forums.
Foolinqs
Just to clarify, did you try resetting Google Chromes settings?
By;
>Clicking on Chromes main menu button (3 horizontal lines) & clicking settings
>Click show advanced settings
>Scroll down to reset browser settings
>Accepting the confirmation


If you have tried this to no avail, you should definitely seek professional help as I had a quick look at sites offering help, many of which want you to download programs to assist with the removal (as you have stated) and they can't really be trusted.

Another option is going to http://www.pctechbytes.com/forums/ and posting in their forums.


After you did the bolded instructions this person gave you, I'll have you do something if it persists being your home page, which isn't a very well known solution that PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs, ie. Vosteran) love taking advantage of:

1.) Right click your Google Chrome shortcut
2.) Click Properties
3.) Go to the Shortcut tab
4.) Look at what's in the "Target" and remove the link that redirects Chrome to the Vosteran website. It should be after the 'C razz rogram Files (x86)GoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe"' or something.

What you did there was removing the launch link that forces your browser to go in a certain website. That "Target" thing is stronger than the "home page" settings you have in Chrome.

After that, install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware and "Full scan" your computer with it, see if the PUP is still there.

Let me know.

Divine Sage

If all else fails, download and run combofix. Despite the warnings for this, the chance of it screwing up your OS is miniscule unless your infection is just that serious, which yours is not.

Quick Reply

Submit
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum