Malware Removal Instructions

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Remove PC Fix Speed and 24x7 Help (Uninstall Guide)

Posted on 09:31 by Unknown
PC Fix Speed is a system optimizer, mainly Windows registry fixer/cleaner. The only reason I'm writing about it is because I recently got lots of questions from my readers asking if PC Fix Speed is a virus or not? The short answer is: No. But is it truly legit and useful? Security experts and technology experts in general have differing opinions on the value of registry cleaners and system optimization applications. Honestly, I'm not a fan of registry cleaners. The only one I use is CCleaner because it's free and does the job pretty well. Of course, there are other great applications to choose from, for instance Registry Mechanic by PC Tools and PC TuneUp by AVG. Both are well known companies in computer and internet security market. I would call these white hats because they do not report false positives and normally give you fairly honest and technically correct scan results. There are, however, grey or blacks hats, just like rogue applications. Such registry cleaners basically claim that your computer could run a lot faster if you removed hundreds or sometimes even thousands of supposedly identified registry and system errors, unwanted files, etc. For the truth to be told, such applications display highly exaggerated scan results identifying insignificant problems or errors as quite important or even critical ones.



It's not very uncommon for Windows registry to pick up lots of unnecessary registry entries that are created when you install or remove software. They may indeed slow down your computer, this is way using a legit registry cleaner from time to time is obviously not a bad idea at all. In fact, I recommend you to use a registry cleaner every once in a while.

To see how PC Fix Speed actually works, I installed it on my test machine. A clean install of Windows XP, fully updated and without any noticeable errors. I ran a quick scan with this PC optimization software and after a few minutes I saw the results: 65 issues were found on my computer. Not bad, from what I've read about this software on the internet I was expecting a lo more issues and errors. Since these were only minor issues I decided to continue with errors.

After a few minutes I got a pop-up notification claiming that PC Fix Speed has found 54 registry errors. Not sure what happened with 11 previously reported errors they just vanished. I guess that's a good thing :) Needles to say, such misunderstanding do not add value and trust for PC Fix Speed.



Oh and by the way, I forgot to mention that the registry cleaner came with this rather interesting application called 24x7 Help. Its icon (a woman with a headphone) appears at the top of any open window, for example Google Chrome:



Apparently, it's some sort of tech support available by phone. Some people reported that the application says "Microsoft trained technicians are standing by ready to help you solve all your PC issues and more" which was quickly identified as a scam by Microsoft engineers. The current 24x7 Help application doesn't provide such information, so it's remain unclear whether or not they are really Microsoft trained technicians. I have to admit it's unusual and for me quite annoying. Besides, it suprising how such a small app's functionally rely on three actively running processes:
  • App24x7Help.exe
  • App24x7Hook.exe
  • App24x7Svc.exe
Clearly unnecessary stuff. It's up to you if you want to keep it or not. I would remove it.

Last, but not least, both applications PC Fix Speed (virus) and 24x7 Help are promoted via freeware and kinda misleading ads. Probably this is the reason why some people say they didn't install neither of these intentionally or knowingly. Here's one of many ads that are used to promote this registry cleaner:



It pretends to scan my computer. This immediately reminded me all those fake online malware scanners used by scammers to promote rogue antivirus software. Finally, some people just couldn't remove this software from their computers. Maybe there were some technical problems or something, but they simply couldn't. So, to remove PC Fix Speed and 24x7 Help from your computer, please follow the removal instructions below.

Have you had experience with PC Fix Speed on your computer? Post your comments and questions below.

Written by Michael Kaur, http://deletemalware.blogspot.com



PC Fix Speed and 24x7 Help removal instructions:

1. First of all, download recommended anti-malware software and run a full system scan. It will detect and remove this infection from your computer. You may then follow the manual removal instructions below to remove the leftover traces of this browser hijacker. Hopefully you won't have to do that.





2. Remove PC Fix Speed and 24x7 Help from your computer using the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or Uninstall a program control panel (Windows 7 and Windows 8).

Go to the Start Menu. Select Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs.
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, select Control Panel → Uninstall a Program.



If you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for "control panel".



Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control panel from there.



3. When the Add/Remove Programs or the Uninstall a Program screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and remove PC Fix Speed (current version 1.2.0.24) and 24x7 Help.



Simply select each application and click Remove. If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, click Uninstall up near the top of that window. When you're done, please close the Control Panel screen.

If you can't remove it through Control Panel, then you will have to remove both applications manually.

  • C:\Program files\PC Fix Speed\
  • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start menu\Programs\PC Fix Speed\
  • C:\Program files\24x7Help\

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Posted in Security Advisories | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Remove ShopperReports (Uninstall Guide)
    ShopperReports is defined as adware or a potentially unwanted program that displays marketing related results in a side pane of the browser...
  • Trojan.MBRlock, Внимание! Ваш компьютер заблокирован
    Trojan.MBRlock is a very disturbing piece of malicious code which infects the master boot record (MBR) and prevents Windows from starting. ...
  • Remove RiskTool.Win32.BitCoinMiner (Uninstall Guide)
    RiskTool.Win32.BitCoinMiner is a risk tool or potentially unwanted application that may use your computer's resources to generate bitco...
  • What is wrtc.exe and how to remove it?
    wrtc.exe - by Perion Network Ltd. What is wrtc.exe? wrtc.exe is a part of IncrediMail software, digitally signed by Perion Network Ltd. This...
  • Remove Rattlingsearchsystem.com (Uninstall Guide)
    Rattlingsearchsystem.com is a ZeroAccess/Sirefef rootkit-related browser hijacker that redirects users to shady websites while searching on...
  • False Positive: Ikarus and Comodo detecting TDSSKiller as a Trojan horse
    This awkward moment when you realize that your favorite rootkit removal utility is detected as malware. I probably wouldn't even have no...
  • Remove TR/ATRAPS.Gen2, removal instructions
    Cyber crooks and third parties that buy stolen data are increasingly using more and more sophisticated techniques, in a variety of different...
  • Remove Ask Search and Ask Toolbar (Uninstall Guide)
    Ask Search and Ask Toolbar are very often incorrectly classified as virus/spyware that may cause search redirects. The majority of us pref...
  • Remove Windows Attention Utility (Uninstall Guide)
    Windows Attention Utility is a rogue security application that generates misleading warnings about nonexistent viruses and attempts to lure...
  • Remove "System Check" (Uninstall Guide)
    System Check is malicious software posing as Windows system utility. Although, it may look like a real thing, it isn't! You are actuall...

Categories

  • Adware
  • Answers
  • Antivirus software
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Cloud Computing
  • Fake Alerts
  • Giveaways
  • Hoax
  • How-To
  • IaaS
  • Internet
  • Malicious websites
  • Malware
  • PaaS
  • Parental Controls
  • Passwords
  • Phishing
  • Process Information
  • Ransomware
  • Rogue programs
  • Rootkits
  • SaaS
  • Security Advisories
  • Spam
  • Spyware
  • Trojans
  • Viruses
  • Web Browsers
  • Worms

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2013 (173)
    • ►  December (6)
    • ►  November (13)
    • ►  October (11)
    • ►  September (20)
    • ►  August (4)
    • ►  July (17)
    • ►  June (31)
    • ►  May (25)
    • ►  April (15)
    • ▼  March (17)
      • False Positive: Ikarus and Comodo detecting TDSSKi...
      • Remove Price Peep (Uninstall Guide)
      • Remove Solid Savings (Uninstall Guide)
      • Identity Theft Protection – How to Stop Your Life ...
      • Remove PC Fix Speed and 24x7 Help (Uninstall Guide)
      • This website has been blocked for you! removal ins...
      • Remove Why do I see this page? virus - Attention R...
      • AVASoft Professional Antivirus Firewall Alert remo...
      • Remove Ukash virus
      • Remove Department of Justice virus
      • How to Remove AVASoft Professional Antivirus – AV...
      • Remove System message - Error Seek popup and relat...
      • Remove Chitka pop up ads, removal instructions
      • Remove Win 7 Security Cleaner Pro, removal instruc...
      • How to Remove 22find
      • How to Remove Disk Antivirus Professional (Uninsta...
      • Know the Enemy – Identifying & Removing the FBI Virus
    • ►  February (7)
    • ►  January (7)
  • ►  2012 (86)
    • ►  November (2)
    • ►  October (4)
    • ►  September (6)
    • ►  August (6)
    • ►  July (11)
    • ►  June (1)
    • ►  May (5)
    • ►  April (7)
    • ►  March (7)
    • ►  February (17)
    • ►  January (20)
  • ►  2011 (239)
    • ►  December (8)
    • ►  November (18)
    • ►  October (21)
    • ►  September (24)
    • ►  August (28)
    • ►  July (32)
    • ►  June (16)
    • ►  May (23)
    • ►  April (15)
    • ►  March (16)
    • ►  February (9)
    • ►  January (29)
  • ►  2010 (2)
    • ►  December (2)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

Unknown
View my complete profile