Should I remove Avira SearchFree Toolbar?

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Version	Distribution
1.15.18.0	100.00%

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from Ask.com

Remove Avira SearchFree Toolbar by Ask.com

The software is bundled in most version of the Free Avira AntiVirus product. After installation, the Free AV software will prompt the user through its OfferCast application to install the toolbar in order to "Browse the web and search safely". Avira SearchFree Toolbar installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. Avira SearchFree Toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Avira SearchFree Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes Avira SearchFree Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerous files, settings and useless registry entries behind which might cause some stability and performance issues. Unfortunately, Avira SearchFree Toolbar won’t be removed even you have uninstall the associated program that bundled it.

Upon install, the software will:
- Set and keep Ask.com as the default search provider.
- Set the browser homepage and new tabs page to Ask.com
- Protect the settings through a background process that will monitor for changes and if detected will reset the search and homepages back to Ask.com.

URL: sp.ask.com/toolbar

Help link: about.ask.com/en/docs/about/index.shtml

Installation folder: C:\Program Files\ask.com\assets\oobe

Uninstaller: MsiExec.exe /X{86D4B82A-ABED-442A-BE86-96357B70F4FE}

Estimated size: 3.8 MB

• updater.exe connects to 63.116.243.51 (port 80).

updater.exe
Memory:	3.74 MB	21.09 MB average
Total CPU:	0.0882168889%	0.031193% average
Kernel CPU:	0.04567402%	0.016088% average
User CPU:	0.04254287%	0.015104% average
Switches/sec:	6	70 average

1. On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:
• Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
• Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
2. When you find the program Avira SearchFree Toolbar, click it, and then do one of the following:
• Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
• Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).
3. Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove Avira SearchFree Toolbar.
4. If for some reason uninstallation fails, please install Microsoft's uninstall fixer utility which will help fix problems with programs that can't be uninstalled at support.microsoft.com.

1. Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools button, and then click Internet options.
2. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset. Select the Delete personal settings check box if you would also like to remove search providers, Accelerators and home pages. When Internet Explorer finishes applying default settings, click Close, and then click OK.
3. The changes will take effect the next time you open IE.

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu and select Troubleshooting Information.
2. To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. It will close and be reset.
3. When it's done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish and Firefox will open.

1. Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
2. Select Settings. In the "Search" section, click Manage search engine. Check if (Default) is displayed next to your preferred search engine. If not, mouse over it and click Make default. Mouse over any other suspicious search engine entries that are not familiar and click X to remove them.
3. When the "Show Home button" checkbox is selected, a web address appears below it. If you want the Homepage button to open up a different webpage, click Change to enter a link.
4. Restart Google Chrome.

HOW IT STARTS Automatically starts? Yes (Found in the run registry)

USER ACTIONS Uninstall it 81% Keep it 19%

MOST USED OS ~99% Windows 7 (SP1)

United States	71.43%
Germany	14.29%
DZ	14.29%

What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?

Ask focuses on search traffic through various methods, the number being installation of its toolbars through a lot of bundle and rebrand programs.

Publisher URL: www.ask.com

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