84,488,480 programs installed

Should I remove AVG Search App powered by Ask?

What percent of users and experts removed it?
62% remove it38% keep it
Overall Sentiment
Bad
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #35,174
Reach 0.0033%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 5.60 days
165.10 days >
Average installed length: 86.75 days

Versions

VersionDistribution
12.45.1.1342 3.03%
12.45.1.1250 3.03%
12.40.6.866 3.03%
12.40.3.4062 1.52%
12.38.0.3436 1.52%
12.38.0.3325 3.03%
12.37.0.2920 6.06%
12.35.0.2634 1.52%
12.35.0.2474 6.06%
12.34.1.2237 3.03%
12.29.0.1668 6.06%
12.29.0.1537 7.58%
12.28.1.1334 7.58%
12.27.0.937 3.03%
12.27.0.936 16.67%
12.24.1.283 7.58%
12.21.0.3831 3.03%
12.21.0.3815 9.09%
12.19.0.3590 7.58%

AVG Search App powered by Ask

Overview

AVG Search App powered by Ask is a software program developed by APN. The most common release is 12.27.0.936, with over 98% of all installations currently using this version. During setup, the program creates a startup registration point in Windows in order to automatically start when any user boots the PC. The software is designed to connect to the Internet and adds a Windows Firewall exception in order to do so without being interfered with. In the Google Chrome browser, it will add an extension. Many users end up uninstalling this after less than a month of it being installed. The setup package generally installs about 12 files and is usually about 540 KB (552,960 bytes). Relative to the overall usage of users who have this installed on their PCs, most are running Windows 7 (SP1) and Windows 10. While about 31% of users of AVG Search App powered by Ask come from Germany, it is also popular in the United States and Australia.
  • Malware detected in the program
  • Automatically starts with Windows
  • The wisdom of the experts agree, if you don't use it you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in AVG Search App powered by Ask.
tbnotifier.exe (f332813cc013d6af5c5a0c32a3aed725) has been flagged by the following 4 scanners:
Anti-Virus softwareVersionDetection
Baidu-International 4.0.3.15817 Adware.Win32.Asktoolbar.45
ESET-NOD32 9.12098 a variant of Win32/Bundled.Toolbar.Ask.M potentially unsafe
K7 AntiVirus 13.2016900 Unwanted-Program
K7GW 13.2016900 Unwanted-Program ( 004c42951 )

Program detailsProgram details

Help link: apnstatic.ask.com/static/toolbar/everest/documents/faq/index.html
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\updater\idc
Uninstaller: MsiExec.exe /X{41564753-502D-4C53-00A7-A758B70C1500}
(The Windows Installer is used for the installation, maintenance, and removal.)
Estimated size: 540 KB

Program filesFiles installed by AVG Search App powered by Ask

  • tbnotifier.exe - Ask TBNotifier (Ask Toolbar Notifier)
  • aaaafcoidllgdaafcdgcdmfcilndeifk.crx
  • apnnativemsghost.exe - APN Native Messaging Host
  • com.apn.native_messaging_host_aaaafcoidllgdaafcdgcdmfcilndeifk.json
  • tbnhlpr_x64.exe - APN Toolbar Notifier Helper

Program behaviorsBehaviors exhibited

Scheduled Task (Boot/Login)
  • tbnotifier.exe is automatically launched at startup through a scheduled task named ApnTBMon.
Startup File (All Users Run)
  • tbnotifier.exe is loaded in the all users (HKLM) registry as a startup file name 'ApnTBMon' which loads as "C:\Program Files\AskPartnerNetwork\Toolbar\Updater\TBNotifier.exe".
Windows Firewall Allowed Program
  • tbnotifier.exe is added as a firewall exception for 'C:\Program Files\AskPartnerNetwork\Toolbar\Updater\TBNotifier.exe'.

How do I remove AVG Search App powered by Ask?

You can uninstall AVG Search App powered by Ask from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
  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 AVG Search App powered by Ask, 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 AVG Search App powered by Ask.
  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.

How do I reset my web browser?

If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by AVG Search App powered by Ask you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome

OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 48%
Win XP 2%
 
HOW IT STARTS
Automatically starts? Yes
(Found in the run registry)
 
USER ACTIONS
Uninstall it 62%
Keep it 38%

Windows OS versionsWindows

Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 48.48%
Windows 10 42.42%
Windows XP 6.06%
Windows Vista 3.03%
Which OS releases does it run on?
Windows 7 Home Premium 25.76%
Windows 8.1 19.70%
Windows 10 Home 12.12%
Windows 7 Ultimate 9.09%
Windows 7 Professional 7.58%
Windows 8.1 Pro 6.06%

Distribution by countryGeography

31.17% of installs come from Germany
Which countries install it?
  Germany 31.17%
  United States 20.78%
  Australia 14.29%
  Netherlands 6.49%
  Brazil 5.19%
  Mexico 3.90%
  DK 2.60%
  New Zealand 2.60%
  Russia 2.60%
  India 1.30%
  South Africa 1.30%
  Switzerland 1.30%
  Japan 1.30%
  Romania 1.30%

OEM distributionPC manufacturers

What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Acer 25.45%
ASUS 21.82%
Hewlett-Packard 14.55%
Medion 9.09%
Dell 7.27%
Lenovo 5.45%
Sony 5.45%
Toshiba 3.64%
American Megatrends 1.82%
Samsung 1.82%
MSI 1.82%
Intel 1.82%
Common models
ASUSTeK K43U 3.51%
ASUS All Series 1.75%
Acer Aspire E1-571 1.75%
Acer Aspire E1-531 1.75%
Sony SVE14A15FBS 1.75%
Samsung 270E5G/270E5U 1.75%

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