Should I remove GoatBar?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
86% remove it14% keep it
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
United States Rank #46,869
Reach 0.0005%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 25.22 days
743.95 days >
Average installed length: 390.89 days
Versions
| Version | Distribution |
| 2.0.0.29 |
33.33% |
|
| 2.0.0.26 |
11.11% |
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| 2.0.0.21 |
55.56% |
|
Other programs by Visicom Media inc
GoatBar
What is GoatBar?
GoatBar is a potentially unwanted application that runs in the web browser as a toolbar and web extension. The web extension is primarily designed to take control of the user's browser in order to modify the search provider and redirect web searches to what ever search engine partner the publisher has a revenue relationship with. In doing so, the toolbar performs a number of behaviors in order to maximize the potential of a user to click on sponsored advertising through search. This includes but not limited to:
- Changing the web browser's default home page to the affiliate search portal.
- Changing the browser's search provider, built-in search box as well as the address bar.
- Ability to modify the 'new tab' functionality to launch the modified search portal page.
- Provide automatic updates of the toolbar without the user's initiation.
- Adds an alternative error page and page not found functionality.
- Adds additional functionality that is designed to protect the search and home page settings.
- Access the HTML of all pages visited as well as capture URLs of the pages and search terms.
- In many cases can inject advertising in the form of context ads, pop-ups and pop-unders.
About (from Visicom Media inc)
The VMN Toolbar (GoatBar) provides a whole new way to experience the web. Now with the ability to check YOUR weather, news, email, play FREE online games, perform local search, listen to the radio, check your Facebook account, Tweet, ect., right from the toolbar without interrupting your browsing experience. To make yo... Read more
Overview
- Integrates into the web browser
- Typically distributed through a pay-per-install bundle
- Hijacks the web browser's home page
- Hijacks the browser's default search provider
- The experts agree, you should remove it!
GoatBar has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software. If you have not purposefully installed this, you should be safe uninstalling it.
Program details
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\goatbar
Uninstaller: C:\Program Files\goatbar\uninstall.exe
Estimated size: 3.85 MB
Files installed by GoatBar
| Program module: | goatbar.dll |
| Name: | GoatBar |
| Path: | C:\Program Files\goatbar\goatbar.dll |
| MD5: | 1c10931fcfe612f96ccc370decb6cc24 |
Additional files:
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ffHelper.exe - ffHelper Application (Helper Application for IE)
-
uninstall.exe - GoatBar (GoatBar Uninstaller)
-
dtUser.exe - DtUser
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goatbarDx.dll - GoatBar Link Library
Behaviors exhibited
Internet Explorer BHO
- goatbarDx.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'GoatBar' with the class of {ffd17eea-6375-4505-ba08-87a8f373e366}.
Internet Explorer Toolbar
- goatbarDx.dll is loaded as Internet Explorer Toolbar with the name 'GoatBar' with the class of {ffd17eea-6375-4505-ba08-87a8f373e366}.
Internet Explorer URL Search Hook
- goatbarDx.dll loads into IE as a URL Search Hook named 'GoatBar' with a class of {ffd17eea-6375-4505-ba08-87a8f373e366} in order to redirect unknown URL searches.
Windows Firewall Allowed Program
- dtUser.exe is added as a firewall exception for 'C:\Program\pandasecuritytb\dtUser.exe'.
How do I remove GoatBar?
You can uninstall GoatBar from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
- 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.
- When you find the program GoatBar, 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).
- Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove GoatBar.
- 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 GoatBar you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools button, and then click Internet options.
- 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.
- The changes will take effect the next time you open IE.
Mozilla Firefox
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu and select Troubleshooting Information.
- To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. It will close and be reset.
- When it's done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish and Firefox will open.
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
- 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.
- 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.
- Restart Google Chrome.
OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 89%
Win Vista (SP2) 11%
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HOW DOES IT RUN?
 |
Plugs into Internet Explorer
|
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USER ACTIONS
 |
Uninstall it 86%
Keep it 14%
|
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
| Windows 7 |
88.89% |
|
| Windows Vista |
11.11% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
| Windows 7 Home Premium |
88.89% |
|
| Windows Vista Home Premiu... |
11.11% |
|
Geography
100.00% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
| Hewlett-Packard |
44.44% |
|
| Dell |
33.33% |
|
| Acer |
11.11% |
|
| Lenovo |
11.11% |
|
Common models |
| Dell Inspiron 1545 |
12.50% |
|
| Acer Aspire M1200/3200/52... |
12.50% |
|
| LENOVO 4334 |
12.50% |
|
| Hewlett-Packard 220-1125 |
12.50% |
|
| Dell XPS 8300 |
12.50% |
|
| HP-Pavilion AY627AA-ABA a... |
12.50% |
|
About Visicom Media inc
Visicom Media Network or VMN.net is a Web portal with a number of free services for users. Its headquarters is in Brossard, Quebec. The domain VMN.
Publisher URL: software.visicommedia.com