Online advertisements are a great tool! They help sellers reach a wider market and buyers get more information. Adverts however become a total nuisance when the target audience can’t control them. Adverts pop up when you click a link, adverts appear once a page loads, adverts are made to look like the information / software you seek, adverts appear when you close a tab….adverts! adverts! adverts everywhere! Its annoying to be modest. Its super sad to see advertisers resort to using Adware to promote their products in order to boost sales.
What are Adware?
Adware are programs / scripts which are created to spam a user with unsolicited advertisements.
In what forms do Adware come?
- They could get installed on your browser as extensions / addons
- They or other promotional software could be embedded into a reputable software
- They could infect your PC like a Malware
How do I know I’ve been infected with Adware?
You’ll begin to see adverts in strange places on your PC or a lot of them while surfing the internet (often the same format regardless of the website you visit). The images below are examples of Adware at work on a chrome browser:
* Some websites display adverts so don’t mistake them for Adware at work.
Adware popup
Adware taking over (instead of Google Ads) a Google search for Hovatek
Can Adware harm my PC?
In most cases, No. They could just be annoying or consume bandwidth if streaming media is used.
How do I remove Adware from Google Chrome?
We’ll consider three methods:
1. Disabling Adware Extensions
2. Using Chrome Cleanup tool
3. Using an Antivirus / Antimalware tool
4. Doing a system restore
A. How to remove / disable Adware extensions in Google Chrome
1. Launch Chrome and click on the Customize and Control icon (three black parallel horizontal lines) at the top right corner
2. Highlight More tools
3. Click Extensions
4. To disable the extension, untick the extension
5. To delete the extension, click the trash icon in front of the extension
B. How to remove Adware in Google Chrome using Chrome Cleanup Tool
1. Download Chrome Cleanup Tool
2. Launch the tool
3. Wait while it scans for Adware in Google Chrome
4. Click Remove programs
5. Wait while the Adware get removed
C. How to remove Adware using an Anti-virus / Malware removal tool
Download a good antivirus, update it then scan your PC.
For a thorough scan, you could use the Norton Power Eraser Tool as described below:
1. Download Norton Power Eraser Tool
2. Launch the tool (ensure the PC has an internet connection)
3. Click Accept
4. Wait while the tool checks to be sure you’re running the latest version
5. Click on Unwanted Application Scan or Advanced Options
6. A list of threats will appear (if there are), click Fix Now
7. Wait while the program creates a System Restore point
8. Norton Power Eraser should begin removing the threats
9. Once its done, a list of items to be removed will appear, click Restart
10. You may re-run the tool after system restart to be sure the PC is clean
How do I reset my Google Chrome settings to default?
To reset your home page and other settings that the Adware might have changed:
1. Launch Chrome and click on the Customize and Control icon (three black parallel horizontal lines) at the top right corner
2. Click Settings
3. Scroll down and click Show Advanced Settings
4. Scroll down to Reset Settings and click Reset Settings
5. When prompted, click Reset
6. Wait till reset is complete and the popup disappears
D.
How to do a system restore on a Windows PC
To do a system restore on your Windows PC, follow the guide @ https://blog.hovatek.com/how-to-do-a-system-restore-on-a-pc/
Hovatek….just a button away!
