Steps to Permanently Remove MegaSearch - Remove Redirect Virus from Your PC

MegaSearch website interrupts Internet users’ online activities, with its advanced hack techniques. It looks like a legitimate website provided with a search engine for users at first glance. Unfortunately, MegaSearch is actually a redirect virus whose aim is to attracting web traffic for cyber hackers. It takes any chance to slip into the weak computer and get installed automatically on the computer without consent. It is able to be installed on the targeted computer when one downloads and installs unknown freeware or shareware from the Internet. Once installed, the redirect virus will mess up users’ browsers by changing the browser settings (this could cause the change of default homepage) and DNS settings.

Friendly Reminder：Please try a professional redirect virus removal tool to remove this redirect virus once you can't remove it through the manual removal guide below.

MegaSearch comes bundled with additional parasites that may mess up the compromised system severely. It is able to intrude into the affected computer with the help of legitimate software and automatically install itself on your web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, etc. The virus can change search results to random ones which are commercial advertisements or pornographic contents. Moreover, this redirect virus would bring other kinds of threats like Trojan horse, adware, spyware, etc. To escape the detection of security software, it will frequently change its name and position and even disable your executable programs. If not removed timely, this redirect virus would install some unwanted add-ons onto the browsers, with the intention of tracing the browsing cookies. That is to say that users’ personal information and data may be stolen and sent to the remote hackers. Many vital information including documents, login names and passwords, valuable multimedia objects or any other important files online are at a very dangerous situation. To avoid worse result and a loss of value, you need to work out a solution to erase the browser hijack virus completely. Antivirus programs cannot help you solve the problem, as they may fail to catch MegaSearch virus and even pick up nothing of the tricky virus. However, MegaSearch should be removed from the computer completely and immediately to avoid further damage and data loss.

Why Need to Remove MegaSearch Redirect Virus?

1. It is a dangerous redirect virus that can modify default homepage with its malicious domain and redirect search result to random or weird websites. 2. MegaSearch combines with a list of related applications which have commercial usage, such as add-ons, extensions, plugins, and Toolbars. It can also bundle with third party freeware, shareware or torrents so as to make further damage on infected computer. 3. MegaSearch will severely decrease the system performance through consuming huge sum of system resources to perform perilous tasks on the computer. The CPU usage usually reaches to 100%. 4.It is able to terminate your executable programs and constantly change its name and position to bypass the scanning of security programs. 5.It compromises your computer and violates your privacy and send the collected information to the third-party for illegal purposes.

How to Remove MegaSearch Efficiently

Even though you have installed the top antimalware tools on your computer, the MegaSearch virus still gets through without your consent. You may run your antivirus programs to scan your computer system many times, but you fail to pick up any trace of the browser hijack virus via your antivirus. You may want to know the reason for this. Because it is capable of monitoring your online activities and collecting your cookies and browser history. It takes time for antivirus software to update its virus database. Being faced with this stubborn virus, the antivirus has no effect on removing it completely. In this case, you may think about the mighty manual removal so that to erase all its relevant processes, DLL files and registry files for good.

Note: Manual removal refers to key parts of computer system. If you have no sufficient skills and experience, it is highly advised to get an advanced removal tool on your computer. A powerful removal tool is highly recommended provided that you are not proficient in computer and unsure what to delete during the manual removal process.

Guides to Manually Remove MegaSearch – Manually Remove Redirect Virus Step by Step

1) Enable hidden files by opening folder options (start –>run –> control folders),under view tab

enable show hidden files, folders and drives
uncheck hide extensions for known file types
uncheck hide protected operating system files
2) Open msconfig (start –>run –> msconfig)

Click “Start” –>  run –> msconfig)
Go to “boot” tab if you are using Vista or Win 7. In case of XP, select “boot.ini” tab
check bootlog
3) Restart computer

Restart computer for making sure that changes you made are implemented. (On restarting computer a file ntbttxt.log is created which is discussed later in troubleshooting steps)

4) Do a complete IE optimization

Read this article on how to do an Internet Explorer optimization. Internet explorer optimization is done to ensure that redirection is not as a result of problem with IE or corrupted internet settings. Even if you use a different browser other than Internet explorer, IE optimization is compulsory as IE settings acts as the basic settings for any web browser using windows operating system.

5) Open device manager (start –>run –> devmgmt.msc)

Click “Start” –>  run –> devmgmt.msc
Click “view” tab on top. Select “show hidden devices”
Look for “non-plug and play drivers”. Expand it to see entire list under option.
Check if you have any entry TDSSserv.sys. Note down name carefully. Right click on entry and uninstall it. Don’t restart computer yet, cancel it. Continue troubleshooting without restarting.
6) Open registry (start –>run–>regedit). Take a backup of registry before making changes

Click on edit –> find. Enter first few letters of infection name. In this case, use TDSS and search for any entries starting with those letters. Every time there is an entry starting with TDSS, it shows the entry on the left and value on right side.
If there is just an entry, but no file location mentioned, then delete it directly. Continue searching for next entry with TDSS
The next search took me to an entry which got details of file location on right which says C:\Windows\System32\TDSSmain.dll.You need to utilize this information. Open folder C:\Windows\System32, find and delete TDSSmain.dll mentioned here.
Assume that you were not able to find file TDSSmain.dll inside C:\Windows\System32.This shows entry is super hidden. You need to remove file using command prompt. Just use command to remove it. delete C:\Windows\System32\TDSSmain.dll
Repeat same until all entries in registry starting with TDSS is removed. Make sure if those entries are pointing towards any file inside folder remove it either directly or by using command prompt.
Assume that you were not able to find TDSSserv.sys inside hidden devices under device manager, then go to Step 7.

7) Check ntbtlog.txt for corrupted file

By doing Step 2, a log file called ntbtlog.txt is generated inside C:\Windows. It’s a small text file containing lot of entries which might run to more than 100 pages if you take a printout. You need to scroll down slowly and check if you have any entry TDSSserv.sys which shows that there is an infection. Follow steps mentioned in Step6.

Conclusion:

MegaSearch is a browser extension, plug-in or add-on that is related to browser hijacker. Once infected, it may run many unknown programs in the background to take up much space in order to make your PC sluggish. As a browser hijacker, MegaSearch is able to change the default homepage or start-up page to its own site without letting users change back. The virus can install and execute its related add-ons or extensions to record your online history and data unless you remove it in time. Therefore, it is vital that users clean up this redirect virus timely so as to avoid further problems and losses. Through antivirus make sense for removing MegaSearch virus successfully, you can fully remove it from the compromised computer in the mighty manual removal way.

Note that manual removal is risky and tough process requiring expertise. If you haven’t certain computer skills or experience to handle program files, processes, .dll files and registry entries, it may make an error during the manual removal process. Please be careful when deleting the browser hijacker manually. If you cannot remove MegaSearch virus completely by yourself, use a professional malware removal tool to help you quickly and safely remove all the files of the redirect virus from your computer.