Friday, July 18, 2014

1startpage.com Becomes Homepage And I Don’t Want It, How to Remove?

stop 1startpage.com from hijacking



OUTLINE
  • Questions raised about 1startpage
  • Answer to the questions one by one
  • Troubles by 1startpage.com
  • Thread shows how to remove 1startpage.com
  • Other related posts


About 1startpage.com


1startpage.com has been placed into the category called browser hijacker by security company though it presents itself as a normal homepage with “bing” icon on. There are many shortcut icons to help PC users get easy access to the mostly visited sites. Seems like 1startpage.com is a superb homepage and search engine, uh?

But have you thought about how 1startpage.com gets to know which the mostly visited sites are, why “1startpage” has been inserted into all search results instead of “bing” like it shows to be with the icon and how it becomes your default homepage without consent and will not be removed with conventional means?
How 1startpage spreads and become default homepage – drive-by downloads is its major dissemination routine. Usually it bundles with programs that need promotions and web applications that help with aggressive advertising. The option of 1startpage.com can be shown during the setup session and cannot be shown. If one doesn’t pay attention to the additional options or uses customized installation method, one will bring the third-party program into DataBase and local disk by default.

Why “1startpage” is inserted into search results instead of “bing” – the bing icon is shown to make PC users feel safe with 1startpage.com and be willing to keep 1startpage.com. It is not actually bing that filters the best results for you

How “1startpage” knows which the mostly visited sites are – as a matter of fact, 1startpage.com is a tool to intercept and direct traffic to its paying clients who want to promote their products to as many PC users as possible. How to get lots of people within short period of time so that its clients will be impressed to introduce more clients? Main task of getting to know the mostly visited sites should be done. What do you think is capable of helping you remember the account number and password online all the time? With JS and BHO computing technique, 1startpage.com manages to track down PC users’ online whereabouts. With large data combined, it does its work.



Troubles from 1startpage.com


Why Google, Yahoo, Bing and some other search engines popular? Filtering out spam sites efficiently, getting the best results and preventing from suspicious items are the main reasons. As a freeware, 1startpage.com requires fund for normal operation. Thus allowing relentless ads is the best option. PPC and CTR will help earn profitable income.

In other words, accessing to the results by 1startpage.com is more likely to be affected. Once being affected, the JS and BHO technique adopted by 1startpage.com to gather valuable information will be utilized to record confidential information that PC users typed online.



Thread to Help Remove 1startpage.com



A – remove the extensions associated with lab.trovi.com.



Tools menu >“Manage add-ons” >‘Toolbars and Extensions’> check the creation day of extensions there > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared >‘Search Providers’ > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared.


Tools menu >“Options” >‘Add-ons’ > check the creation day of extensions by clicking on “More info” > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared >‘plugins’ > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared.


Spanner icon > Tools > extensions > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared.

 
Menu > Extensions >“Manage Extensions” > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared.



Safari Menu > Preference > Glims/Extension > remove the ones created on or after 1startpage.com appeared.




B - rectify back the default homepage from 1startpage.com.


Tools menu > “Internet Options” > General tab > enter the desirable homepage URL > press “Use Current” button.


Tools menu > “Options” > General tab > “homepage” > enter the desirable homepage URL > OK button.



Spanner icon > “Settings” > Basic section > ‘Home Page’ > sub-section “Open this page” > enter the desirable homepage URL > OK button.

 
Opera’s menu > “settings” > “Preference” > General tab > “Home page” > enter the desirable homepage URL > OK button.


Safari menu > Preference > General tab > “Homepage” > enter the desirable homepage URL > OK button.




C. Show hidden files and folders to remove Temp file and the ones related to 1startpage.com.





Windows 7/XP/Vista
‘Control Panel’ > 'user accounts and family safety' > 'Folder Options’ > View tab > tick ‘Show hidden files and folders' and non-tick 'Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)’ > ‘OK’.

Windows 8
Start screen > Windows Explorer > View tab > tick ‘File name extensions’ and ‘Hidden items’ options > OK button.

a.when done, remove the given items:
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Temp\
C:\WINDOWS\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Temporary Internet File

b. navigate to the following directories and remove the items generated on and after the date when 1startpage.com appeared:
C:\Windows
%SystemDriver%\
C:\Program Files\
C:\windows\system32\
C:\users\user\appdata\local\
C:\Users\[your username]\Documents\
c:\users\[username]\appdata\locallow\


Mac OS X
Finder > Utilities folder > Terminal > copy and paste "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES" > return key > copy and paste the "killall Finder" > return key.

a. remove temp files and folders:

Finder > Utilities folder > terminal:
  1. type
    cd ~/Library/Logs
    sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Logs/*
    and press Return button.

  2. type
    rm -rf ~/Library/Safari/Downloads.plist
    cd ~/Library/Caches
    sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/*
    and press Return button.

b. access the following locations to remove the items generated on and after the date when 1startpage.com appeared:
Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ 
Home folder/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ 
Applications
Dock
Display




D. Modify Hosts file.


Windows
Win+R key combination > type CMD > hit Enter key > type "ping 1startpage.com" > Enter key > note down the IP address > navigate to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc > click open Hosts file > paste the IP address to the last line > save file.

get the IP address of 1startpage.com to modify Hosts file


Mac OS X
Finder launchpad icon > Utilities > Terminal > type "ping 1startpage.com" > Enter/Return key > note down the IP address > shift+command+g key combination > type “etc” (/private/etc/hosts) > Enter/Return key > click open Hosts file > paste the IP address to the last line > save it to modify host file.




1startpage.com is bundled with third-party programs and there will be many more unnecessary items injected. We should remove the related items so as to well prevent from its re-image and regain a better PC performance.

get expert help in stopping 1startpage.com from hijacking


Other Related Posts

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