Remove SearchExe. Description and removal instructions

 
Title: SearchExe

Type: Adware
Severity scale:SearchExe severity is 20  (20 / 100)
 
SearchExe redirects the Internet Explorer searches to the site search-exe.com.


SearchExe properties:
• Changes browser settings
• Hides from the user
• Stays resident in background

Automatic SearchExe removal:

remover for SearchExe

SearchExe manual removal:

Delete registry values:
Browse to the key:
'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
Delete the value 'Search-Exe'
Delete directories:
se

Other programs to remove SearchExe:

• SUPERAntiSpyware - Review - Download
• CounterSpy - Review - Download
• Windows Defender - Review - Download

Information added: 19/03/04
Information updated: 16/11/04

Additional resources related to SearchExe:

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more resources

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Comments from visitors:


1. by Guest. 2004-11-16 11:11:19
GIANT AntiSpyware got rid of it for me. Very easily, too -- even with a free trial. I feel like a new person! :)

2. by Tim. 2004-06-02 03:06:23
Right, I had this for about a month at work and it was ruining my life.Finaly got rif of it... Here's how i did it...pretty simple.
Run regedit off the run menu on the start panel and go to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Run... the search.exe is not there, but there will be a file with a strange name, mine was called 'Blend Axis' i simply deletd this file, rebooted and restored default net settings. Look for a file that shouldn't be there, look where it is and what it's calling up.
Be careful, i may have been lucky. Hope this helps!

3. by Ronald R. Adrian. 2004-06-01 10:06:43
None of the above works. I have Windows 98 and I have used Spyware 2, Hijackthis, Noadware, etc. I still have the problem. I search for the name searchexe and found it in files user.dat and system.dat. I am afraid to tamper with these files, they could really mess up the registry. Anyone know how to eliminate searchexe from these files, please post it here. Thanks.

4. by holly. 2004-06-01 08:06:37
Use regedit to browse to the key listed in the directions above:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Run
then look for the key that doesn't belong there.
(I know this sounds vague, but the name of the key has been different each time I have seen this problem. It is pretty obvious. One example: BONE PART)
The key will point to an executable - note the location of the executable and delete the key.
Restart and then delete the executable.

5. by Frustrated. 2004-05-31 17:05:50
I've done EVERYTHING above!!!! I can't get rid of this thing. What now?

6. by muffinead. 2004-05-30 10:05:55
I'm definately NOT computer-y, but this seemed to work for me - go to start, then Run, then type in regedit and it should go to the registry. Then, in the 'edit' bar, select Find... and type 'search-exe'. Then delete it when it comes up. This should only be done with caution because I suck at computers!

7. by ravlegend. 2004-05-28 12:05:19
oops - another step i took :
my adware came up with a BTIEIN file that it could not destroy.
I merely went to this file:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE:SoftwareBTIEIN
and on the right panel delete all the files under it (it would go back to DEFAULT.

Not a computer geek, so do this at own descreet.

8. by ravlegend. 2004-05-28 12:05:44
so far i have "tame" this spyware by :
-tinkering my internet option settings as shown above
-dl , scan hijackthis file and delete any searchexe references log
-dl CWS file shredders (from the same merijn site)
-dl adware 6.0
-dl spybot & destroy program

My HP do goes to a blank screen becasue its directing to another searchexe site but was disable. I just save my real homepage at top of my favorite folder so its just a click away.

Definitely ALOT better than before when I have 2 (yes -TWO!) seperate search browsers at top and bottom and my google hits would direct me to another site.

9. by Taylord. 2004-05-28 10:05:05
This has been such a nusance, I got it about a month ago while downloading an e-card and it has massivly crapped up my computer. I used norton antivirus and ad-aware and it got rid of most of it. Has anyone heard of newdotnet? Is it related to searchexe?

10. by Anne. 2004-05-27 16:05:18
I d/l the hijackthis and did find like 6 files at the top and deleted them, but I restarted and it is still there *hits head* thanks for the suggestions though :)

11. by Anne. 2004-05-27 16:05:29
Yes, I meant my homepage gets switched first time I turn the computer back on. After I resave my homepage it is usually okay for my session (sometimes if i am on for a long time it will be changed again...) but I can't seem to get it to stop changing my homepage when I first start up my computer.

12. by Ravlegend. 2004-05-27 08:05:00
Forgot to add these to my arsenal against searchexe.com:
I also download hijackthis.exe from : http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

scan my computer and delete any reference to searchexe files (usually at top of log).

13. by ravlegend. 2004-05-27 08:05:01
Anne- Are you talking about your homepage?
The first time I have to re-save my preferred Homepage under Internet Options. I 'll find out later if my HP stay or gets hi-jacked after re-booting my computer.

14. by Anne. 2004-05-26 21:05:54
my browser is redirected to http://searchexe.com/passthrough/index.html?
every time. I tried searching for se.exe and lots of other stuff. I tried what ravlegend said and it restricts the site but my page is still directed to the searchexe site, it just doesn't open. This is driving me insane :(

15. by ravlegend. 2004-05-26 08:05:14
Try this (so far it's working):

Internet Options/Security/Restricted Sites add:
http://*.searchexe.com

although searchexe is still inside my system, at least this method disable it for the time being.

16. by Ant. 2004-05-24 21:05:58
Anybody got the address of the guys who wrote 'searchexe', because I want to break their legs.

17. by Elie. 2004-05-24 17:05:38
just to make it clear i also couldn't find se.exe or the "search-exe" registry key

18. by Elie. 2004-05-24 17:05:52
i think there is some version of searchexe that generates random filenames (for me its "Ping Support Dupe.exe" in "Program Files/Axis Free") i found a registy key "Browse Ooze" under "... CurrentVersion Run". did anyone else find wierd names like that?

19. by ric. 2004-05-14 23:05:53
Search exe and its companion toolbar teamwait are ruining my health. I bought NoAdware and it does not get rid of it. What does? HELP

20. by Chandni. 2004-04-15 15:04:32
I can't find it manually either. there is no trace of this se.exe

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