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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • System tools
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Jan 2021

How to remove Advanced System Optimizer

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Olivia Morelli · Ransomware analyst

Advanced System Optimizer – a system optimizer that shows exaggerated scan results

Advanced System Optimizer (possible versions – 2, 3, v.3.5) by Systweak Inc. is promoted as a PC optimization tool. It is supposed to allow users to deactivate unnecessary processes from running on startup, remove outdated registries, fix potential damage, and so on.

The 2nd version of this tool has been released in 2004 and was definitely successful. More than a million users have left positive feedback and recommended using this optimizer. However, it seems that these days its developers apply unfair marketing strategies seeking to increase the rate of Advanced System Optimizer Version 3 and v.3.5 users.

Name Advanced System Optimizer
Type Fake system optimizer, registry cleaner, potentially unwanted program
Distribution Software bundles, third-party websites
Alleged functionality Optimizes system, cleans malware, updates drivers
Elimination You should follow the guide below to uninstall the app manually
System fix In case your system is crashing or delivering errors, you can attempt to fix these issues with an automatic repair tool FortectIntego

Typically, a trial is attached to various freeware and shareware as an 'additional component' and hidden under Advanced/Custom settings. This way, it may get installed on your machine without asking for appropriate permission. That's why it has been labeled as a potentially unwanted program (PUP).[1]

While the program is legitimate and trustful, users commonly decide to keep it installed even though they haven't downloaded it willingly. According to its developers, the app can perform the following:

  • Clean and optimize the system
  • Protect and remove malware
  • Update drivers automatically.

However, you should keep in mind that the version that is spread by bundling is just a trial, which will not do anything except continuously check your computer, inform you about various issues, and urge you to pay the money ($49.95) for the full version.

Also, Microsoft clearly stated that it does not advise users employing Registry Cleaners:[2]

Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved without a reinstallation of the Operating System as the extent of the changes made by registry cleaning utilities varies from application to application.

Continuous system scans may not only burden and slow down your PC's system but may also annoy you to death. Therefore, we highly recommend you to remove Advanced System Optimizer from your machine. If you have never dealt with the uninstallation process before, you should follow the instructions we provide below.

PUPs are often spread via software bundles

You can download a free trial of Advanced System Optimizer from the official website. However, it may also end up on your computer right after installing another freeware. Third parties engage in bundling daily, and this way, they manage to trick hundreds of people into installing such and similar tools daily.

Once installed, Advanced System Optimizer defines an auto-start registry entry in the Windows taskbar and is activated every time you reboot the machine. Therefore, you will continuously experience full system scans and receive reports about the condition of your PC. Nevertheless, the research has shown that most users have removed it a couple of weeks after its installation.

So, it seems that, in reality, the program does not appear to be that useful as promoted. If you want to prevent infiltration of potentially unwanted programs, you should carefully investigate Advanced/Custom settings when installing freeware on your computer. Besides, do not avoid reading EULA, Privacy Policy, testimonials, and other important information related to the freeware you opt for installing.

Ways to remove Advanced System Optimizer

Advanced System Optimize is a legitimate program, which may show up on your computer out of nowhere, check it, and provide you with unasked reports. If you want to get rid of Advanced System Optimize rogue from your machine, you should perform these steps:

  1. Click StartControl PanelUninstall a Program.
  2. In the Add/Remove Programs/Uninstall a Program folder look for recently installed/unfamiliar applications, such as Advanced System Optimizer.
  3. Click 'Uninstall' and then OK to save the changes.

After that, you are strongly advised to run a full system scan with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner to check your machine for malware that could be hiding in the background. Besides, if malicious programs were found, you should also use FortectIntego to repair system damage that could have been sustained during virus infection.

 

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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