Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus: what it is and how to remove it

The most prominent feature of Error # 3658ad79cc3021a virus is the messages alarming users about their devices being infected with complex threats. Taking into account the origin of this virus, specifically, a tech support scam, its behavior is not surprising.

Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.

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Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus: error scam
Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus as our 2021 report showed it.

Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameError # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus
TypeAdware extension
SymptomsAn unknown program in Installed apps
Removal

Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged.

Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free.
Show 4 more facts
Evidence6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited
ProgramError # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus
First seen27 April 2021
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus dangerous?

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

Beware of "Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" tech support scam

The most prominent feature of Error # 3658ad79cc3021a virus is the messages alarming users about their devices being infected with complex threats.

Taking into account the origin of this virus, specifically, a tech support scam, its behavior is not surprising. Note that such notifications are written in hyperboles to scare users into taking an immediate action and call an indicated tech support number. However, it is only a bait to entangle users more into the felony.

Though nowadays, users are more aware not to fall for the scam by engaging in the phone call with a "fake" relative, or click on lottery winning pop-ups, you might accidentally fall for it by launching an infected link or search result . Racketeers are aware that users are getting more aware of their scamming strategies, so they make up quite convincing ways to decoy into their scam .

This particular scam is based on an old technology – felons alert with messages about an infected computer. You might easily know it's scam by looking for a phone number or email address. Official Microsoft system alerts do not contain any of such information. Thus, make a rush to remove "Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus.

Observing recent tech support scams, the current virus does not stand out with its features. In fact, other crooks do a pretty good job by imitating a Windows system error. Even if you are not a proficient user, no extra knowledge is required to reveal the deception.

Once you call the indicated number, the scammer will attempt to gain your trust by launching Registry Editor or Windows Event Viewer to bombard you with technical information. During the "repair" process, he or she will try to wheedle out your credit card information and verification codes.

Alternatively, for removing their own adware or virus, they might require several hundred dollars. Less aggressive felons withdraw from your device after receiving the money, while others lock out your device even if you comply with their demands .

Warning: In short, if Error#3658ad79cc3021a hijack has been completed already, and you desperately look for solutions, do not call any number indicated in the message.

Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus: error scam
Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus in our 2021 report.

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

When did I get infected with this virus?

Some scammers fish for new victims on their won by calling them directly and impersonating the employees of an official institution .

Note that users of social networks may be targeted by scammers more often . In most of the cases, you may encounter a tech support scam by getting carried away to an infected domain.

There is a risk to encounter it if you tend to visit websites with suspicious content, gaming and gambling sites, and torrent sharing web pages. In order to lower the probability of getting redirected to such website, install anti-malware app and run the scan. One of the options is to entrust Error#3658ad79cc3021a removal to .

How to remove Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus

How to remove the Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus extension

Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.

  1. Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add

    In Chrome open chrome://extensions, in Edge edge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.

    Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.

    If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Chrome menu with Extensions and Manage extensions highlighted
    Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension

  2. Step 2: Uninstall Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus

    Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.

    Select Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix

  3. Step 3: Reset the browser

    A reset removes what the steps above could miss:

    • changed start pages
    • site permissions
    • hidden settings

    In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.

    Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.

    Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.

    Chrome Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  4. Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan

    A scan finds the parts of Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.

    Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.

    It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.

    Windows Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan

Instructions for each browser and system

The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.

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
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
Remove from Microsoft Edge

You might opt for an additional method to remove all registry entries injected by Error#3658ad79cc3021a.

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
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
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.

Protect your privacy - employ a VPN

There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.

However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.

Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.

No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool

If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.

In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.

If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

How should I delete "Error#3658ad79cc3021a" scam completely?

This tech support scam happens to be less elaborate virtual deception which makes its removal less bothersome.

First of all, exit the web page where the scam popped up. If you cannot do it, enter Task Manager by clicking CTRL+SHIFT+ESC, right-click on the entries associated with your browser. Click "End Task."

Then, run an anti-spyware program to remove Error # 3658ad79cc3021a virus fully. In the case of more elaborate scams, you may need to run it in Safe Mode. After Error # 3658ad79cc3021a removal is completed, reset the browser settings.

Questions about Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus

Is Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus a virus?

Most programs that appear the way Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:

  • real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
  • changes browser settings
  • starts with Windows

Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.

Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.

Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus came back after I uninstalled it. Why?

Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.

Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.

Does adware steal passwords?

Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.

If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing adware extension and clearing cookies is usually enough.

I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?

Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.

You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.

Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.

An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?

The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.

If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.

Why didn't my antivirus catch Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus?

Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.

In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.

Can adware slow down my PC?

Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.

The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.

How did Error # 3658ad79cc3021a get on my computer?

There is a risk to encounter it if you tend to visit websites with suspicious content, gaming and gambling sites, and torrent sharing web pages. Software of this kind often comes bundled with free programs, fake updates or downloads from unofficial sites.

It can also arrive through a browser extension or a notification you allowed on a spam page. Think back to what you installed or allowed just before the first ad or redirect appeared.

Will Fortect remove Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus?

Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.

For Error # 3658ad79cc3021a" virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.

Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.

Sources

  1. ZDNet: We talked to Windows tech support scammers. Here's why you shouldn't (read October 7, 2026)
  2. Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
  3. FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
  4. Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
  5. Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)

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