Feed.combo-search.com. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Feed.combo-search.com redirect virus is a typical browser hijacker that tracks your browsing habits
Feed.combo-search.com virus is computer infection that affects your search experience. The infection usually comes in the form of Combo Search extension, which changes default browser’s search settings[1] and starts causing redirects that firstly go through hxxp://feed.combo-search.com/?st=ds&q=searchquery&publisher=combosearch and then lead to results provided by the search engine that you normally use. Such redirect[2] occurs rapidly, so only watchful users might be able to notice it. Unfortunately, such activity means that this hijacker silently tracks your searches. It gathers your search queries and might use them for certain purposes such as market analysis or targeted advertising[3]. This suspicious browser parasite has an official website, which actually doesn’t provide any information on how this potentially unwanted program (PUP) can improve user’s browsing or search experience. All it does is say that it helps to switch through different search engines easily, and that is all. However, we hardly find how this browser add-on can enhance your browsing or search experience because it seems that it was simply designed to analyze user interests and deliver sponsored content. Privacy Policy of ComboSearch says that users might encounter ads on their service that link to external websites that belong to their partners, advertisers, and other third parties. Traditionally, the document says that developers of this program do not control, guarantee or even endorse content shared by these websites and that user has to study terms and policies of such websites because they might differ from Feed.combo-search.com’s.
If you accidentally installed this browser hijacker, or if it managed to enter your computer system unnoticeably, we advise you to use an anti-malware software like Reimage to remove Feed.combo-search.com redirect virus immediately. This browser hijacker hardly improves your search experience but tends to collect certain information that it can use to display sponsored content and generate revenue. Such activity seems to be a little bit selfish, besides, considering that third-party websites advertised by Combo Search are not even endorsed by the developer of it, we suggest you refrain yourself from using this piece of software. Otherwise, you can be tricked into visiting dangerous websites that might be promoting adware[4], browser hijackers or even more critical apps.
Click 'Start -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features' (if you are 'Windows XP' user, click on 'Add/Remove Programs').
If you are 'Windows 10 / Windows 8' user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once 'Quick Access Menu' shows up, select 'Control Panel' and 'Uninstall a Program'.
Right click on each of suspicious entries and select 'Uninstall'
Right click on browsers' icon and select 'Properties'
Select 'Shortcut' tab and delete 'http://isearch.babylon.com...' or other suspicious URL
Cick 'Go' and select 'Applications'
Click on every malicious entry and select 'Move to Trash'
Click on menu icon and select 'Manage add-ons'
Right click on each of malicious entries and select 'Disable'
Delete malicious URL, enter your desired domain name and click 'Apply' to save changes
Go to 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Reset' button. Now select 'Delete personal settings' and click on 'Reset' button again
Go to Settings and select 'Choose what to clear'
Select 'Clear' button
Open the start menu and select 'Task Manager'
Right-click 'Microsoft Edge' and select 'Go to details'
Select 'More details' if 'Go to details' option fails to show up
Find Microsoft Edge entries and select 'End Task'
Go to Microsoft Edge folder on your computer, right-click every entry and click 'Delete'
Find Windows PowerShell, right-click it and select 'Run as administrator'
Copy and paste a required command and press 'Enter'
Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
When in 'General' tab, delete malicious URL from 'Home Page' section or click on 'Restore to Default' button. Click 'OK' to save changes
Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times
Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
After clicking on menu and 'Settings', select 'Set pages'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
When in 'General', delete malicious URL and enter your desired domain name
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
Browser hijackers are typically installed alongside other programs
Programs like Feed.combo-search.com virus normally successfully hijack[5] computer systems without being noticed because they are distributed in a bundle with popular free programs. When installing a popular free program downloaded from the Internet, the user should intently look into details provided by its installation wizard. Usually, such assistants suggest installing the software using Default or Standard installation settings; meanwhile, these are the options you should never opt for. By selecting them, you will provide permission to install all “recommended” programs that are bundled with your chosen software. To drop off all of the additions, we recommend choosing Custom or Advanced software installation settings. They will provide you with a list of extra programs and give you a chance to refuse to install them. Usually, all it takes is just to deselect unwanted programs presented to you.
Removing Feed.combo-search.com can be a tricky business
It is not that easy to remove Feed.combo-search.com virus as it might seem to be. If you have never installed a similar browser hijacker, you might not even know where to look for its components. To assist you in uninstalling this program, we provided a comprehensive Feed.combo-search.com removal tutorial, which you can find down below. After completing all of the steps, do not forget to thoroughly scan the entire computer using spyware or malware removal software. This way, you can find out if the system is entirely malware and spyware free.
You can remove Feed.combo-search.com automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareWebroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, Malwarebytes Anti Malware. We recommend these applications because they can easily delete potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Manual Feed.combo-search.com Removal Guide:
Remove Feed.combo-search.com from Windows systems
Firstly, you need to make a search of suspicious programs that may have been installed on your computer without your knowledge. This tutorial explains how to find the list of all programs installed on your computer and uninstall the suspicious ones using in-built uninstallers. Keep in mind that not all programs have them – in such cases, it is way harder to remove these programs.
-
Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
-
If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
- Uninstall Feed.combo-search.com and related programs
Here, look for Feed.combo-search.com or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Feed.combo-search.com from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties. -
Go to Shortcut tab and look at the Target field. Delete malicious URL that is related to your virus.
Repeat steps that are given above with all browsers' shortcuts, including Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Make sure you check all locations of these shortcuts, including Desktop, Start Menu and taskbar.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Feed.combo-search.com from Mac OS X system
-
If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
-
Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Feed.combo-search.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Remove Feed.combo-search.com from Internet Explorer (IE)
-
Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Feed.combo-search.com and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
-
Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
-
Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
-
When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Feed.combo-search.com removal.
Remove Feed.combo-search.com from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
-
Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
-
Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
-
Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
-
Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
-
When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe. -
Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
-
Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Feed.combo-search.com should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Feed.combo-search.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Eliminate Feed.combo-search virus by removing ComboSearch extension from Firefox.
-
Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Feed.combo-search.com and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
-
Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the menu (top right corner), choose Options → General. - Here, delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
-
Click OK to save these changes.
-
Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Feed.combo-search.com removal.
Remove Feed.combo-search.com from Google Chrome
Find and delete Combo Search extension according to instructions we provided.
-
Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Feed.combo-search.com and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
-
Change your homepage and default search engine if it was altered by your virus
Click on menu icon and choose Settings. -
Here, look for the Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup option and click on Set pages.
- Now you should see another window. Here, delete malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
-
Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
-
When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
-
Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
-
Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Feed.combo-search.com removal.
Remove Feed.combo-search.com from Safari
- Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Feed.combo-search.com or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
-
Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Open your Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu section. Here, select Preferences as it was displayed previously and select General. -
Here, look at the Homepage field. If it was altered by Feed.combo-search.com, remove unwanted link and enter the one that you want to use for your searches. Remember to include the "http://" before typing in the address of the page.
-
Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Feed.combo-search.com removal process.
About the author
If this free removal guide helped you and you are satisfied with our service, please consider making a donation to keep this service alive. Even a smallest amount will be appreciated.
References
- ^ Gabriel E. Hall. How to eliminate browser hijackers. NoVirus. Malware Removal Guides.
- ^ URL redirection. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ Darla Cameron. How targeted advertising works. Washington Post. Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis.
- ^ What is Adware?. Kaspersky Lab. Cyber Security Resource Center for Threats & Tips.
- ^ Robert Siciliano. What is Browser Hijacking?. McAfee Blogs. Securing Tomorrow. Today.