PCKeeper. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
PCKeeper applies questionable software marketing method
PCKeeper is a legitimate program that is supposed to help people to eliminate errors, bad registry entries[1] and junk files from the computer. Nevertheless, it seems like a useful tool; its functionality and operation features are discussed on the Internet.[2]
According to its developer Essentware (previously, Kromtech), PC Keeper is a powerful optimization and protection software package. It is compatible with every Windows OS and is capable of increasing PC's speed and preventing infiltration of malware. Although that sounds very promising, you should know that you will need to purchase its licensed version for $39.95 in order to remove what it was detected on your PC system by this program.
We think that you should think twice before purchasing PCKeeper. First of all, there are lots of free tools that can be found on the Internet without a problem. When talking about system's optimization, you should also know that, after removing several hundreds of registry entries, you won't see a clear improvement in your PC's functionality. For that, you will need to remove thousands of different registry entries.
In addition, this tool may cause these unwanted activities on your computer:
- PCKeeper pop up ads promoting its paid version;
- Continuous system scanners reporting about bad registries, useless files, and similar components;
- System slowdowns;
- Redirects to its official website.
What is more, the program was noticed spreading bundled with freeware. Thus, it might get inside the computer without asking direct permission. On the computer, it might initiate system scans and cause previously mentioned problems. For these reasons, it is sometimes called as PCKeeper virus or PCKeeper malware. However, we want to point out that this program is NOT malicious.
If this PC optimization software sneaked inside your device, you should get rid of it immediately. We recommend automatic PCKeeper removal with the help of Reimage. This anti-malware will help to delete all suspicious components that may have arrived in a software bundle as well.
Questions about PCKeeper
If you have already been convinced that you need to get a license key or use its phone number for fixing your computer, you should better check the Internet for free tools. Spending your money on this program may lead you to the loss of your money and problems when trying to remove PCKeeper. In fact, there is no surprise that some part of PC experts call this program a scam[3].
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'
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
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
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
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
Developers use various methods to promote and distribute this software
No matter that PCKeeper is NOT A VIRUS, download websites are filled with negative reviews about it. Some people declare that they are bothered by its annoying advertisements, others claim that this program appeared on their PCs out of nowhere.
Yes, you can easily get program's installer from its official website pckeeper.com. Nevertheless, you should also take into account that this program may appear on your computer right after installing a free program from the internet. This distribution method is totally legitimate. However, sometimes it is used for tricking people into downloading free additions that they don't really need.
If you don't want to install it as an extra attachment of some freeware[4], you should always monitor installation of free programs. For that, you should select Custom or Advanced installation when downloading such apps as download managers, PDF creators, video streaming software, video recording software, etc.[5]
If this optimization tool enters the computer, it offers you to scan the system and then displays informative scan results. As you can imagine, it will inform you about bad registry entries, junk files and other things that should be eliminated. However, as we have already said, there is no guarantee that elimination of these files will increase your computer's speed.
Uninstall PCKeeper easily
If you have installed the free version of the program, it should not be hard to remove PCKeeper. All you have to do is to uninstall it like any other unnecessary software from your computer. We have prepared detailed instructions as well as screenshots to get rid of this tool faster.
If this program sneaked bundled with freeware or shareware, you should opt for the automatic PCKeeper removal option. It’s possible that other potentially unwanted applications were installed silently too. Thus, you have to get rid of them as well.
You can remove virus damage automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Malwarebytes MalwarebytesCombo Cleaner, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareMalwarebytes Malwarebytes. We recommend these applications because they detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
To remove PCKeeper, follow these steps:
Get rid of PCKeeper from Windows systems
To completely remove PCKeeper, you should follow the steps provided below. We strongly advise you to remove all unknown and suspicious-looking programs (especially if you noticed an increased amount of banners and pop-up ads on your computer screen recently).
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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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.
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Uninstall PCKeeper and related programs
Here, look for PCKeeper or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
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References
- ^ Gavin Phillips. How to Fix Windows Registry Errors . MakeUseOf. Your guide in modern tech.
- ^ What is PCKEEPER?. Microsoft Community. Free community and discussion forum for asking and answering questions.
- ^ List of rogue security software. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ Potentially Unwanted Programs and how to avoid installing PUPs. The Windows Club. Windows 10/8/7 Tips, Tricks, Help, and more.
- ^ Here’s What Happens When You Install the Top 10 Download.com Apps. How-To Geek. For Geeks, By Geeks.