Search.searchgst.com virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Problems that might arise from using Search.searchgst.com search tool
Questions about Search.searchgst.com virus
Everyone wants to browse the Internet safely, and Search.searchgst.com virus might prevent you from doing so. This browser pest appears to users in the form of a traditional web search engine, and search engines typically do not give rise to suspicion. However, you should always check whether your computer is infected with spyware[1] or not if you notice strange changes in your browser’s settings without touching them at all. Search.searchgst.com redirect virus inserts a browser extension(these can be dangerous[2], although in this case the extension isn’t malicious) called “Get Speed Tester v2.2” (please understand that in your case, the version of the extension can be different). The extension has its official website, and it presents this tool as a “Great Chrome New Tab,” which helps to test upload/download speed and find tips to increase Internet speed. In our opinion, such extension is entirely useless, and Internet speed testers[3] typically are considered to be on-demand tools, which are not typically used on a daily basis, so keeping such browser extension, which, we must add, urges you to use a suspicious search engine, is simply not understandable. Not surprisingly, computer users do not install it by their wish (typically). However, developers of Search.searchgst.com hijacker find ways to inject this extension into computers, and we are going to describe these methods later on. Now, let’s get into the details and explain to you why it is recommended to remove Search.searchgst.com from computers.


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
As we have mentioned, this browser hijacker changes homepage address in order to push the user to use a strange web search engine. We have learned that this search engine is created by Polarity Technologies, Ltd., a company that is the one to blame for dozens of annoying browser hijackers[4] that emerge every day. Speaking of search results provided by the described search engine, we have to say that they are powered by SaferBrowser, and it means that they are full of sponsored links. Clicking on these links can link you to dangerous Internet pages, so it is highly recommended to avoid them. There are many more secure search engines that you can use, so please do not take the risk of visiting deceptive websites via this search tool. We suggest deleting this browser hijacker automatically using Reimage software, but you can also complete Search.searchgst.com removal by yourself. Use guidelines provided below the article to remove Search.searchgst.com hijacker for good.
How could I get infected with this parasite without realizing it?
Search.searchgst.com hijack can be prevented very easily. This trick requires no additional programs, and it takes less than one minute to do it. Potentially unwanted programs are mainly distributed alongside freeware, so be careful when installing such programs on your PC[5]. The first thing that you must do is to make sure that you download software from legitimate websites. If you are unsure that the website is reliable, better avoid clicking on download links provided on it. The next thing that you must do when installing new programs is to choose Custom or Advanced settings for the installation. If you looked below Standard/Default installation option, you would notice some statements that say you agree to install suggested third-party downloads. To disagree with such statements, you have to deselect the ticks next to permissions to install additional software via Custom/Advanced option.
Remove Search.searchgst.com easily
Search.searchgst.com removal requires time and patience, so prepare for it. You should study the instructions provided below before trying to delete/uninstall anything. Start with recently installed programs’ list, look through it and delete strange applications that managed to slip into your computer system unnoticed. Next, clean each web browser from shady extensions, add-ons, and reset modified settings. To remove Search.searchgst.com virus automatically, use one of our suggested tools, which you can find below.
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 Search.searchgst.com virus, follow these steps:
Remove Search.searchgst.com from Windows systems
As we said, you have to go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and uninstall all suspicious items from there.
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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.
- Uninstall Search.searchgst.com and related programs
Here, look for Search.searchgst.com or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Search.searchgst.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 ChromeSafariGet rid of Search.searchgst.com from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Search.searchgst.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Erase Search.searchgst.com from Internet Explorer (IE)
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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 Search.searchgst.com and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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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.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Search.searchgst.com removal.
Delete Search.searchgst.com virus 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.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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, Search.searchgst.com should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariEliminate Search.searchgst.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Get rid of Get Speed Tester v2.2 extension from Firefox.
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Search.searchgst.com and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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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.
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Click OK to save these changes.
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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 Search.searchgst.com removal.
Uninstall Search.searchgst.com from Google Chrome
Open Chrome Settings, go to Extensions and wipe out extensions called Get Speed Tester v2.2 or similarly.
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Search.searchgst.com and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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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.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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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.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Search.searchgst.com removal.
Remove Search.searchgst.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 Search.searchgst.com or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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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 Search.searchgst.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.
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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 Search.searchgst.com removal process.
About the author
References
- ^ Harold Dalma. Information about spyware and removal instructions. NoVirus. Virus Removal Guides.
- ^ Malware in the browser: how you might get hacked by a Chrome extension. The blog of Maxime Kjaer. Posts about the Web, Software & Technology.
- ^ Tina Sieber. The Internet Speed Test & 7 Ways To Improve Bad Results. MakeUseOf. Your Guide in Modern Tech.
- ^ The most dangerous browser hijackers of February. VirusActivity. News on the Latest Malware Activity.
- ^ How to Avoid Installing Junk Programs When Downloading Free Software. How-To Geek. For Geeks, By Geeks.