SmartBar

How to Remove SmartBar from Your Computer

To completely purge SmartBar from your computer, you need to delete the files, folders, Windows registry keys and registry values associated with SmartBar. These files, folders and registry elements are respectively listed in the Files, Folders, Registry Keys and Registry Values sections on this page.

For instructions on deleting the SmartBar registry keys and registry values,
see How to Remove SmartBar from the Windows Registry.

For instructions on deleting the SmartBar files and folders,
see How to Delete SmartBar Files (.exe, .dll, etc.)

How to Delete SmartBar Files (.exe, .dll, etc.)^

The files and folders associated with SmartBar are listed in the Files and Folders sections on this page.

To delete the SmartBar files and folders:

1. Using your file explorer, browse to each file and folder listed in the Folders and Files sections.
Note: The paths use certain special folders (conventions) such as [%PROGRAM_FILES%]. Please note that these conventions are depending on Windows Version / Language. These conventions are explained here.
2. Select the file or folder and press SHIFT+Delete on the keyboard.
3. Click Yes in the confirm deletion dialog box.
IMPORTANT: If a file is locked (in use by some application), its deletion will fail (the Windows will display a corresponding message).You can delete such locked files with the RemoveOnReboot utility. To delete a locked file, right-click on the file, select Send To->Remove on Next Reboot on the menu and restart your computer. You can install the RemoveOnReboot utility from here.

Files

• View mapping details

Folders

• View mapping details

How to Remove SmartBar from the Windows Registry^

The Windows registry stores important system information such as system preferences, user settings and installed programs details as well as the information about the applications that are automatically run at start-up. Because of this, spyware, malware and adware often store references to their own files in your Windows registry so that they can automatically launch every time you start up your computer.

To effectively remove SmartBar from your Windows registry, you must delete all the registry keys and values associated with SmartBar, which are listed in the Registry Keys and Registry Values sections on this page.

To remove the SmartBar registry keys and values:

1. On the Windows Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit and click OK.
   The Registry Editor window opens. This window consists of two panes. The left pane displays folders that represent the registry keys arranged in hierarchical order. The right one lists the registry values of the currently selected registry key.
3. To delete each registry key listed in the Registry Keys section, do the following:
   • Locate the key in the left pane of the Registry Editor window by sequentially expanding the folders according to the path indicated in the Registry Keys section. For example, if the path of a registry key is
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\FolderA\FolderB\KeyName1
     sequentially expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, software, FolderA and FolderB folders.
   • Select the key name indicated at the end of the path (KeyName1 in the example above).
   • Right-click the key name and select Delete on the menu.
   • Click Yes in the Confirm Key Delete dialog box.
4. To delete each registry value listed in the Registry Values section, do the following:
   • Display the value in the right pane of the Registry Editor window by sequentially expanding the folders in the left pane according to the path indicated in the Registry Values section and selecting the specified key name. For example, if the path of a registry value is
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\FolderA\FolderB\KeyName2,valueC=
     sequentially expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, software, FolderA and FolderB folders and select the KeyName2 key to display the valueC value in the right pane.
   • In the right pane, select the value name indicated after a comma at the end of the path (valueC in the example above).
   • Right-click the value name and select Delete on the menu.
   • Click Yes in the Confirm Value Delete dialog box.

Registry Keys

Registry Values

SmartBar Categorized as:^

Adware

How Did My PC Get Infected with SmartBar?^

The following are the most likely reasons why your computer got infected with SmartBar:

• Your operating system and Web browser's security settings are too lax.
• You are not following safe Internet surfing and PC practices.

Downloading and Installing Freeware or Shareware

Small-charge or free software applications may come bundled with spyware, adware, or programs like SmartBar. Sometimes adware is attached to free software to enable the developers to cover the overhead involved in created the software. Spyware frequently piggybacks on free software into your computer to damage it and steal valuable private information.

Using Peer-to-Peer Software

The use of peer-to-peer (P2P) programs or other applications using a shared network exposes your system to the risk of unwittingly downloading infected files, including malicious programs like SmartBar.

Visiting Questionable Web Sites

When you visit sites with dubious or objectionable content, trojans-including SmartBar, spyware and adware, may well be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer.

Detecting SmartBar^

The following symptoms signal that your computer is very likely to be infected with SmartBar:

PC is working very slowly

SmartBar can seriously slow down your computer. If your PC takes a lot longer than normal to restart or your Internet connection is extremely slow, your computer may well be infected with SmartBar.

New desktop shortcuts have appeared or the home page has changed

SmartBar can tamper with your Internet settings or redirect your default home page to unwanted web sites. SmartBar may even add new shortcuts to your PC desktop.

Annoying popups keep appearing on your PC

SmartBar may swamp your computer with pestering popup ads, even when you're not connected to the Internet, while secretly tracking your browsing habits and gathering your personal information.

E-mails that you didn't write are being sent from your mailbox

SmartBar may gain complete control of your mailbox to generate and send e-mail with virus attachments, e-mail hoaxes, spam and other types of unsolicited e-mail to other people.