How to remove Prime Updater adware [Virus removal guide]

How to remove Prime Updater

Even if you have the up-to-date classic antivirus installed, and you’ve checked your system for malware and removed anything found, you need to do the guide below. The Prime Updater virus removal is not simple as installing another antivirus. Classic antivirus applications are not created to run together and will conflict with each other, or possibly crash Windows. Instead we recommend complete the manual steps below after that run Zemana Anti-malware, Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner, which is free software dedicated to detect and remove Prime Updater adware that cause undesired pop-up advertisements to appear. Run these tools to ensure the virus is removed.

Get rid of Prime Updater adware without any utilities

The following instructions is a step-by-step guide, which will help you manually remove Prime Updater from your computer and the Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge and Internet Explorer.

Uninstall Prime Updater and other PUPs through the Windows Control Panel

The process of adware removal is generally the same across all versions of Windows OS from 10 to XP. To start with, it’s necessary to check the list of installed applications on your machine and uninstall all unused, unknown and suspicious applications.

Press Windows button , then press Search . Type “Control panel”and press Enter. If you using Windows XP or Windows 7, then click “Start” and select “Control Panel”. It will show the Windows Control Panel like below.

Further, click “Uninstall a program”
It will show a list of all programs installed on your computer. Scroll through the all list, and uninstall any suspicious and unknown software.

Fix infected web-browsers shortcuts

Important to know, most antimalware software which are able to remove adware virus, but unable to find and recover altered shortcuts. So, you need to fix the desktop shortcuts for your Google Chrome, IE, FF and Microsoft Edge internet browsers manually.

Click the right mouse button to a desktop shortcut which you use to run your web-browser. Next, select the “Properties” option. Important: necessary to click on the desktop shortcut for the browser which is redirected to undesired pages.

Further, necessary to look at the text that is written in the “Target” field. The virus can replace the contents of this field, which describes the file to be launch when you open your internet browser. Depending on the browser you are using, there should be:

• Google Chrome: chrome.exe
• Opera: opera.exe
• Firefox: firefox.exe
• Internet Explorer: iexplore.exe

If you are seeing an unknown text like “http://site.addres” which has been added here, then you should remove it, as shown below.

Next, click the “OK” button to save the changes. Now, when you run the browser from this desktop shortcut, it does not occur automatically redirect on any unknown and annoying web pages. Once the step is complete, we recommend to go to the next step.

Remove unwanted Scheduled Tasks

If an intrusive ad site opens automatically on Windows startup or at equal time intervals, then you need to check the Task Scheduler Library and get rid of all the tasks that have been created by malicious applications.

Press Windows and R keys on the keyboard at the same time. This opens a dialog box that titled as Run. In the text field, type “taskschd.msc” (without the quotes) and press OK. Task Scheduler window opens. In the left-hand side, click “Task Scheduler Library”, as shown below.

In the middle part you will see a list of installed tasks. Please select the first task, its properties will be show just below automatically. Next, press the Actions tab. Pay attention to that it launches on your personal computer. Found something like “explorer.exe http://site.address” or “chrome.exe http://site.address”, then remove this harmful task. If you are not sure that executes the task, check it through a search engine. If it’s a component of the ‘ad-supported’ program, then this task also should be removed.

Having defined the task that you want to remove, then press on it with the right mouse button and choose Delete as shown in the figure below.

Repeat this step, if you have found a few tasks that have been created by ‘ad-supported’ programs. Once is complete, close the Task Scheduler window.

Prime Updater automatic removal

There are not many good free anti malware applications with high detection ratio. The effectiveness of malware removal utilities depends on various factors, mostly on how often their virus/malware signatures DB are updated in order to effectively detect modern malware, adware, hijacker infections and other potentially unwanted software. We suggest to use several programs, not just one. These applications that listed below will allow you get rid of all components of the virus from your disk and Windows registry and thereby delete Prime Updater .

Scan and free your computer of Prime Updater adware virus with Zemana Anti-malware

We suggest using the Zemana Anti-malware. You can download and install Zemana Anti-malware to scan for adware and thereby remove Prime Updater adware from the Google Chrome, Firefox, IE and Microsoft Edge internet browsers. When installed and updated, the malicious software remover will automatically scan and detect all threats present on your computer.

Download Zemana anti-malware on your personal computer from the link below. Save it on your desktop.

When downloading is finished, close all windows on your system. Further, start the file named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup. If the “User Account Control” prompt pops up as on the image below, click the “Yes” button.

It will display the “Setup wizard” that will assist you install Zemana anti malware on the computer. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.

Once install is finished successfully, Zemana antimalware will automatically launch and you can see its main window as shown on the screen below.

Next, press the “Scan” button to perform a system scan with this utility for the Prime Updater adware that causes web-browsers to show annoying ads. This task can take quite a while, so please be patient. While the tool is scanning, you may see count of objects it has identified either as being malware.

Once the scanning is done, a list of all threats detected is produced. In order to remove all items, simply press “Next” button.

The Zemana anti-malware will begin removing adware and other security threats. Once disinfection is complete, you can be prompted to reboot your system.

Delete Prime Updater adware virus with Malwarebytes

Remove Prime Updater virus manually is difficult and often the adware is not completely removed. Therefore, we recommend you to run the Malwarebytes Free which are completely clean your system. Moreover, the free program will help you to delete malware, PUPs, toolbars and hijackers that your personal computer may be infected too.

Download Malwarebytes Free from the link below.

Once the download is finished, run it and follow the prompts. Once installed, the Malwarebytes will try to update itself and when this procedure is finished, click the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan for the Prime Updater adware virus that causes tons of intrusive pop up advertisements. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your computer. While the program is checking, you can see how many objects it has identified as threat. When you are ready, click “Quarantine Selected” button.

The Malwarebytes is a free application that you can use to remove all detected folders, files, services, registry entries and so on. To learn more about this malware removal tool, we recommend you to read and follow the tutorial or the video guide below.

Use AdwCleaner to remove Prime Updater

If MalwareBytes anti malware or Zemana anti malware cannot delete this adware virus, then we suggests to run the AdwCleaner. AdwCleaner is a free removal tool for browser hijacker infections, PUPs, toolbars and Prime Updater virus that made to redirect your web-browser to various ad web sites.

1. Download AdwCleaner by clicking on the following link.
   
   

   AdwCleaner download
   225300 downloads
   Version: 8.4.1
   Author: Xplode, MalwareBytes
   Category: Security tools
   Update: October 5, 2024
   
2. Select the directory in which you saved it as Desktop, and then click Save.
3. When the download is finished, start the AdwCleaner, double-click the adwcleaner_xxx.exe file.
4. If the “User Account Control” prompts, click Yes to continue.
5. Read the “Terms of use”, and click Accept.
6. In the AdwCleaner window, click the “Scan” to begin scanning your machine for the Prime Updater virus that causes web browsers to display intrusive pop ups. This task can take quite a while, so please be patient.
7. When it has finished scanning, you’ll be shown the list of all detected threats on your system. Review the report and then click “Clean”. If the AdwCleaner will ask you to restart your machine, press “OK”.

The guidance shown in detail in the following video.

Stop pop-ups intrusive ads

If you browse the Web, you can’t avoid malicious advertising. But you can protect your web-browser against it. Download and run an ad-blocker program. AdGuard is an ad-blocker that can filter out lots of of the malicious advertising, stoping dynamic scripts from loading harmful content.

Installing the AdGuard adblocker application is simple. First you will need to download AdGuard by clicking on the following link.

When downloading is finished, double-click the downloaded file to start it. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen as shown on the image below.

Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed and an icon will be placed on your desktop. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick instructions like below.

Press “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick guidance that will assist you get to know AdGuard better.

Each time, when you start your machine, AdGuard will start automatically and block popups, as well as other harmful or misleading pages. For an overview of all the features of the program, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the AdGuard icon, that is located on your desktop.

Prevent Prime Updater virus from installing

The adware virus is usually spreads bundled with free applications and install themselves, with or without your knowledge, on your personal computer. This happens especially when you are installing a free software. The program setup package tricks you into accepting the setup of additional programs, that you don’t really want. Moreover, certain paid programs can also install third-party software which you do not want! Therefore, always download free software and paid applications from reputable download web pages. Use ONLY custom or manual setup mode and never blindly press Next button.

To sum up

Now your computer should be clean of the Prime Updater virus which redirects your web browser to annoying ad pages. Remove AdwCleaner. We suggest that you keep Zemana Anti-malware (to periodically scan your PC for new malware, browser hijackers and ad supported software) and AdGuard (to help you block annoying ads and malicious web pages). Moreover, to prevent ‘ad supported’ software, please stay clear of unknown and third party programs, make sure that your antivirus program, turn on the option to find PUPs (potentially unwanted programs).

If you need more help with Prime Updater virus related issues, go to our Spyware/Malware removal forum.