Remove startsearch.org and Rid Your Browser from Hijacking

Get to know startsearch.org

If you find that startsearch.org shows up and replaces your homepage every time you open the browser, you should realize that something bundled with hxtp://startsearch.org/?app-alarm (something similar) has been installed on your computer This hijacker being able to conduct malicious actions is responsible for various abnormalies on your computer.

To avoid potentially unwanted issues and keep your computer a safer and cleaner place to work, you are advised to act at once to finish a complete hijacker removal. You can get hijacker manual/automatic removal (for both Windows and Mac system) from this post.

You have sound reasons to remove startsearch.org

1) It performs unauthorized modification of your browser settings such as homepage, new tab page and search engine.

2) It is able to add unwanted extensions and cause tons of unwanted pop-ups and ads, which keep interrupting your online surfing, making your search or navigation suck.

3) It might run interference for the malicious to track and collect your browsing history or other important information and data for less-legal purposes.

4) It exposes you to various potentially unwanted or risky programs, which may even cause file damage, program crash, start-up failure, or limited Internet connection.

Part One: For Win OS

You Could Remove Start Search Homepage from Your Win OS Manually

Step A. Delete unwanted program from Control Panel

Win 7: Go to the “Start” menu, select “Control Panel”. Locate “Programs”. If there is anything related to Start Search program that might be bundled with this ad generator on the list of your Programs, then select it and uninstall it.

Win 8: Right-click in the screen’s bottom-left corner and choose the Control Panel, and then choose Uninstall or change a Program from the Programs category. Uninstall this hijacker program if you can find any.


Win 10: Go to the “Start” menu, select “Settings” and then “System”; Click on “Apps & features”, if there is any Start Search, select and uninstall it.




Step B. Reset your homepage and search engine in affected browsers

Reset your affected browsers one by one 

Mozilla Firefox

1) Click on the magnifier's icon and select Manage Search Engines....;
2) Choose Start Search from the list and click 'Remove' and then OK to save changes;


3) Go to Tools and select Optional. Reset the startup homepage or change it to google.com under the 'General tab';


Internet Explorer

1) Go to Tools and select Manage Add-on; Navigate to Search Providers, Remove startsearch.org if it is there.
2) Select Bing search engine / Google search engine and make it default.

3) Go to Tools and select Internet Optional, in the General tab, delete the Triple URL from the home page text box then enter your own website, e.g. Google.com. Click OK to save the changes.

Chrome

1) Click on 'Customize and control' icon, select 'Settings';
2) Change Google Chrome's homepage to google.com or any other one you like

3) Navigate to section, click Manage Search Engines and remove startsearch.org engine from the default search engines list, then click OK to save the changes.

Step C. Delete relevant entries generated by this hijacker

1. Click Start and Type "Run" in Search programs and files box and press Enter
2. Type "regedit" in the Run box and click "OK"

(If you are not skillful enough to implement the above manual removal steps, you are advised to use the best removal tool - SpyHunter.)

Erase startsearch.org Hijacker Automatically from Your Win OS with SpyHunter

*** SpyHunter is a spyware detection & removal tool that provides rigorous protection against the latest spyware threats including malware, trojans, rootkits & malicious software. *** This program certified by West Coast Labs’ Checkmark Certification System will walk you through how to protect the computer from malicious threats with limited interaction.

Step 1. Get security tool SpyHunter downloaded and installed to your computer

Step 2. Run SpyHunter to scan for this browser hijacker
Click "Start New Scan" button to scan your computer

Step 3. Get rid of all detected items by clicking "Fix Threats" button

Part Two: For Mac OS

Remove startsearch.org Manually from Your Mac

Step 1. Quit the app that generates the malicious processes

Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu, or press Command + Option + Esc together to open the Force Quit Applications window to do this.

Step 2. Uninstall unwanted/suspicious application that might be the initiator of the evil

Step 3. Access hidden Library folder, locate junk files and then delete them

a) To access the ~/Library folder, hold down the Option key while looking at the Go menu in Finder.



b) Delete related files. You need to check numerous system folders for obscure files such as:

/System/Library/Frameworks/v.framework
/System/Library/Frameworks/VSearch.framework
/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/Jack
/Library/InputManagers/CTLoader/
~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/TroviNPAPIPlugin.plugin
/Applications/SearchProtect.app
/Applications/InstallMac
~/Library/Application Support/com.genieoinnovation.Installer/

And some of the file names may vary. You can narrow the search to specific folders or search your whole Mac

Step 4. Reset Safari

a) Open your Safari browser from the dock.
b) Click on Safari in your Safari menu at the top of your screen.
c) A drop-down menu will now appear. Choose the option labeled “Reset Safari…”

Warning: Care must be given when you are following this step. Don't empty your Trash until you've determined that everything is working OK, in case you need to restore something you deleted by accident. If you are not confident in doing the manual removal by yourself, you could think about using the utility software suite for Mac OS - MacKeeper.

Clean up startsearch.org Automatically with MacKeeper

*** MacKeeper - a choice of millions can help protect and maintain you system with features such as Mac Security, Data Control, Cleaning, Optimization. *** With its Geek on Demand feature, you could contact an operator for asking technical related questions or troubleshooting other problems which are not directly related to Mackeeper.

Step 1. Download malware security suite - MacKeeper to your Mac.

Step 2. After activating this suite, you could enable Internet Security and anti-theft features to deal with the target malware.



Step 3. Scan your Mac and fix the issue.

MacKeeper has enhanced components, including Anti-theft and ‘human assistance’ function, with which you could contact technical expert via the software interface easily without looking for support numbers or email addresses.

Special Tips :

Anything taking a hand in your browsing and messing up things like startsearch.org should be stopped timely. If you are puzzled by the manual removal steps, you could feel free to get assistance from SpyHunter (For Win OS) or MacKeeper (For Mac).

The recommended free scanners are for malware detection only. If you need its automatic removal function after it detects the threats, you could consider paying for and activating the removal function to fix the issue efficiently!