Remove PUP.Optional.StartPage

PUP.Optional.StartPage is a detection name given by security program to classify a threat that was made to replace home page of Internet browser without user’s consent. This detection is not limited to a single adware, it encompass different family of adware that intends to override the home page with their own setup. Some anti-virus program may identify this threat as Adware.StartPage or Trojan.Win32.StartPage. Adware makers approach to force user into utilizing their product and services requires this method. What is deadly about this is user has no option to reverse whatever changes that PUP.Optional.StartPage has made on the browser.

One example act of this adware can be observe with browser hijackers like safe.v9.com and search-results.com. These adware enters the computer without user’s knowledge. They are packed to shareware that users download intentionally. Installing the program also configure PUP.Optional.StartPage items to be injected into the browser. It is added as browser extension, add-on, or plug-in.

Changes to the home page without your action confirm the presence of PUP.Optional.StartPage. Chrome and Firefox likewise affected by opening a new tab to an unknown URL as designed by the adware.

Adware StartPage

Implanting the code into the browser was carried out by PUP.Optional.StartPage in few simple steps. However, uninstalling what was dropped is a complex thing to do. Adware author intends to give user difficult way of removing PUP.Optional.StartPage from the computer.

How to Remove PUP.Optional.StartPage

Stage 1: Scan the Computer with ESET Rogue Application Remover (ERAR)

1. Download the free scanner called ESET Rogue Application Remover.
Download Link for ERAR (this will open a new window)

2. Choose appropriate version for your Windows System. Save the file to a convenient location, preferably on Desktop.

3. After downloading the file, Windows will prompt that download has completed. Click Run to start the program. Another option is to browse the location folder and double click on the file ERARemover_.exe.

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4. On ESET Rogue Application Remover SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS, click Accept to continue.

5. The tool will start scanning the computer. It will prompt when it finds PUP.Optional.StartPage and other malicious entities. Follow the prompt to proceed with the removal.

ERAR

Stage 2: Double-check for PUP.Optional.StartPage’ leftover with Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool

1. Download the free scanner called Malicious Software Removal Tool.
Malicious Software Removal Tool Download Link (this will open a new window)

download-msrt

2. The tool automatically checks the operating system and suggest appropriate download version. Click on Download button to begin. Save the file to a convenient location, preferably on Desktop.

3. After downloading the file, Windows will prompt that download has completed. Click Run to start scanning for PUP.Optional.StartPage. Another option is to browse the location folder and double click on the file to run.

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4. The tool will display Welcome screen, click Next. Please note the message “This tool is not a replacement for an antivirus product.” You must understand that this program is made specifically to find and remove malware, viruses, Trojans, and other harmful elements on the computer. It was not designed to protect the computer.

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5. Next, you will see Scan Type. Please choose Full Scan to ensure that all PUP.Optional.StartPage entities and other harmful files left on the computer will be found and removed. For advanced computer user, you can opt for Customized Scan, if there are other drives or folders you wanted to include in this scan.

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6. Full scan may take a while, please wait for Malicious Software Removal Tool to complete the tasks. However, you may cancel the scan anytime by clicking on the Cancel button.

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7. After scanning, the tool will reveal all identified threats. There may be other threats that our first scan fails to detect. Please remove/delete all detected items.

8. When removal procedure is complete, you may now close Malicious Software Removal Tool. We hope that PUP.Optional.StartPage have been completely deleted from the computer. Please restart Windows to proceed with the normal operation.

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