ActiveSearch is an Internet Explorer search toolbar. ActiveSearch may launch pop-up advertisements, monitor your Internet activity, track your search requests, and report this information to its parent server. ActiveSearch may come bundled with various ad-supported software, or adware. ActiveSearch launches every time you open Internet Explorer. ActiveSearch may be related to 411Ferret.

Do You Have ActiveSearch?

When you’re infected with badware — whether it’s ActiveSearch, spyware, adware, a Trojan, or a virus — there are a few key symptoms. Have you noticed…

• Slow computer performance: It just takes one parasite like ActiveSearch to slow your computer dramatically. If your PC takes longer than usual to reboot, or if your Internet connection is unusually slow, you may be infected with ActiveSearch.
• New desktop shortcuts or switched homepage: Badware like ActiveSearch may change your Internet settings to redirect your homepage to another site. Badware can even add desktop shortcuts to your PC.
• Annoying popups: Badware can bombard your computer with popup ads, even when you’re not online. Through these popups, you may be tricked into downloading more spyware.

How to Remove ActiveSearch Manually

Before we get started, you should backup your system and your registry, so it’ll be easy to restore your computer if anything goes wrong.

To remove ActiveSearch manually, you need to delete ActiveSearch files. Not sure how to delete ActiveSearch files? Click here, and I’ll show you. Otherwise, go ahead and…

Unregister ActiveSearch registry keys:

Remove ActiveSearch DLLs:

Delete ActiveSearch files:

Note: In any ActiveSearch files I mention above, “%UserProfile%” is a variable referring to your current user’s profile folder. If you’re using Windows NT/2000/XP, by default this is “C:\Documents and Settings\[CURRENT USER]” (e.g., “C:\Documents and Settings\JoeSmith”). If you have any questions about manual ActiveSearch removal, go ahead and leave a comment.

How Do You Remove ActiveSearch Files?

Need help figuring out how to delete ActiveSearch files? While there’s some risk involved, and you should only manually remove ActiveSearch files if you’re comfortable editing your system, you’ll find it’s fairly easy to delete ActiveSearch files in Windows.

How to delete ActiveSearch files in Windows XP and Vista:

1. Click your Windows Start menu, and then click “Search.”
2. A speech bubble will pop up asking you, “What do you want to search for?” Click “All files and folders.”
3. Type a ActiveSearch file in the search box, and select “Local Hard Drives.”
4. Click “Search.” Once the file is found, delete it.

How to stop ActiveSearch processes:

1. Click the Start menu, select Run.
2. Type taskmgr.exe into the the Run command box, and click “OK.” You can also launch the Task Manager by pressing keys CTRL + Shift + ESC.
3. Click Processes tab, and find ActiveSearch processes.
4. Once you’ve found the ActiveSearch processes, right-click them and select “End Process” to kill ActiveSearch.

How to remove ActiveSearch registry keys:

Because your registry is such a key piece of your Windows system, you should always backup your registry before you edit it. Editing your registry can be intimidating if you’re not a computer expert, and when you change or a delete a critical registry key or value, there’s a chance you may need to reinstall your entire system. Make sure your backup your registry before editing it.

1. Select your Windows menu “Start,” and click “Run.” An “Open” field will appear. Type “regedit” and click “OK” to open up your Registry Editor.
2. Registry Editor will open as a window with two panes. The left side Registry Editor’s window lets you select various registry keys, and the right side displays the registry values of the registry key you select.
3. To find a registry key, such as any ActiveSearch registry keys, select “Edit,” then select “Find,” and in the search bar type any of ActiveSearch’s registry keys.
4. As soon as ActiveSearch registry key appears, you can delete the ActiveSearch registry key by right-clicking it and selecting “Modify,” then clicking “Delete.”

How to delete ActiveSearch DLL files:

1. First locate ActiveSearch DLL files you want to delete. Open your Windows Start menu, then click “Run.” Type “cmd” in Run, and click “OK.”
2. To change your current directory, type “cd” in the command box, press your “Space” key, and enter the full directory where the ActiveSearch DLL file is located. If you’re not sure if the ActiveSearch DLL file is located in a particular directory, enter “dir” in the command box to display a directory’s contents. To go one directory back, enter “cd ..” in the command box and press “Enter.”
3. When you’ve located the ActiveSearch DLL file you want to remove, type “regsvr32 /u SampleDLLName.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 /u jl27script.dll”) and press your “Enter” key.

That’s it. If you want to restore any ActiveSearch DLL file you removed, type “regsvr32 DLLJustDeleted.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 jl27script.dll”) into your command box, and press your “Enter” key.

Did ActiveSearch change your homepage?

1. Click Windows Start menu > Control Panel > Internet Options.
2. Under Home Page, select the General > Use Default.
3. Type in the URL you want as your home page (e.g., “http://www.homepage.com”).
4. Select Apply > OK.
5. You’ll want to open a fresh web page and make sure that your new default home page pops up.

ActiveSearch Removal Tip

Is your computer acting funny after deleting any ActiveSearch files? I recommend using a program like File Recover from PC Tools. File Recover saves deleted files that otherwise can’t be recovered by Windows operating sytem.

Want to save time finding ActiveSearch files? Download Spyware Doctor, let it find the ActiveSearch files for you, and then manually delete ActiveSearch files.

How Did You Get ActiveSearch?

Wondering how ActiveSearch ended up on your PC? If you’re infected with ActiveSearch or other badware, perhaps you were using…

• Freeware or shareware: Did you download and install shareware or freeware? These low-cost or free software applications may come bundled with spyware, adware, or programs like ActiveSearch. Sometimes adware is attached to the free software to “pay” developers for the cost of creating the software, and more often spyware is secretly attached to free software to harm your computer and steal your personal and financial information.
• Peer-to-peer software: Do you use a peer-to-peer (P2P) program or other application with a shared network? When you use these applications, you put your system at risk for unknowingly downloading an infected file, including applications like ActiveSearch.
• Questionable websites: Did you visit a website that’s of questionable nature? When you visit malicious sites that are fishy and phishy, badware may be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer, sometimes including applications like ActiveSearch. I recommend you use Firefox web browser, if you don’t already.

Understanding ActiveSearch

If you’re infected with ActiveSearch, you should know what you’re fighting. I’ll explain some definitions related to ActiveSearch.

ActiveSearch May Be Adware

Adware is software designed to promote advertisements. Often, free utilities may install hidden adware, sometimes to earn money for the author to recover development costs. While adware is not always malicious, it can track your Internet activity and send this and other personal information from your computer to advertisers. When advertisers get this information, you may be a target for pop-up/pop-under advertisements, web browser toolbars, and spam.