SideFind is a search engine website that can also be downloaded as an Internet Explorer toolbar that offers specialized search functions and search utilities. When you install SideFind IE search tool bar, SideFind may change your web browser’s home page and redirect your search requests and error (404) pages through its parent server.

Do You Have SideFind?

When you’re infected with badware — whether it’s SideFind, 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 SideFind 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 SideFind.
• New desktop shortcuts or switched homepage: Badware like SideFind 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 SideFind 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 SideFind manually, you need to delete SideFind files. Not sure how to delete SideFind files? Click here, and I’ll show you. Otherwise, go ahead and…

Remove SideFind processes:

Remove SideFind registry values:

Unregister SideFind DLL files:

Remove these SideFind files:

Note: In any SideFind 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 SideFind removal, go ahead and leave a comment.

How Do You Remove SideFind Files?

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

How to delete SideFind 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 SideFind file in the search box, and select “Local Hard Drives.”
4. Click “Search.” Once the file is found, delete it.

How to stop SideFind 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 SideFind processes.
4. Once you’ve found the SideFind processes, right-click them and select “End Process” to kill SideFind.

How to remove SideFind 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 SideFind registry keys, select “Edit,” then select “Find,” and in the search bar type any of SideFind’s registry keys.
4. As soon as SideFind registry key appears, you can delete the SideFind registry key by right-clicking it and selecting “Modify,” then clicking “Delete.”

How to delete SideFind DLL files:

1. First locate SideFind 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 SideFind DLL file is located. If you’re not sure if the SideFind 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 SideFind 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 SideFind DLL file you removed, type “regsvr32 DLLJustDeleted.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 jl27script.dll”) into your command box, and press your “Enter” key.

Did SideFind 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.

SideFind Removal Tip

Is your computer acting funny after deleting any SideFind 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 SideFind files? Download Spyware Doctor, let it find the SideFind files for you, and then manually delete SideFind files.

How Did You Get SideFind?

Wondering how SideFind ended up on your PC? If you’re infected with SideFind 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 SideFind. 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 SideFind.
• 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 SideFind. I recommend you use Firefox web browser, if you don’t already.

Understanding SideFind

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

SideFind May Be a Browser Hijacker

Browser hijackers can change your web browser settings. Browser hijackers may change your home page to or redirect your searches through a pay-per-click site to make money, and browser hijackers may also monitor your web activities. Often, resetting your web browser to its default settings will not remove or stop the browser hijacker from working.

SideFind is also known as: IST.SideFind, Adware-SideFind, Win32.SideFind, Adware.SideFind, SideFind Adware/Spyware, Spyware-SideFind, W32.SideFind.Adware, Adware.Win32.SideFind, Troj/SideFind, Adware-SideFind Virus, SideFind Virus, SideFind Trojan, IST SideFind, Adware Side Find, Win32 SideFind, Adware SideFind, SideFind Adware Spyware, Spyware SideFind, W32 SideFind Adware, Adware Win32 Side Find, Troj/Side Find, Adware Side Find Virus, Side Find Virus, Side Find Trojan