Windows PC Aid

What is Windows PC Aid and how to remove it?

Windows PC Aid is jet another fake antivirus program for "FakeVimes" family of rogue applications. This is a malicious software which is created and distributed by Internet criminals who are making money from unsuspecting computer users who fall for the trickery shown by this bogus program and purchases it's licence key. Misleading strategy used by Windows PC Aid includes displaying fake security scans and warning messages, this rogue application also modifies your operating system's registry and sets itself to run on every system start-up. All of the fake antivirus programs from this family are using the same user interface, if you have noticed a similar security program on your computer which ask you to pay for it's licence key in order to remove security threats you can be sure that you are dealing with a rogue software which shouldn't be trusted. To spread Windows PC Aid cyber criminals are using fake online security scans and warning pop-ups which shows fake information in order to trick PC users into downloading this program. When installed on your computer using trickery Windows PC Aid will make your work with computer almost impossible, you will be constantly interrupted by warning messages and security scans which indicates serious security threats supposedly detected on your PC. If you click on "Remove All" button in this program you will be asked to activate "ultimate protection" in order to remove all the found security issues.

You shouldn't pay for Windows PC Aid - you will send your money to Internet criminals who are responsible for releasing this scam and your computer will still be infected. This program is a variant of it's previous versions called Windows Safety Wizard, Windows TurnKey Console, Windows Malware Firewall. Notice that this software doesn't actually scan your computer for security infections, this process is imitated to scare you into thinking that your PC is infected. This malicious software doesn't have a virus definition database, it relies on generated scan results and warning messages to accomplish it's misleading task of selling you it's useless licence key. Ignore all the information displayed by Windows PC Aid and eliminate it from your PC.

Windows PC Aid generates such fake warning messages:

"Warning! Virus Detected Threat detected: FTP Server Infected file: C:\Windows\System32\dllcache\wmploc.dll"

"Warning! Identity theft attempt Detected Hidden connection IP: 58.82.12.124 Target: Your passwords for sites"

"Error Key-logger activity detected. System information security is at risk. It is recommended to activate protection and run a full system scan"

Windows PC Aid removal:

Before downloading the remover for Windows PC Aid click a question mark icon at the top of the main window of this program, choose "Activate Now" and enter this registration code: 0W000-000B0-00T00-E0020 This will enable blocked Windows functions and will make the further removal process much easier, after entering the activation code continue to downloading the spyware remover.

remover for Windows PC Aid

If you can't download or run spyware remover try running registry fix (link below). It enables execution of programs. download registryfix.reg file, double click it, click YES and then OK.

Manual Windows PC Aid removal instructions:

Step 1
Start your computer in safe mode. Click Start, then click Shut down. Select Restart and click OK. During your computer starting process press F8 key on your keyboard multiple times until Windows Advanced Options menu shows up, then select Safe mode with networking from the list and press ENTER.

Step 2

Now we need to remove proxy settings. Windows PC Aid adds a proxy to your Internet connection settings to show various errors when you try to access Internet. To do this, open Internet explorer, click Tools and select Internet Options. Then select the "Connections" tab.

In the "Connections" tab, click LAN settings, if a "Use a proxy server for your LAN" is checked, uncheck it and press OK.

Step 3
Download HijackThis and save it on your desktop. Some malicious programs are able to block HijackThis so when you click the download link, in the Save dialog rename HijackThis.exe to iexplore.exe and only then click the Save button. After saving the file on your desktop, double click it. In the main HijackThis window click “Do a system scan only” button. Select these entries (place a tick at the left of the entry):

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Inspector] %AppData%\Protector.exe (Protector.exe file may have 3 or more random characters at the end of it's file name like ProtectionGQY.exe)

After selecting required entries, click "Fix Checked" and these entries will be removed. After this procedure you can close HijackThis and proceed to the next removal step.

Step 4
Download a legitimate anti-spyware software to fully remove Windows PC Aid from your computer.

Step 5
After removing Windows PC Aid, you will need to reset your Hosts file. Don't skip this step, this malware modifies your Hosts files, and you will encounter browser redirect problems if malicious entries will not be removed from hosts file.

Hosts file is used to resolve some canonical names of websites to IP addresses. When it is changed, the user may be redirected to malicious site still seeing good URL in address bar. It is very hard to find out if the site is genuine or not, when hosts file is modified. To fix this, please download Microsoft Fix It tool, that restores your hosts file to Windows default. Run this tool when downloaded and follow the on-screen instructions. Download link below:

Finish
After doing all these steps your computer should be clean. Windows PC Aid will be removed.

Other tools known to remove Windows PC Aid:

• iS3 STOPzilla
• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Some malicious software modifies browser settings and disables downloads of spyware and virus removing software. If you have problems downloading anti-spyware software with Internet Explorer, try downloading with Chrome, FireFox, Opera, etc.

If you can't access Internet:

Load your computer in safe mode. Click Start, click Shut down, click Restart, click OK. During your computer starting process press F8 key on your keyboard multiple times until you see Windows Advanced Option menu, then select Safe mode with networking from the list.

Start Task manager. Press ctrl+alt+del (or ctrl+shift+esc) and end task the processes of rogue program. ( if after this procedure you can't access any programs press ctrl+alt+del, click File, select New Task, and type explorer.exe then press OK.

Open Internet explorer, click Tools and select Internet Options. Select Connections, then click LAN settings, if a Use a proxy server for your LAN is checked, un-check it and press OK.

After this procedure you should be able to access Internet. Now you can download anti-spyware software from our "Top spyware removers" section and run a full scan. Download, install and don't forget to update your selected anti-spyware program. Then run a full system scan.

Manual Windows PC Aid removal:

If you were unable to remove Windows PC Aid using the steps above, you can use this manual removal instruction. Use it at your own risk. If you don't have strong computer knowledge you could harm your operating system. Be careful and use it only if you are an experienced computer user. (Instructions on how to end processes, remove registry entries...)

End these Windows PC Aid processes:

random.exe
Protector.exe (Protector.exe file may have 3 or more random characters at the end of it's file name like ProtectionGQY.exe)

Remove these Windows PC Aid registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\_avp32.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\ashLogV.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\beagle.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\jedi.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\msa.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\ntvdm.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\rav7.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\spoler.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\vir-help.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\wupdt.exe
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "WarnOnHTTPSToHTTPRedirect" = 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System "DisableRegedit" = 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System "DisableRegistryTools" = 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System "DisableTaskMgr" = 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "Inspector"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings "net

Delete these Windows PC Aid files:

%StartMenu%\Programs\Windows PC Aid.lnk
%AppData%\Protector.exe (NOTE: this file may have various symbols at the end of it's name. Look for the similar file name pattern and remove it)
%AppData%\result.db
%Desktop%\Windows PC Aid.lnk

Other tips, that might help remove Windows PC Aid

• If you can't download anti-spyware software: Click on the download link, when the save dialog opens change the file name (example: when downloading mbam-setup.exe rename it to iexplore.exe).
• If you have installed anti-spyware program but you can't run it do the following steps:
• Click Run, type %ProgramFiles% and press Enter. Open folder of your anti-spyware program, search for executable file and rename it. (example: Open Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware folder, right-click on the main executable file (mbam.exe) then click rename. Rename the mbam.exe file to iexplore.exe, winlogon.exe firefox.exe or other known executable file.
• If you can't access your anti-spyware software, try creating a new user account:
  Click Start -> Settings -> Control panel.
  Click User Accounts and create a new account.
  Reboot your computer and log in using a newly created user account.
  After this procedure you should be able to access your anti-spyware programs. Update and run a full system scan.