MetaCrawler redirect

MetaCrawler.com and Infospace.com - how to remove redirect to these websites?

MetaCrawler is a search engine that combines the search results from major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. While on the surface metacrawler could look like a legitimate project in reality the company that is behind it is using some shady methods to promote their websites (metacrawler and infospace). Recently we received a lot of complaints from our users that they were being redirected to the mentioned websites. Furthermore computer users should be very careful while using the search services provided by Metacrawler and Infospace - while the organic search results are legitimate (they come from reputable search engines) the sponsored results are organized by Metacrawler and these results are commonly leading to some shady software installation or misleading websites.

If you don't pay close attention on where you are clicking you could easily end up installing unwanted toolbars or some scammy software on your PC. Latest complains indicate that computer users are being redirected to fantastigames.metacrawler.com, this is one of the sub-domains of metacrawler.com If you have noticed that your Internet browsers redirect you to this website this means that your PC is infected with a redirect malware. It's highly advised to scan your computer with a legitimate antivirus and anti-spyware programs.

Most commonly such redirect infections infiltrate users computers while visiting malicious websites. To protect your computer from such incidents you should always use a legitimate antivirus and antispyware programs. You should also keep your installed programs and your operating system up-tp-date. If your computer is already infected with metacrawler redirect virus you should use the provided removal information to help you eliminate it from your PC.

MetaCrawler redirect removal:

Check if you have installed any software related to Metacrawler or Infospace.

Windows 7 users:

Click "Start" ("Windows Logo" in the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose "Control Panel". Locate and click "Programs and Features". Look for Metacrawler and Infospace related entries select them and click Uninstall.

Windows XP users:

Click "Start", choose "Settings" and click "Control Panel". Locate and click "Add or Remove Programs". Look for Metacrawler or Infospace related entries select them and click Remove.

After uninstalling Metacrawler and Infospace related software (toolbars etc.) it's recommended to scan your computer for any left unwanted components. To scan your computer use recommended anti-spyware program. Remove all of the entries that this software detects to make sure your PC is clean from any possible spyware and malware infections.

Scan your computer for possible malware infections

Check your Internet browsers for any possibly left Metacrawler extensions:

Remove Metacrawler from Internet Explorer:

Click "Tools" (or gear icon in Internet Explorer 9), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for Metacrawler related entries (Infospace, fantastigames etc.) and disable them.

Remove Metacrawler from Google Chrome:

Click on a wrench icon (top right of the screen), select "Tools" and click on "Extensions".  Locate any Metacrawler related entries, select them and click on a trash can icon.

Remove Metacrawler Toolbar from FireFox:

Click "Tools" (at the top of the window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and disable Metacrawler related entries

Manual Metacrawler removal:

If you were unable to remove Metacrawler 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...)

Remove these Metacrawler files:

%UserProfile%\Desktop\Fantastigames Toolbar.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Fantastigames Toolbar\
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Fantastigames Toolbar\Uninstall Fantastigames Toolbar.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Fantastigames Toolbar\Fantastigames Toolbar.lnk