hannnnnah.

Q: how do I remove ChatZum (it came up after installing VLC)? :(

I recently installed VLC and my searches in safari began using chatzum. I changed the search provider to google but that just brings me to the google homepage when i type something into my search bar not googling what I have typed in. HELPPP?!

MacBook Pro

Posted on Apr 15, 2013 7:39 PM

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Q: how do I remove ChatZum (it came up after installing VLC)? :(

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  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 16, 2013 6:44 PM in response to ler4_war
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 16, 2013 6:44 PM in response to ler4_war

    *let me just say that I got my chatzum by installing UNRAR from softonic

     

    Verified! Looks like this is a Softonic issue, and they're inserting adware into multiple other apps. That's a major issue, and I'll be planning to make sure as many folks know about that as possible.

  • by ler4_war,

    ler4_war ler4_war Apr 16, 2013 6:49 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 16, 2013 6:49 PM in response to thomas_r.

    What a first MAC experience for me.. I decided to switch from windows to mac. I have been a windows user since the 90's. But I do have an iphone, ipod touch, and an ipad. And I suddenly realized I should do the full switch to Mac. Got my first 13 rMBP yesterday, and boom after few hours of use --chatzum--... whew...

     

    Hmmm maybe I was too hyped thinking that MAC are a lot safer compared to Windows... Oh well..

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 16, 2013 6:59 PM in response to ler4_war
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 16, 2013 6:59 PM in response to ler4_war

    They are a lot safer (see my Mac Malware Guide), provided that you don't download stuff from crap sites like Softonic. Unfortunately, that sort of thing is a good way to get crap software on your comptuer, no matter what OS it's running. Fortunately, ChatZum is not actually malware, and as such, isn't that difficult to remove without consequences.

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 16, 2013 7:17 PM in response to ler4_war
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 16, 2013 7:17 PM in response to ler4_war

    just missed it by half an hour.. Darn!!!

     

    LOL... Sorry I wasn't faster!

  • by ler4_war,

    ler4_war ler4_war Apr 16, 2013 9:51 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 16, 2013 9:51 PM in response to thomas_r.

    Hey Thomas something came up and it definitely turned out perfect!! Okay here it goes:

     

    On my lunch break this morning I decided to restore my MAC into its original factory settings (having it bought yesterday), I hit com+R and followed the instructions, It says that it was downloading and would take 2.5hours to finish, so what I did was to come back work and finish the restore factory settings when I get back home.

     

    **and that's when I saw your mail, and said I just missed your link by half an hour..

     

    Now as I got home, I checked on the computer and all I saw was the login page with my username on it (weird!) I was thinking that it should have been on the setup or the next part after downloading the OS. So i opened up safari (chatzum) was still there, opened your site, did all your stuff and boom chatzum is all gone. All my files are still here and thank goodness I wont have to recopy my pics,documents,videos,etc which took me 3hours yesterday.

     

    Thomas would you be able to tell what happened? Why didnt it proceed to the next step of installation of OS?

     

    Thanks!

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 17, 2013 3:13 AM in response to ler4_war
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2013 3:13 AM in response to ler4_war

    I decided to restore my MAC into its original factory settings (having it bought yesterday), I hit com+R and followed the instructions

     

    Ahh, that doesn't restore to factory settings! That simply reinstalls the OS, installing new files right on top of the old ones and leaving everything else the same. In order to do what you were intending to do, you'd have to erase the hard drive with Disk Utility first (while started up in recovery mode).

  • by Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad,

    Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad Apr 17, 2013 6:26 AM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2013 6:26 AM in response to thomas_r.

    Hey Thomas,

     

    Appreciate if you could help me out. I'm pretty new to Mac Software and i couldnt find the location of the SIMBL file. I use the "search" button, but it wasnt detecting any "SIMBL" file. I've tried to look into the Library folder, but it wasnt in it. I'm able to see the SIMBL activity in the Activity Monitor but i just couldnt locate the SIMBL file in the system. I've managed to remove the zako internet plugins though.

     

    Thanks!

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 17, 2013 6:59 AM in response to Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2013 6:59 AM in response to Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad

    Are you referring to these files from my removal instructions?

     

    /Library/Application Support/SIMBL/
    /Library/LaunchAgents/net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist
    /Library/ScriptingAdditions/SIMBL.osax

     

    If so, you will find all those in the Library folder at the root level of your hard drive, not the one in your user folder or in the System folder. You can quickly go to that Library folder by choosing Go -> Go to Folder in the Finder (or press command-shift-G) and enter "/Library" (without the quotes), then press the Go button.

  • by Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad,

    Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad Apr 17, 2013 7:19 AM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2013 7:19 AM in response to thomas_r.

    Yeayyy! Thomas, you're awesome. Problem solved, thanks to you! I was just stressing out about it just now. Thanks again!

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 17, 2013 7:25 AM in response to Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2013 7:25 AM in response to Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad

    Glad to hear it! (Not that you were stressing, that the problem is solved!)

  • by jostlyn,

    jostlyn jostlyn Apr 17, 2013 3:26 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2013 3:26 PM in response to thomas_r.

    I had this same problem this morning. I was going through all the steps to remove the files in my library folder and I have NONE of the files. None. I deleted the chatzum uninstaller package and I deleted the VLC player, but I didn't have any of the files in my library. I didn't have the extension in my Safari preferences either in the beginning. Yet I still have the chatzum "search chatzum" in my toolbar? Also, I'm confused, did I need to just do that to fix it or am I also needing to reinstal my os? I'm on the new Macbook Pro so there is no discs that came with my mac like my old one... am I needing to wipe everything clean?

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 17, 2013 4:40 PM in response to jostlyn
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2013 4:40 PM in response to jostlyn

    I think you're looking in the wrong Library folder. See my earlier response to Khairunnisa Abang Ahmad.

  • by ler4_war,

    ler4_war ler4_war Apr 17, 2013 6:08 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2013 6:08 PM in response to thomas_r.

    Thomas, so when did this chatzum originally start affecting mac OS...? It looks like a pretty new malware...

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 17, 2013 6:39 PM in response to ler4_war
    Level 7 (30,929 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2013 6:39 PM in response to ler4_war

    I had not heard of it before this. Looks like the chatzum.com domain was registered on October 30, 2011, for what that's worth.

  • by SoftonicCS,

    SoftonicCS SoftonicCS Apr 22, 2013 8:16 AM in response to hannnnnah.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 22, 2013 8:16 AM in response to hannnnnah.

    Hi Hannah,

     

    My name is Maurice and I work for Softonic’s Customer Support team.

     

    I´m very sorry about your experience with your VLC media player download.

    As the biggest multiplatform software guide in the world, we are always trying new services to give our users the most complete software experience in each platform.  In this case, we were testing an Installer for Mac on selected software and thanks to your post and other users information, we have immediately stopped the distribution of this installer until our provider corrects the error.

     

    To fix the bug where some users have had their default search changed to ChatZum even if they opted out of the toolbar installation or had difficulties uninstalling the toolbar, please follow these uninstall instructions to ensure that the default ChatZum search is removed: http://support.softonic.com/index.php?/english/Knowledgebase/Article/View/425/35 /how-to-uninstall-chatzum-search-and-toolbar-for-mac

     

    Please let me know if this has solved your problem and do not hesitate to contact us through the following link if you have any more questions or doubts:

    http://support.softonic.com/index.php?/english/Tickets/Submit/

     

    Kind regards,

     

    Maurice

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