JaneWillis

Q: How can I get Genieo off my MacBook Pro?

Genieo program.  How to get this off my macbook pro?

iOS 6.1.1

Posted on Feb 17, 2013 10:30 AM

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Q: How can I get Genieo off my MacBook Pro?

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  • by Genieo support,

    Genieo support Genieo support Apr 21, 2013 12:39 AM in response to Ti Creative
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Apr 21, 2013 12:39 AM in response to Ti Creative

    Hi Ti,

    Can you please post a print screen of this fake adobe with the link to Genieo.

    We do not work with adobe and would like to investigate it.

    Thanks

  • by lawrenceofthedesert,

    lawrenceofthedesert lawrenceofthedesert May 17, 2013 7:53 AM in response to Genieo support
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 17, 2013 7:53 AM in response to Genieo support

    Today I was watching the Giro d'Italia.  The screen was covered by a Flash PlayerHD logo and a message saying that I needed the Flash PlayerHD to watch the bike race.  But when I clicked on the download button, I got "Install Genieo" instead.  The Genieo troll is lying.

  • by danpat03,

    danpat03 danpat03 Oct 4, 2013 12:34 AM in response to Genieo support
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 4, 2013 12:34 AM in response to Genieo support

    Your instructions worked the first time I tried, and, mind you, I tried many times to delete Geneio from my Applications folder prior to reading your support. Thank you, and, while I'm sure Geneio has its merits, its obtrusiveness during my online work, and, subsequently, the difficulty I had in removing it have made me fearful of it.

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Oct 4, 2013 3:19 AM in response to danpat03
    Level 7 (30,934 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 4, 2013 3:19 AM in response to danpat03

    Note that there have been new developments since this discussion began. Genieo is now known to leave some things behind when you uninstall it according to their directions. Open Activity Monitor... do you see a process named "Application"? If so, that's a component of Genieo left behind by the uninstaller.

  • by Keith Gardner1,

    Keith Gardner1 Keith Gardner1 Oct 18, 2013 7:32 PM in response to Genieo support
    Level 2 (228 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 18, 2013 7:32 PM in response to Genieo support

    I'm pretty certain no one would install it on purpose. I really despise crackers who figure out ways to trick people into "clicking here" for something they think they want, only to spend valuable time trying to find out how to get rid of the sh*t. Why not get an honest job? No, Genieo is not in my app folder, and the Genieo folks know that that's not a requirement for it to be there. No, it's not my home page or my selected search engine. Nevertheless, when I type something into the url bar in Safari, what shows up but Genieo.

     

    I'm working to eradicate it now, and would never recommend anyone to contact a scammer for how to undo his scam.

  • by danpat03,

    danpat03 danpat03 Oct 19, 2013 1:08 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2013 1:08 PM in response to thomas_r.

    Thank you. I went to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor and found that there was no "Application." If I had, would there have been a way to remove? (just curious for future problems)

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Oct 19, 2013 3:24 PM in response to danpat03
    Level 7 (30,934 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 19, 2013 3:24 PM in response to danpat03

    there was no "Application." If I had, would there have been a way to remove? (just curious for future problems)

     

    Yup. See the removal instructions here:

     

    Malicious Genieo installers persist

  • by Jake alley,

    Jake alley Jake alley Jan 18, 2014 5:39 AM in response to JaneWillis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2014 5:39 AM in response to JaneWillis

    How do I take genio off my search engine on a MacBook?

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Jan 18, 2014 8:31 AM in response to Jake alley
    Level 7 (30,934 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 18, 2014 8:31 AM in response to Jake alley
  • by Zymurgist II,

    Zymurgist II Zymurgist II Feb 20, 2014 2:30 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 20, 2014 2:30 PM in response to thomas_r.

    I was following your steps to remove Genio from my macbook and I found the launchd.conf file and removed it to the trash, however, I couldn't locate any of these files from step 3. 

    /Applications/Genieo

    /Applications/Uninstall Genieo

    /Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieoinnovation.macextension.plist

    /Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieoinnovation.macextension.client.plist

    /Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieo.engine.plist

    /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.genieoinnovation.macextension.client

    /usr/lib/libgenkit.dylib

    /usr/lib/libimckit.dylib

    /usr/lib/libimckitsa.dylib

    Is it ok to empty the launchd.conf file from the trash?

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Feb 20, 2014 2:37 PM in response to Zymurgist II
    Level 7 (30,934 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 20, 2014 2:37 PM in response to Zymurgist II

    Is it ok to empty the launchd.conf file from the trash?

     

    Yes. The reverse - deleting certain of those other files without deleting the launchd.conf file - would be bad, but this isn't a problem. Just be absolutely sure you're looking in the right places.

  • by Zymurgist II,

    Zymurgist II Zymurgist II Feb 20, 2014 2:51 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 20, 2014 2:51 PM in response to thomas_r.

    Thank you Thomas,

    I seached for them on finder, the same place I found the launchd.conf file.  I'll check it again to be sure.

    Scott

  • by ahallaha,

    ahallaha ahallaha Mar 7, 2014 5:58 PM in response to Genieo support
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 7, 2014 5:58 PM in response to Genieo support

    Baloney!  I was asked to update Flash Player and then there you were - infecting my macbookpro.  I uninstalled

    genieo - but cannot get rid of you and everytime i search for something - there you are!  You are an uninvited guest.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Mar 7, 2014 6:18 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 10 (208,032 points)
    Applications
    Mar 7, 2014 6:18 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Since people are still finding this very old thread and replying to it, instead of starting a new one as they should, I'll update my comment with newer information that I didn't have more than a year ago.

    I suggest the tedious procedure below to disable Genieo.

    Back up all data. You must know how to restore from a backup even if the system becomes unbootable. If you don't know how to do that, or if you don't have any backups, stop here and ask for guidance.

    Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

    /etc/launchd.conf

    Right-click or control-click the line and select

    Services Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)

    from the contextual menu.

    If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select

    Go Go to Folder...

    from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

    A folder may open with a file selected, or the file may not exist, in which case you'll get a message that it can't be found. If it does exist, it's a configuration file created or replaced by the Genieo installer. Any software installer that does this should be considered ipso facto malware. Move the file to the Trash. You'll be prompted for your administrator password. Then restart, empty the Trash, and continue as below.

    IMPORTANT: If the launchd.conf file exists, you must move it to the Trash and restart before continuing. Otherwise the system may become unbootable. In that case, restore from your backup and start over. That's how badly Genieo has sabotaged your system. If you're not completely sure you can complete this step, stop here and ask for guidance.

    Once you have trashed the launchd.conf file and restarted, or verified that the file doesn't exist, quit the Genieo application, if it's running. Force quit if necessary.

    Move each of these items to the Trash in the same way as above:

    /Applications/Genieo.app
    /Applications/Uninstall Genieo.app
    /Library/Frameworks/GenieoExtra.framework
    /Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieo.engine.plist
    /Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieoinnovation.macextension.plist
    /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.genieoinnovation.macextension.client.plist
    /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.genieoinnovation.macextension.client
    /usr/lib/libgenkit.dylib
    /usr/lib/libgenkitsa.dylib
    /usr/lib/libimckit.dylib
    /usr/lib/libimckitsa.dylib

    There's no need to restart after each one. Again, some of these items may be absent, in which case you'll get a message that the file can't be found. Skip that item and go on to the next one.

    Restart and empty the Trash. Don't try to empty the Trash until you have restarted.

    Your web browser(s) should now function normally, and you should be able to reset the home page and search engine. If not, stop here and post your results.

    From the Safari menu bar, select

    Safari Preferences... Extensions

    Uninstall any extensions you don't know you need, including ones called "Genieo" or "Omnibar," and any that have the word "Spigot" or "InstallMac" in the description. If in doubt, uninstall all extensions. Do the equivalent for the Firefox and Chrome browsers, if you use either of those.

    The Genieo installer may also install the "Silverlight" web plugin from Microsoft. If you have no use for that plugin, you can remove it according to Microsoft's instructions. Don't remove it if you subscribe to "Netflix" or any other video-streaming service that uses it.

    This procedure may leave a few files behind, but it should deactivate Genieo. Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install it. Chances are you got it from one of the Internet's open sewers such as "Softonic" or "CNET Download." Never visit either of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site.

    Finally, be forewarned that when Genieo is mentioned on this site, the developer sometimes shows up under the name "Genieo support." If that happens, don't believe anything he says, but feel free to tell him what you think of his scam.

  • by c_cake,

    c_cake c_cake Mar 12, 2014 6:01 PM in response to JaneWillis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 12, 2014 6:01 PM in response to JaneWillis

    Hi there Genieo,

     

    I really don't appreciate the fact that your "application" demands that I enter my password to "uninstall" it.  This application came in off of a YSFlight simulator recomentaion link from digital trends

    -> http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/best-free-flight-simulators/#!zuoAK

     

    Looks like I get to do a full system reinstall because of your app, because you are not getting my password. Thanks, I really wanted to waste my Wednesday evening doing this!

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