Richard Thomas
Level 1 (4 points)
Notebooks

Q: Advanced Mac Cleaner

I have apparently inadvertently installed Advanced Mac Cleaner in my MacBook Pro...I think it was in with a FlashPlayer update. How do I get rid of it. I have looked in my Spotlight, but it doesn't show up. Thanks

OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on May 26, 2016 1:34 PM

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Richard Thomas

Q: Advanced Mac Cleaner

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  • Helpful answers

  • by dominic23,Helpful

    dominic23 dominic23 May 26, 2016 9:35 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 8 (41,443 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 26, 2016 9:35 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    1. Use free  Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac to remove adware

     

         https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/

     

       Download, install , open,  and run it by clicking “Scan for Adware” button   to remove adware.

       Once done, quit Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

     

       or

     

       Remove the adware manually by following the “HowTo” from Apple.

       http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987

     

     

    2. Disable Extensions and test.

     

     

        Safari > Preferences > Extensions

        Disable all extensions and test.

        Enable Extensions one by one and test.

        To uninstall any extension, select it and click the “Uninstall” button.

     

     

    3. Safari > Preferences >  Search > Search Engine :

         Deselect and select your preferred   search engine.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer May 26, 2016 2:40 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 6 (14,194 points)
    Desktops
    May 26, 2016 2:40 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    If you need Adobe Flash Player, be sure to get it direct from the Adobe site;

    avoid popup prompts from odd web site offerings that can move you to an

    impostor site and then load your Mac with something else with junkware in it.

     

    • Adobe Flash Player for Mac - Adobe Flash Help:

    https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html

     

    Installation problems for Mac OS

     

    • For Firefox on any OS, see Enable Flash Player for Firefox.

    • For Safari on Mac OS, see Enable Flash Player for Safari.

     

    While I don't have an overwhelming need for Flash Player, I do look for sites

    that support and implement HTML5 instead of Flash. There really isn't any

    content to me, worth viewing, that involves having to install Flash Player.

     

    Removing troublesome problems can be a result, to include removing those

    'mac cleaner' mistakes that people buy into, that can destroy their Mac OS X.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt May 26, 2016 9:33 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 8 (48,346 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 26, 2016 9:33 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    Please read Beware bogus Adobe Flash "installers".

  • by Richard Thomas,

    Richard Thomas Richard Thomas May 26, 2016 9:38 PM in response to dominic23
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    May 26, 2016 9:38 PM in response to dominic23

    Have to admit I was a little goosey about installing another program to uninstall the malware. I tried the Apple solution about restarting El Capitan, which I understood would find the malware and uninstall/remove it. That didn't work. I searched around and found the malware in Applications. Dragged it to the trash, emptied the trash, and restarted. Malware gone. I'll have to be more careful in the future. Thanks for the assistance/advice.

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. May 27, 2016 4:37 AM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 7 (30,889 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 27, 2016 4:37 AM in response to Richard Thomas

    You should note that dragging the Advanced Mac Cleaner app to the trash does not completely remove it. Also, if you installed a bogus Adobe Flash Player update, which it sounds like you did, it's extremely unlikely that Advanced Mac Cleaner was the only nasty thing installed. You've probably got some adware lurking on your system as well.