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MacKeeper/Zerobit Pop Up ad Problem

Can someone PLEASE tell me how to stop these MacKeeper/Zerobit pops from happening on my computer?

I've never used MacKeeper nor do I plan to ever use it now that this ad keeps popping up unwanted. What happens is I get this Mac "recommends" box that I have to click "Ok" for or completely quit Safari in order to get rid of it. Then there is this stupid ad for MacKeeper sitting there. I can seem to find anyway to get rid of it. Anyone else have this problem? Thanks.

17 inch MBP 2.66 ghz, 15 inch MBP, 21 inch iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 17, 2011 3:57 PM

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Posted on Mar 17, 2011 4:15 PM

It's a horrible little application without an uninstall utility ...

Make sure you remove all items on this list:

Applications/MacKeeper.app

In the System Library:
- /Library/Application Support/MacKeeper
- /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.AntiTheft.daemon
- /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.AntiVirus

In your User Library:
- /Users/yourname/Library/Preference/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper.plist
- /Users/yourname/Library/LaunchAgents/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper
- /Users/yourname/Library/Caches/com.zeobit.MacKeeper
- /Users/yourname/Library/LaunchAgents/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.Backup.agent
- /Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plist

If you get an error message that an item is in use and can't be moved/deleted open Activity Monitor and find the process and Force Quit then delete it.

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248 replies

Apr 9, 2012 6:26 AM in response to FIXYOURTHINKING

You should fix your thinking: you reply should be made by clicking the post that you want to reply to. I did not understand at all what you were talking about in replying to my post. 😉

The edits of the posts here are done by the moderator. They can be asked by participants in the thread when theyhave reached a certain level, or the moderator himself can take the initiative. The computer does it automatically, I think when you use the f*** words or such. I don't know what was changed/eliminated from your post.😎

Apr 10, 2012 10:55 AM in response to jornbear

jornbear wrote:


I read that they will attend at the macworld fair? boy i would like to show up and kick there B...s

They were there (it was in January) with a very large display surrounded by booth bimbo's handing out condoms with "ZeoBIT" logo's on them to anybody who walked by (including someone's thirteen year old daughter I was told).

Apr 22, 2012 7:12 PM in response to Browknee

Hello Brownkee,

I had this exact issue. I found the solution.

Open Safari, obviously this will immediatly open up MacKeeper AD.

Command W= closes window but leaves safari open.

Go to your toolbar and select Safari>Reset Safari. You will lose your entire history as well as your bookmarks but it will get rid of that pop under.

Then Wahlaa you beat the jerks at MacKeeper!

For some reason it completely overtakes your entire safari when you accidently stumble upon it but this works. Nothing that anyone said on here helped me because you needed to download a pop under blocker which obviously you can do if you cant access Safari or Firefox.

Good Luck! 🙂

Gabriella

Apr 25, 2012 12:42 PM in response to gabbyword

I'm surprised this discussion is still going on. Here's how I got rid of it... I CLeared all the cookies cache and everything else. Then I downloaded a free Safari extension called "adblock" from a reputable site like mac update or whatever. I installed it and switched it on and now I don't get any more MacKeeper ads. In fact I don't get any ads at all... and I'm fine with that.

Apr 29, 2012 6:36 AM in response to skhram

Thank you Skhram. Good simple solution that works.


To others: Don't get too excited about the doom and gloom about working in the terminal. Mere mortals can use it safely and effectively. Working in the hosts file is not "dangerous" in any common sense use of the term. Simply follow the instructions as Skhram laid out and you will be fine. If you mess up, you can restore the hosts file per his instructions.

Apr 29, 2012 8:03 AM in response to Manjiquaker

Mani: adblock is good but is does not block all MK ads. You can also (in addition) use Glimmerblocker (which uses a large filterlist),it is not a browser plugin and it operates through a proxy; after install you fing it in System Preferences. But Zeobit is very inventive in hacking webpages, so even both blockers do let an add through once in a while.

Boley, people not used to it should not use it, especially the sudo command can do harm. Also the hosts file should not be edited in place, as I explained. Also the addition does by long not block everything Zeobit.

May 28, 2012 1:51 AM in response to silverwing03

silverwing03 wrote:


I tried MacKeeper for free, but I later realized that this application couldn't be trusted, so I just got an application called AppCleaner, and it just deleted it permenantly for me.

I can just about guarantee that it did not, based on the experiences of the folks who have visited this site: http://applehelpwriter.com/2011/09/21/how-to-uninstall-mackeeper-malware/.

Aug 9, 2012 4:54 PM in response to iVmichael

Horrible indeed ...

I had the bad idea of trying it and the net result is that after 30 seconds a sort of black curtain comes down

and pop up windows tells me to restart the computer in 4 different languages. I can do nothing, let alone uninstall it

I am completeley stuck frustrating and fuming.

I want to know why Apple allows these guys to publicize their "product"

Is there any way out?

Aug 10, 2012 4:26 AM in response to Browknee

My Mac, too, was rendered essentially unusable by MacKeeper popups when I had installed nothing. I don't recall how I eluded them because it was many months ago, but I am writing to tell you that I managed to ward them off permanently by installing ghostery (http://www.ghostery.com/), a free browser plug-in that keeps MacKeeper popups and many other browser nasties at bay.


I have no affiliation with ghostery, and no idea what their business model is that provides such an incredible product for free, but it has kept my whole family's and business's web experience much cleaner since deploying it on all our Macs.


Ghostery's deafult settings have it pop up a brief (purple) alert window on every page you visit that tells you everything that the site is trying to do out of sight within your browser. I eventually found this annoying and easily located the setting to change so it doesn't display anymore.


Hope that helps everyone and isn't some form of malware in its own right.

MacKeeper/Zerobit Pop Up ad Problem

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