completer.app- what is this?

It's probably part of genieo / installmac adware & should be removed, along with any other software that was installed with it.

There are detailed manual removal instructions here and here

as well as an automated script available from here

I suggest just running the removal script.

The difference in Snow Leopard is that you can't use Finder - Go menu - Go to Folder & paste in a file name. Even if it exists, you'll get an error. Pasting in a folder name works as expected.

For example, the screenshot below shows that

~Library/Safari/Bookmarks.plist exists

but using Finder - Go menu - Go to Folder returns an error

If I had removed the file name 'Bookmarks.plist' it would have worked... and both work in newer OS X versions.

You should back up in any case, although I've tested that removal script & had no problems with it.

See if the info by Linc below will let you get rid of Genio:

Linc DavisDec 20, 2014 10:48 AM
Re: What is Genio?in response to mykkon

There is no need to download anything to solve the problem.

You installed the "Genieo" or "InstallMac" ad-injection malware. Follow the instructions on this Apple Support page to remove it.

Back up all data before making any changes.

Besides the files listed in the linked support article, you may also need to remove this file in the same way:

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieo.completer.ltvbit.plist

If there are other items with a name that includes "Genieo" or "genieo" alongside any of those you find, remove them as well.

One of the steps in the article is to remove malicious Safari extensions. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those. If Safari crashes on launch, skip that step and come back to it after you've done everything else.

If you don't find any of the files or extensions listed, or if removing them doesn't stop the ad injection, then you may have one of the other kinds of adware covered by the support article. Follow the rest of the instructions in the article.

Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. Chances are you got it from an Internet cesspit 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. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.

In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked

Install system data files and security updates

if it's not already checked.

I have tried to follow the instructions in this article: Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support but hit a wall within the very first steps and could not complete them. I am still getting the popup that asks me to allow Completer to change my computer settings every day, and every day I Cancel the request for permission, then Eject the completer drive that starts up when I cancel the request.

My system: iMac, 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3 running 10.6.8

While attempting to follow these instruction, I experienced this:

1. My Safari settings and extensions are fine: homepage wasn't changed, search engine wasn't changed, and, I have no extensions listed. As best I could tell, nothing has been changed. I doubt that it matters, but I primarily use Firefox rather than Safari.

2. Neither "Genieo" nor "InstallMac" were found in my Activity Monitor app., thus I had nothing to Force Quit.

3. [/private/etc/launchd.conf] was not found, thus there was nothing to drag to the Trash, no need to empty the Trash and no need to Restart.

4. I used the Go>Go To Folder option to search for and attempt top delete each of the folders listed in the article/instructions. I found none of them - zilch, nada, nil, none of them.

Unfortunately, the instructions did me no good and the popup continues to bother me every day. Any additional suggestions?

I'm not sure what instructions you have been following since there have been several sets mentioned in the seven months since this old discussion started.

For faster, more efficient identification and optional removal of all currently know adware, run AdwareMedic, available free from this Forum’s Malware Guru, owner of TheSafeMac blog and a colleague of mine.

To understand why this happened and how to avoid it in the future see John Galt’s How to install adware.

Replying to my own post.... I'm running 10.6.8 and the solution for me came from Old Toad--thank you OT!!

He suggested this:

Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support

I scrolled down to section:

Remove Genieo, also known as InstallMac,

followed the directions, and after weeks of nothing working....this did the trick.

So glad THAT'S over.....

I see that you asked in another thread too : the Services - Reveal method does work in Snow Leopard... if it says that the item can't be found, that means it really doesn't exist & you can move on to the next one.

>>so can I trash these and restart without having any rebooting trouble?

Yes.

>> I don't know where to find if I have genieo 2.0 or not?

If you have the completer app & files, then it's one of the newer versions.

Double-check with the list at the other link I gave, and if you've no other files listed, you're done.

Me too! This Completer.app box keeps popping up, along with an Installer on my desktop that I have to keep ejecting.

I've read every forum I can find and have looked in all the places/extensions they say to check in the Library and Applications. In my case, Genio is NOT installed. It just WANTS to be installed. None of the forums describe how to stop this installer from popping up, only how to get rid of it once it's already on your computer.

If anyone knows the answer, I'd be most appreciative.....along with the other "bunch of people" this is happening to!

Thanks!!

I've just run ClamXav and it found it (plus other stuff) on my machine too. Didn't even know I had the rotten thing! It's quarantined it anyway so I'm hoping that I can delete it easily now. ClamXav is a great free virus checker which you can get from the app store. It's worth a try running a free app to see if there's something causing your popups.

i am getting it too the past 4 days...

i do not have genio installed either - the Completer.app box keeps popping up - along with the installer on my desktop. (same situation as missmodular and EffrimJeckobar)

I am running OS 10.6.8.

any help would be appreciated - thanks !!

I'm getting that request to install Completer as well for the past couple of weeks. I always cancel, and it goes away to be replaced by a disk image on the desktop, which I trash. Nothing hs been installed, but it wants to install itself.

It is obviously on some kind of timer because it appears at the same time every day (about 8pm in my case).

I'm on Snow Leopard.

Senor Velasco wrote:

I've just run ClamXav and it found it (plus other stuff) on my machine too. Didn't even know I had the rotten thing! It's quarantined it anyway so I'm hoping that I can delete it easily now.

Glad that it found this for you, but I would caution that it's not 100% successful at removing adware, since much of it is legitimate software signed with Apple Developer ID's. Although I am associated with ClamXav I always advise users to double check using AdwareMedic,available free from this Forum’s Malware Guru, owner of TheSafeMac blog and a colleague of mine, which will safely & efficiently identify and optionally remove all currently known OS X adware.