Q: completer.app- what is this?

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.

Hello. AdwareMedic does not work with 10.6.8 - i tried it.

is the only way to get rid of it then the manual removal of Genio ?? http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-genieo/

this seems really complex - and a little scary - since it warns about computer freezing and unable to start

I know I'm replying to my own thread, but I've solved the problem using information on these pages.

I didn't have completer installed, but I kept getting the prompt asking me to do it (like several other people here)

I deleted the files listed in the post by cbranstrom on 14 July above.

And I also looked at information on another thread on these pages called

genieo.completer trojan

A combination of those things has got rid of it for me.

aresnik wrote:

 

Hello. AdwareMedic does not work with 10.6.8 - i tried it.

 

is the only way to get rid of it then the manual removal of Genio ?? http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-genieo/

 

this seems really complex - and a little scary - since it warns about computer freezing and unable to start

The freezing was with Genieo 1.0 which was replaced several months ago, but I suppose it's possible for someone to have installed that version a long time ago and just now realizes it.

I think the easiest thing for you to do if you don't want to follow the manual instructions is to use the older Adware Removal Tool. Look for "Download now (TSMART.zip)". This is from the same author and should work just fine for Genieo, but it hasn't been maintained and doesn't work with all the latest Adware.

Great ! Thank you. I just downloaded TSMART.zip and ran it. It said it moved Genieo to the trash, and to empty the trash - which I did. Hopefully this will have taken care of the problem...

if not... I guess I will have to read the manual instructions and do it that way.

I really appreciate your help 

hmmm.... i just looked in ME (house icon) - LIBRARY - LAUNCH AGENTS and I still see this in there:

com.genieo.completer.ltvbit.plist

Does this mean this Genieo is still in my computer ?

sorry to ask so many questions - I don't know anything about this... 20 years with a MAC and this is the first problem like this I have ever had

aresnik wrote:

 

hmmm.... i just looked in ME (house icon) - LIBRARY - LAUNCH AGENTS and I still see this in there:

 

com.genieo.completer.ltvbit.plist

 

Does this mean this Genieo is still in my computer ?

Yes, it does look like the Adware Removal Tool isn't completely up-to-date with Genieo either.  That may be the only difference, so drag it to the trash as I'm sure that one won't freeze the computer.

I see that the latest version of the BitDefender Adware Removal Tool (which also requires 10.7 or above) doesn't remove that file either.

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.

just deleted it  - and emptied the trash.

i think it is gone now. THANK YOU !

Thanks for the suggestion to use AdwareMedic. I tried this and it removed the virus. Everything is working great now.

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.

Do you think I maybe have not already seen your ad?

nochoke wrote:

 

Do you think I maybe have not already seen your ad?

If you think MadMacs0's post is an ad, you couldn't be further from the truth. If anyone were going to be accused of posting "ads" for AdwareMedic, it would be me - it's my program. Many other people, like MadMacs0, post recommendations for that app because of the positive results that it has had for many people, but those are recommendations, not ads. He is trying to help you, so there's no call to be snippy with him!

Clearly, you're having trouble with Apple's instructions. AdwareMedic would be one alternative to try. If you don't want to use that, though, you can try the manual instructions in my Adware Removal Guide. They are far more comprehensive than Apple's instructions, and the procedures described are not the same as those in Apple's instructions, so you may have better luck with that.

(Fair disclosure: I may receive compensation from links to my sites, TheSafeMac.com and AdwareMedic.com, in the form of buttons allowing for donations. Donations are not required to use my site or software.)

Is there a version of AdwareMedic available for Snow Leopard - tried the download but it is for 10.7+ ??