I have a MacBook Pro, OS X 10.9.4 (purchased late 2011). I am certain I have a virus. I was wondering if it is possible to reset my computer back to factory settings to get rid of the virus? So far I have removed/deleted photos and documents I have created, but I am afraid to delete a file that might be important.
Probably not a virus infection. May be adware.
1. Safari > Preferences > Extensions
Turn those off and try.
2. Identify and remove adware
http://www.thesafemac.com/arg/
or
use Adware Removal Tool.
You do not have a virus, but without an explanation of what is happening it's difficult to assess what is affecting your Mac.
Download a copy of Etrecheck, it is a utility (written by one of the contributors to this site) which will produce a report of what is running on your Mac. Run it and post the report here (no personal information will be included)
EtreCheck version: 1.9.15 (52)
Report generated August 26, 2014 at 8:04:08 AM CDT
Hardware Information: ?
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011) (Verified)
MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1
1 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2 cores
4 GB RAM
Video Information: ?
Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB
Color LCD 1280 x 800
System Software: ?
OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 38 days 16:41:3
Disk Information: ?
ST9500325ASG disk0 : (500.11 GB)
S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 499.25 GB (369.17 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5970H
USB Information: ?
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Thunderbolt Information: ?
Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
Configuration files: ?
/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists
Gatekeeper: ?
Mac App Store and identified developers
Startup Items: ?
HP IO: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HP IO
Problem System Launch Daemons: ?
[failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist
Launch Daemons: ?
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
[running] com.avg.Antivirus.infosd.plist Support
[running] com.avg.Antivirus.services.plist Support
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support
[not loaded] com.vsearch.daemon.plist Support
[running] com.vsearch.helper.plist Support
[running] Jack.plist Support
Launch Agents: ?
[running] com.avg.Antivirus.gui.plist Support
[running] com.epson.eventmanager.agent.plist Support
[loaded] com.hp.help.tocgenerator.plist Support
[running] com.vsearch.agent.plist Support
User Launch Agents: ?
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
User Login Items: ?
HPShortcutManagerStartup
EpsonLowInkReminderAgent
Director Docker
HP Scheduler
Internet Plug-ins: ?
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 6.1 Support
Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
NP2020Player: Version: 5.0.4.0 Support
RealPlayer Plugin: Version: (null) Support
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.3 - SDK 10.6 Support
Photo Center Plugin: Version: Photo Center Plugin 1.1.2.2 Support
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Check version
Audio Plug-ins: ?
BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
iTunes Plug-ins: ?
Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
User iTunes Plug-ins ?
TuneUp Visualizer: Version: (null) Support
3rd Party Preference Panes: ?
Flash Player Support
HP Scanjet Support
Time Machine: ?
Skip System Files: NO
Mobile backups: ON
Auto backup: YES
Time Machine not configured!
Top Processes by CPU: ?
4% WindowServer
1% locationd
0% kav
0% SystemUIServer
0% AVG
Top Processes by Memory: ?
172 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
86 MB com.apple.IconServicesAgent
78 MB Safari
74 MB Mail
45 MB WindowServer
Virtual Memory Information: ?
33 MB Free RAM
768 MB Active RAM
741 MB Inactive RAM
1.05 GB Wired RAM
36.97 GB Page-ins
1001 MB Page-outs
You can backup your system with Time Machine and reinstall os x
And a description of what the symptoms are please.
Here are a couple of tems that need to be removed.
Jack.plst and AVG antivirus.
Uninstall AVG per the developers instructions, do not just throw it in the trash. As for Jack.plst (do you know what this is?) it has featured in some threads previously with regard to browser redirects (ie: you click a link but your browser is sent somewhere else, usually with a fanfare of popups). It will need to be manually removed.
Post back
huseyinbakii wrote:
You can backup your system with Time Machine and reinstall os x
Which will restore the problems as well, please research your advice (test it on your Mac) before suggesting it to others.
If I am looking at anything on safari, the text will randomly be underlined (double), and I constantly get a MacKeeper pop-up.
I deleted the AVG antivirus easily, but cannot find the Jack.plst
You don't have a virus but you have downloaded some malware, follow Matt Clifton's link for further info and removal instructions.
You must remove AVG, it is quite useless at what it is supposed to do, and as a bonus it will make your Mac slower and less stable! And you even have to pay them to mess up your Mac for you.
Do these things and post back, and if you need help doing them, post now.
Lisa Kach wrote:
I deleted the AVG antivirus easily, but cannot find the Jack.plst
Explain how you did that please, (if you just deleted it you have now made things worse, tell me what you did, exactly) please take no more actions until this is sorted out.
Matt Cliftons instructions will deal with the Jack.plst (which is part of a bigger mess)
Here is the link Matt provided: http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-downlite/
I opened the AVG antivirus and uninstalled it. I did not put it in the garbage.
I searched Jack.plst and could not find it. It only recognized Jack.plst from your email.
I will try the http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-downlite/ now. By the way, thanks for your time.
Lisa Kach wrote:
I opened the AVG antivirus and uninstalled it. I did not put it in the garbage.
Good, that's one down.
Lisa Kach wrote:
I searched Jack.plst and could not find it. It only recognized Jack.plst from your email.
I will try the http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-downlite/ now. By the way, thanks for your time.
You will find removal instructions on that site (an excellent resource by the way), there is a general malware/adware removal tool on that site that works well.
You're welcome to my time but I do have a question, why do you not backup your Mac? You will lose data one day because of that choice.
I downloaded the TSM adware removal tool and 'Jack' is now in the garbage but it won't let me delete my garbage because 'Jack' is currently in use. I went to my force quit and only my mail and finder are open.
I have a virus on my macbook pro. Can I somehow reset my computer to get rid of it?
