FileShareFanatic Toolbar

What is FileShareFanatic Toolbar?

FileShareFanatic Toolbar is an annoying app/extension that is very difficult to eliminate fully from your operating system, especially if you install it onto Internet Explorer. This toolbar creates multiple registry keys and adds files, as well as tracking cookies. Eliminating them all manually can be a tiresome, annoying task; however, it needs to be performed. Anti-Spyware-101.com researchers have tested this suspicious extension, and the first thing that was found was that it is a clone of YourTemplateFinder Toolbar, FlightSearch Toolbar, GameTrekkers Toolbar, and other apps developers by Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. All of these toolbars have separate websites; however, they are all hosted on the same IP, 74.113.233.180, located in the United States. Free.filesharefanatic.com/index.jhtml is the website that was set up to represent the toolbar whose removal we are discussing in this report.

How does FileShareFanatic Toolbar act?

It is very unlikely that you will find this toolbar installed without permission. Of course, if you do, you should eliminate it without further hesitation. As a matter of fact, it is possible that illegally installed software is active on your operating system if you have installed it using an unfamiliar installer. Although FileShareFanatic Toolbar has an official download page, our researchers have found that it could come packaged with third-party software that, unfortunately, could be dangerous. Even if you install this toolbar from the official page, you are likely to be introduced to third-party software: Ask Search or MyWay Search. We suggest rejecting these search tools because they can be used to show sponsored links, and that is not beneficial to you. In fact, interacting with unfamiliar links could lead to websites set up by schemers and malware distributors.

The way FileShareFanatic Toolbar gets installed on your operating system depends heavily which browser you install it on. If you install it on Internet Explorer, you will find extensions, files, registry keys, and other components associated with this toolbar. For example – if you accept the search tools offered – the values under HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{BDF4A303-E4F0-42F0-B235-351F6C8F6C1A} will be modified. Although the Chrome extension files can be found in the kioloefokbdfnmhhhnoencicapjkcccn folder located under C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\{Default/Profile}\Extensions, other components will be added as well. The same goes with the Firefox extension, whose main files you should be able to find under C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\*\Extensions. The files employed by the toolbar have many different functions, including making the connection to remote adware servers, checking for updates, tracking and storing information, etc. If you remove these components, you will not be tracked, and suspicious ads will stop showing up. Isn’t that what you want?

Some users are willing to disregard the suspicious activity of FileShareFanatic Toolbar just because they believe this tool to be useful. Well, it provides a search box routing to search.tbl.ask.com or search.myway.com, and it provides links to third-party sites, but that is all that it is good for. Although the links promoted by this toolbar might appear to be reliable and authentic, where they could route you is a mystery. Even if they lead to reliable sites, this is not worth it to keep the toolbar installed. If all of these facts have convinced you to get rid of this strange toolbar, continue reading to learn all that you need to know about the removal process.

How to delete FileShareFanatic Toolbar

There are quite a few leftovers that you will need to take care of if you choose to get rid of this toolbar manually. First, you will need to uninstall this toolbar, if it has taken over IE, or remove the unwanted extension. Then, you might have to replace the undesirable homepage and search provider tools. Afterward, you will have to eliminate the remaining files and registries. The guide below is lengthy; however, if you are willing to dedicate some time, we are sure that you will be able to get rid of this annoying toolbar yourself. Of course, if more complex, dangerous threats have invaded your operating system, it is wise to save your time and employ a trusted anti-malware tool to have all infections and unreliable programs eliminated automatically. The right tool will also eliminate all cookies that this strange toolbar can employ to spy on its users. Make sure you eliminate them if you proceed manually.

Removal Instructions

Windows XP:

1. Click the Start button on the Taskbar.
2. Open Control Panel and go to Add or Remove Programs.
3. Remove the undesirable application.

Windows Vista & Windows 7:

1. Click the Windows logo on the Taskbar.
2. Open Control Panel and select Uninstall a program.
3. Right-click and Uninstall the undesirable application.

Windows 8, Windows 8.1, & Windows 10:

1. Tap Win+R keys on your keyboard to launch RUN.
2. Type Control Panel into the dialog box and click OK.
3. Click Uninstall a program (under Programs).
4. Right-click and Uninstall the undesirable application.

Google Chrome:

1. Launch Chrome, tap Alt+F, and select More tools.
2. Click Extensions and Remove the unwanted add-on.
3. Move to the menu on the left and click Settings.
4. Navigate to the On Startup section.
5. Mark Open a specific page or set of pages and click Set pages.
6. Edit the URL and click OK.
7. Navigate to the Appearance section.
8. Mark Show Home button and click Change.
9. Edit the URL of the undesirable option and click OK.
10. Navigate to the Search section.
11. Click Manage search engines…
12. Click X on the URL of the provider you want to eliminate.
13. Click Done and restart your browser.

Internet Explorer:

1. Launch IE, tap Alt+T, and select Manage Add-ons.
2. Move to the menu on the left and click Search Providers.
3. Add/set the provider you want to use.
4. Remove the undesirable search provider and click Close.
5. Tap Alt+T one more time and click Internet options.
6. Click the General tab and find the Home Page section.
7. Edit the URL, click OK, and restart your browser.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Launch Firefox and tap Ctrl+Shift+A to launch Add-ons Manager.
2. In the menu on the left click Extensions.
3. Click the Remove button next to the undesirable add-on.
4. Tap Alt+T to access the Tools menu and click Options.
5. In the General menu locate the Home Page section.
6. Edit the URL.
7. In the Search menu Remove the unwanted search provider.
8. Restart your browser.

Eliminate these leftovers

1. Tap Win+E to launch Explorer.
2. Enter %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage into the address bar.
3. Right-click and Deletethese files:
   • http_FileShareFanatic.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage-journal
   • http_FileShareFanatic.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage
   • http_FileShareFanatic.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage
   • chrome-extension_kioloefokbdfnmhhhnoencicapjkcccn_0.localstorage-journal
   • chrome-extension_kioloefokbdfnmhhhnoencicapjkcccn_0.localstorage
4. Enter one of the following directories into the address bar:
   • %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies (Windows 10/Windows 8.1/Windows 8 )
   • %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies or %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low (Windows 7)
   • C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files (Windows XP).
5. Right-click and Delete the unwanted cookies (search for the string “free.FileShareFanatic.com”).
6. Tap Win+R to launch RUN.
7. Enter regedit.exe into the dialog box.
8. Right-click the entry and select Run as Administrator.
9. In the Registry Editor click the Edit tab.
10. Click Find and use this tool to find and Deletethese keys:

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