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How To Get Rid Of… Article Last Reviewed February 2005 |
 How To Get Rid Of MasterBar | ||
 MasterBar is a browser hijacker, implemented as an Internet Explorer BHO (Browser Helper Object), which is an add-on component that loads whenever Internet Explorer starts. MasterBar looks like a helpful toolbar, but behind the scenes it collects and transmits browsing habits, changes the browser home page, and propagates pop-up ads. It commonly infects computers through file-sharing services such as Kazaa, freeware program downloads, or clicking advertising links on a Web page. How To Tell If MasterBar is On Your PC When MasterBar infects your computer, a new toolbar is usually added to Internet Explorer. You may also see the browser home page change, an increased number of pop-up ads, and a general slowdown in browser performance. MasterBar is also known to lower Internet Explorer security settings from the typical Medium level. WARNING: The following section includes step-by-step information on how to edit the Windows Registry, a large database containing system and program settings that are essential to how the OS (operating system) operates. Follow Registry-editing instructions to the letter and be sure to make a backup of your Registry before you begin. (Registry errors can render your computer inoperable if you don't have a backup.) This procedure differs depending on the OS you use. For more information on backing up and editing the Registry, see these articles: "Protect Yourself" and "Register Here." How To Get Rid Of MasterBar The easiest way to remove MasterBar is by using a free spyware removal tool such as Spybot Search & Destroy (www.safer-networking.org). First, download the program and install it. When you run the program for the first time, a window appears asking if you want to back up your Registry. Click the Create Registry Backup button and, when the backup is done, click Next, and you'll see the main screen. From the main screen, choose Search For Updates, which accesses the Spybot Web site and checks for program updates and new definition files. If updates are available, they are displayed as a list. Check all the available downloads and click Download Updates. When the process has finished, Spybot will restart and take you back to the main screen. Next, if you are using version 1.3 of Spybot, there is an option you need to change that mistakenly ignores a few malware products. Click the Mode menu option and choose Advanced Mode. Click the Yes button when the warning appears and then choose the Settings option on the bottom left of the window. From the Settings window, choose Ignore Products and, on the list that appears, make sure there are no check marks. When finished, choose the Mode menu option and choose Default Mode. Then click the Search & Destroy button. Start the malware scan by choosing Check For Problems. During the scan, Spybot lists any malware it finds and displays a progress bar at the bottom of the screen. When the scan is complete, Spybot displays a list of all the threats it has found. Anything recognized as malware, such as MasterBar, is in red and is checked. After you've examined the list and unchecked any items you don't want removed, choose Fixed Selected Items. A confirmation window appears, and when you click Yes, the selected threats (including MasterBar) are removed. As an alternative to Spybot, you can manually delete MasterBar. Choose Start, Run, and in the Open box, type command and click OK, which opens a DOS command window. At the prompt, type cd \windows\system (for Windows 98/98SE/Me) or cd \windows\system32 (for WinXP) and press ENTER. Then type regsvr32 /u masterbar.dll and press ENTER. Once you are returned to the DOS prompt, type exit and press ENTER to close the window. Restart Windows and use Windows Explorer to delete Masterbar.dll, Masterbar.xml, Masterbar.txt, and Masterbarp.txt from the System (Windows 98/98SE/Me) or System32 (WinXP) folder. You should also reset your Internet Explorer home page and make sure your security settings are back to the Medium level. You can do this by choosing the Tool menu and selecting Internet Options. To make absolutely sure all the MasterBar components are gone, you may also want to run Spybot after you perform the manual deletion.  |
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