Remove PC Smart Cleanup from Windows

Can’t Remove PC Smart Cleanup? This page includes detailed PC Smart Cleanup Removal instructions!

PC Smart Cleanup has been categorized as a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP). That doesn’t stop its developers from claiming it’s a PC optimization tool. To make things clear – PC Smart Cleanup isn’t going to be beneficial for you. The very last thing this program aims at is to improve your online experience. You’re actually stuck with a deceptive, lying parasite. This rogue program pretends to scan your device and bombards you with fake security alerts. Conveniently enough, all pop-ups generated by the virus scare you with tons of malicious viruses. Can you see the fraud already? Such parasites attempt to trick you into buying their full versions. Eventually, the people who stand behind PC Smart Cleanup gain revenue at your expense. It’s very easy to fall victim to the PC Smart Cleanup virus. As soon as the infection gets installed, the pop-ups appear. All security alerts and other messages are bogus, though. The only reason they get generated is so crooks could scam you. You see, these alerts are rather worrisome. They appear to be legitimate. However, there’s nothing legitimate about the pop-ups generated by a PC virus. Keep that in mind and ignore all the messages you might come across. Not a single pop-up should be trusted because the PUP is lying to your face. To be fair, its scheme is impressively simple. The parasite slithers itself onto your machine in silence. Then it begins to display some utterly fake, dangerous pop-ups. You’ll soon find yourself bombarded by bogus security alerts and various warnings. Know that the parasite could serve as a back door to more infections as well. In addition, you might notice pop-up ads and other product commercials. After all, you’re dealing with a nasty cyber infection. If you spot some random advertisements, restrain yourself from clicking. Those may turn out to be extremely dangerous, corrupted third-party web links. The parasite is even able to get to some of your personal details. For example, IP addresses, email addresses and browsing history. Your passwords and usernames might get monitored too. Long story short, this pest of a program brings nothing but trouble. It stubbornly generates rogue pop-ups and advertises totally useless anti-malware software. In order not to get involved in a fraud, delete this nuisance.

Remove PC Smart Cleanup

How did I get infected with PC Smart Cleanup?

The most likely scenario is called freeware bundling. If you often download program bundles off of the Internet, watch out for infections. Hackers could attach all sorts of viruses to a single seemingly harmless freeware/shareware bundle. Hence, if you rush, you remain oblivious to the parasites that get installed. Instead of rushing, opt for the Custom or Advanced option in the Setup Wizard. This is the most reliable way to prevent malware infiltration. Of course, you should also stay away from unverified websites. Only download legitimate programs that you trust, especially when they are bundled. It is up to you whether your device would remain infection-free or not. To save yourself the hassle that is removing viruses, be careful. Always take your time during the installation process and pay attention. Skipping installation steps exposes you to cyber threats. Deselect any potential intruder that you may find hiding in the bundle. Last but not least, go through the Terms and Conditions or EULA (End User License Agreement). Being cautious will pay off in the long run so don’t neglect your security.

Why is PC Smart Cleanup dangerous?

The PC Smart Cleanup virus is playing mind games with you. This devious program promises to take care of your safety. In reality, it does the exact opposite. Bear in mind that all security alerts and pop-ups the parasite generates aim at your bank account. Unless you keep in mind the messages are bogus, you may fall right into the trap. Hackers use such infections to gain effortless profit online. Why become their sponsor, though? The Web is currently full of tech support scams so make sure you remain calm and collected. Panicking is certainly going to make matters worse. So will paying for a completely worthless program or service. Do not let crooks harass you. To delete their parasite manually, please follow our detailed removal guide down below.

How Can I Remove PC Smart Cleanup?

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the PC Smart Cleanup infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

  • Open your task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
  • Locate the process of PC Smart Cleanup.exe and kill it

kill-hpnotify-exe

  • Open your windows registry editor by typing”regedit” in the windows search box

Navigate to (Depending on your OS version)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

and delete the display Name: PC Smart Cleanup

Simultaneously press the Windows Logo Button and then “R” to open the Run Command

Type “Appwiz.cpl

Locate the PC Smart Cleanup program and click on uninstall/change. To facilitate the search you can sort the programs by date. Review the most recent installed programs first. In general you should remove all unknown programs.

Navigate to C:/Program Files and delete PC Smart Cleanup folder. Double check with any antimalware program for any leftovers. Keep your software up-to date!

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