PCKeeper from Kromtec showed up on my computer right beside webroot! Is it safe

  • 10 October 2014
  • 9 replies
  • 1878 views

Userlevel 1
PCKeeper from Kromtec showed up on my computer right beside webroot! Is it safe

9 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Welcome to the Community EmestMcAlister,
 
I'm thinking if you didn't install this PC Keeper then I would do as described below,
 
 
What you are seeing and describing sounds like it may be what we on the Community refer to as a PUA. (Potentially Unwanted Application) These are very annoying at best in that they cause pop-us, redirect your browser home page, and other behavior that may slow down the computer and direct ads your way, but they are not actually doing anything bad like damaging files or stealing information. Often they are installed intentionally by you the user as browser add-ons for various tasks such as quick search tools.. but they also come with the result of added annoying pop-ups and ads. Other times they 'piggy back' with other software that you installed, or try to 'sneak' onto your system entirely.
 
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behavior that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see THIS LINK for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
 
For those that are not detected by WSA, please see this KB Article. It has some easy to follow directions on locating and removing PUA's. You may also want to submit a Trouble Ticket, especially if you cannot remove it easily from the directions in the KB Article.
 
For those that ARE detected by WSA, but cannot be removed automatically, you can submit a Trouble Ticket.  Webroot Support will help you get these annoying 'crapware' off your computer at no extra charge, and the additional examples may help to better automatic removal of that particular PUA for all users in the future.
 
To make sure that your WSA is checking for PUA's with the best proficiently, it sometimes helps to reset the PUA detection within WSA's settings. For PUA's that had previously been scanned and determined to be OK, but have since been added to detection/removal, you may want to complete the following steps:
 
  • Open Webroot SecureAnywhere
  • Click on ‘Advanced Settings’ from the top right
  • Select ‘Scan Settings’ from the left side
  • Unselect the option “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
  • Click on the Save button (you may have to enter in a CAPTCHA)
  • Reselect the option to “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
  • Click on the Save button
  • Run another scan with Webroot and remove any items that get detected.
To help avoid PUA's in the future, remember to read all of the information when installing or updating software (Adobe downloads often have those "extra special offers"attached... PUA'S!: often the PUA included will be mentioned, and you can opt out of installing it.  Those check boxes you see? Usually only one of them is for the User Agreement of the software you want, the others are for the junk you don't.
 
 I hope this helps you both understand, and resolve the problem and if not please let us know!
 
 
 
NOTE: As noted above, PUA's that:
 
  • Come in with other downloads
  • Have a clear opt out ability prior to install
 
are often NOT detected and removed.  This is partly for legal reasons: the source of the download can complain about it's extra software being blocked automatically by Webroot.  There may be to allow WSA to recognize and block a LOT more PUA's than it currently can.  Please see THIS IDEA for more information, and give a KUDO if you agree.  User Idea requests are noted by the Webroot Team, and the more Kudo's on an Idea the more likely we may see dev time devoted to it.
 
 
 
Thanks!
 
Userlevel 1
I don't know of software I installed and I tried to un-install PC KEEPER once, but it was not removed. I will try it again, shut down and re-boot. Thanks for your time and advice. I will let you know if I am able to remove PC Keeper.
Erne
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@ wrote:
I don't know of software I installed and I tried to un-install PC KEEPER once, but it was not removed. I will try it again, shut down and re-boot. Thanks for your time and advice. I will let you know if I am able to remove PC Keeper.
Erne
Hello Erne,
 
Remember you can always Contact Support free of charge.
 
And yes please get back to us one way or another!
 
 
 
Regards
Userlevel 7
Hi Erne
 
PCKeeper Live is apparently a legitimate program (it was reviewed by PC Mag in September and so is relatively new) developed by Kromtech.  What you are most likely seeing is the actions of an auto-start registry entry (in the current user (HKCU) registry) which causes the program run on each boot, and I suspect that the uninstall that you keep trying is not completely removing that entry, etc.
 
Given this, and unless you are happy/confident searching (for most likely something 'PCKeeper'-related) and then amending the Registry (not for the faint hearted) then I would Open the Support Ticket that Sherry suggested and let the professional deal with it for you.
 
Do let us know how you get on and what SUpport respond with if yo do contact them.
 
Regards, Baldrick
 
 
 
 
Userlevel 1
ALL who tried to help & Sherry,
I was finally able to uninstall after marking a prompt from PC KEEPER noting a reason why I didn't want to sign up. My real reason was that I had not requested their attendance on my computer! One of their prompts was "Click and Fix" which they would remove programs that possibly slowed the computer down! Since I wouldn't know a good/bad program from Adam's house cat I didn't want to take a chance Webroot would be removed!!!
All this came to pass while I was trying to find out why Microsoft would not recoginize a Dell AIO A-960 printer set as the default for my Dell Inspiron and allow it to print. I guess I will start on that next week before Talladega!!
Thanks Again,
Ernie
Userlevel 7
Ernie, 
 
Glad that part is sorted out, but feel free to drop in anytime you have a question or problem 🙂
Userlevel 1
Also after re-boot and webroot scan they removed 5 infections!!!!
Again,
Ernie
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@ wrote:
ALL who tried to help & Sherry,
I was finally able to uninstall after marking a prompt from PC KEEPER noting a reason why I didn't want to sign up. My real reason was that I had not requested their attendance on my computer! One of their prompts was "Click and Fix" which they would remove programs that possibly slowed the computer down! Since I wouldn't know a good/bad program from Adam's house cat I didn't want to take a chance Webroot would be removed!!!
All this came to pass while I was trying to find out why Microsoft would not recoginize a Dell AIO A-960 printer set as the default for my Dell Inspiron and allow it to print. I guess I will start on that next week before Talladega!!
Thanks Again,
Ernie
Your Welcome as we were very happy to assist! Hope you can get that Dell printer setup.;)
 
If you find time you can come back and join in with us Volunteers to have fun and learn alot of knowlege from eachother!
 
Have a Great Weekend Ernie!:D
 
Best Regards,
Userlevel 7
Hi Erne
 
Just goes to show that one has to watch very carefully what one clicks on or in some cases what is presented to the user seruptitiously (so that they don't really see it) and it gets installed 'by accident'.  No matter how experienced one is it pays to keep ones eyes open for those sorts of persky nuisances.
 
Regards, Baldrick

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