AdGuard Self Installing on My PC?!

[Qs Laptop]

I booted up my computer this morning and after entering my PIN was greeted by a window pop-up telling me that AdGuard would install. I thought that was odd as I had used AdGuard in the past but uninstalled it after I started using uBlock as recommended by many on this forum.

I was given an option to not install the program which I selected.

After my desktop home screen loaded another window pop-up from AdGuard telling me my trial period had expired and I could purchase their product by clicking on a button. I X'ed out of that window and immediately went to my Control Panel, Programs and Features. I sorted the installed programs by "Installed On date" and there was AdGuard with an Installed On Date of 12/28/23 (today). It's taking up 214MB of disk space.

I have not installed any new programs in quite some time. I have not installed any new Chrome extensions in a while (uBlock was the most recent, IIRC.) So apparently there is some dormant script on my computer placed by AdGuard that is leftover from when I previously used this program or else I've been hacked and his is some sort of fake malware?

Currently running a quick scan using Windows Virus and Threat Protection.

I'm thinking of uninstalling the program next.

Anybody have this happen to them? What did you do to get rid of it?

 

[target2019]

Go to installed programs and remove it.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Go to installed programs and remove it.

Yep, just did that. Incredibly when completed another pop-up window "Don't Say Goodbye, Get 20% Off". Ironic that an ad-blocker is sending me more ads than just about anybody!

Then a question, "Please tell us why you are leaving", which I declined to participate.

I suppose there is something buried in my Windows OS register that needs to be removed. Oh well.

 

[target2019]

It's not really "buried" if it's in your installed programs.

I think our "problem" is that we remember when program behavior like this was out of favor. The old days are gone, though.

Hopefully it's really gone now.

 

[Qs Laptop]

It's not really "buried" if it's in your installed programs.

Well, that's the thing--it was uninstalled several months ago using the same method I just used now. Uninstall from the Control Panel > Programs.

So, how did my PC get the signal to place a pop-up window on my home screen immediately after my PIN was entered after booting up this morning and before I got to my desktop home screen?

That's what's bugging me.

 

[target2019]

I think it could be Task Scheduler. So you can check that.

Another idea is something in Startup Items.

 

[Sunset]

reboot after uninstalling, so it's out of the memory. Otherwise it's still present.

 

[easysurfer]

Relevant topic.

I had the need to uninstall some programs that the regular uninstaller didn't handle. One was a program (darn I can't remember the name!) I installed but didn't show up on the regular uninstaller. Two, just now, to get my UPS backup battery monitor software top get recognized, I had to first uninstall some traces of old installs removed.

In both situations, a program called Revo Uninstaller did the trick. I've been using a free 30 trial pro version. There's also a scaled down free version (which I haven't tried). Might be worth trying Revo for those stubborn progams.

 

[target2019]

Sometimes a company will have a more-thorough uninstaller. I have a dim memory of such a thing for AVG.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Sometimes a company will have a more-thorough uninstaller. I have a dim memory of such a thing for AVG.

Yes! I remember AVG from my Windows XP days. It was like a virus itself, when trying to get rid of it.

 

[rk911]

Yep, just did that. Incredibly when completed another pop-up window "Don't Say Goodbye, Get 20% Off". Ironic that an ad-blocker is sending me more ads than just about anybody!

Then a question, "Please tell us why you are leaving", which I declined to participate.

I suppose there is something buried in my Windows OS register that needs to be removed. Oh well.

You might consider Revo Uninstaller. Two versions, free and pro.
https://www.revouninstaller.com

 

[Qs Laptop]

You might consider Revo Uninstaller. Two versions, free and pro.
https://www.revouninstaller.com

Yes, if AdGuard pops up again I will definitely use Revo Uninstaller.

(I'm aware of the irony in that sentence.)

 

[target2019]

Revouninstaller - safe? https://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/206569-revouninstaller-safe.html

Thread mentions some problems, and an alternative.

Adguard is a browser extension, so you need to investigate that too.