TotalDatingGuide Toolbar

What is TotalDatingGuide?

Created by Mindspark Interactive Network Inc, TotalDatingGuide is a rogue browser toolbar claiming to assist users to find dates, provide them with dating advice, and other similar features. This may seem a legitimate and useful browser extension, however, be aware that TotalDatingGuide is categorized as a browser hijacker or redirect virus.

These associations are made due to a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' used by the developers of TotalDatingGuide to install on Internet browsers without users' permission.

Bundling is a way to distribute these applications together with other software, and therefore, most users inadvertently install TotalDatingGuide when downloading free software from freeware download websites.

Most popular freeware download websites such as download.com, softonic.com, soft32.com, etc. use small download programs (called 'installers', 'download clients', 'download managers') to monetize their free services and traffic.

Download programs offer the opportunity to install advertised (according to the developers, '100% legitimate and virus-free') browser add-ons or applications together with the chosen free software. Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often results in adware or malware infections such as TotalDatingGuide.

After successful infiltration on Internet Explorer and Google Chrome, TotalDatingGuide assigns the homepage and default search engine browser settings to ask.com.

Using this website as your default search engine is not recommended, since the generated search results may cause further computer infections. Therefore, you are strongly advised to uninstall TotalDatingGuide from your Internet browsers.

TotalDatingGuide is similar to other rogue applications that use bundling as an installation method. Some examples are RingtoneFanatic, PuzzleGamesDaily, and PremierDownloadManager among many others.

Neither TotalDatingGuide, nor any of these other rogue browser plug-ins, are useful to the user - their purpose is to generate income by enforcing unwanted browser redirects and delivering intrusive online ads. Despite this, TotalDatingGuide does not pose any direct virus threats, however, most users are redirected without their permission.

If you feel that your browser default search engine, new tab URL, and homepage settings have been assigned to ask.com, follow the removal instructions provided to eliminate the TotalDatingGuide browser hijacker from your system.

Deceptive installer used in TotalDatingGuide toolbar distribution:

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Quick menu:

• What is TotalDatingGuide?
• STEP 1. Uninstall TotalDatingGuide application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove TotalDatingGuide redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove TotalDatingGuide homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove TotalDatingGuide redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

TotalDatingGuide browser hijacker removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window: look for "TotalDatingGuide Internet Explorer Toolbar", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs (which cause browser redirects to the search.tb.ask.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

TotalDatingGuide browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for "TotalDatingGuide", and "Toolbar BHO", select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://home.tb.ask.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.

Change your default search engine:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "Ask Web Search".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the totaldatingguide browser hijacker, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "TotalDatingGuide" (and other recently installed browser plug-ins).

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://home.tb.ask.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "ask.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with totaldatingguide browser hijacker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.

In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.

Change your homepage and new tab settings:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".

Change your default Internet search engine:

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the totaldatingguide browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.

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