Some of the files I needed to delete were process-locked; I don't know if that is a new addition to the package or not, but I don't see it in any of the previous posts. I killed an unfamiliar antivirus process, and was then able to remove the rogue extension folder.

zz56,
Good point

Files and folders will not delete whilst they are in use. Exiting Firefox, and if necessary killing it may stop associated files running. I do not know whether it may also be necessary to kill all browsers because some of these problems could affect browsers besides Firefox. Using Windows Safe mode (F8 key) may also help.

Failing that "syinternals process explorer" is invaluable, & I believe syinternals utilities are now available direct from Microsoft. Doing a quick web search I also note the Windows process explorer has been expanded in Windows 7 and will now list associated processes see

• http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/resource-monitor-find-process-locked-file-windows-7/
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx
  This is a fantastic page & links to: syinternals other utilities, documentation, tutorials, and support forum . Yes confirmed sysinternls is ms now.

No idea about a Mac, and Linux you may need to use the commandline. and for example fuser

This Damn thing was riving me crazy.Finally I found that TopArcadehits have put on their website an uninstall utility, which removed unwanted Firefox addon completely!, so it appears cybercrims have at least a streak of decency!.

The solution turned out to be delightfully simple: go to the Toparcadehits website and download their uninstaller. I just did, ran it (required a restart after) and waddaya know - it's gone. Here's the link to their download:

http://toparcadehits.com/remove/

Cheers,

Bart, Ontario, Canada.

I have a free version of Glary Utilities 3 installed on my computer. (Vista SP2, Firefox 23.01). One of its utilities is a System Tweaks - Browser Assistant. I ran that utility and it not only found the fricking TopArcadeHat entry but it allowed me to delete it entirely. (I got rid of a few other annoying things at the same time.) Good luck!

I had the same problem, I found the offending malware program TopArcadeHits in firefox > addons > extensions. However, it would only let me disable it and not delete it. So I searched my hidden folders and found files in the following places:

C:\Users\your username\AppData\Local\TopArcadeHits

C:\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

C:\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Extensions\TopArcadeHits

C:\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Extensions\{ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}

C:\Users\your username\AppData\Local\TopArcadeHits

C:\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\TopArcadeHits

When I deleted the above files and folders all traces of the malware program TopArcadeHits was removed from my system. As you can see it also put itself in the Microsoft\Windows folders.

This might be helpful to other queries.

Regards Graham...

IIRC TopArcade Hits actually installs globaly and has a bespoke uninstaller, as mentioned up thread somewhere.

By the way someone in this thread did try to get it blocked but that apparently will not happen unless anyone can demonstrate it does something wrong. So if you find it is doing something without warning give very careful and complete steps to demonstrate that and there is a possibility blocking it may be reconsidered.

I do know software has to be very bad to be blocked.
It is not enough for it to be irritating or unwanted, it must harm the System, or your data, or at least do things wrong that it is not documented as doing: such as collecting private information without advising you. IIRC it does warn you about it changing Firefox search settings.

On the subject of search settings you should be able to easily change the settings yourself in Firefox 23. Change the search engine used in the search bar, and Firefox will use that in the address bar also. Please say so if Top Arcade Hits prevents this in Firefox23 or later.

You’re correct in saying that TopArcadeHits installs globally and has a bespoke uninstaller. However, TopArcadeHits actually opened up a number of websites on my computer that I considered VERY risky and possible high risk to any computer system, not just mine. Also the websites offended me, and if children were to be using such a computer I would be VERY concerned. I use Sophos firewall and antivirus and my system is scanned daily. Other people might not be as rigorous as I am and there systems would be more vulnerable. Although there was an uninstaller I feel it is unadvisable to advise people to use these methods, as they could install additional malware or a virus, thereby impacting on the computer’s security. I feel this type of software should be blocked, not to do so will encourage others to do likewise.

Gwolf, This forum is intended to have a single question and answer on a thread. It is not really for discussions. Having said that obviously we try our best to help. We are not the ones making the decision on blocking. A bug was filed to block Top Arcade but was effectively closed with a possibility of re opening it if wrong doing could be proved.

All we can do regarding blocking the site is to collect evidence. So if you would like to explain clearly step by step what happens from the start when you install TopArcade hits and what sites are displayed maybe we can make some headway. Please clearly explain your reasoning if something is considered wrongdoing, and why.

Contributor Waka_Flocka_Flame is trying to reopen the bug to have the site blocked but without a very careful description of what happens this will just get closed again, and in all probability permanently closed this time.

Anyone else is also welcome to add details in this forum thread but please only hard facts demonstrating what the extension does that is very wrong. NOT complaints that it is iritating or unwanted: PLEASE remember YOU downloaded, accepted TOC/EULA and installed the software.

You may need to bear in mind that Firefox itself may be used to access adult and possibly even completely illegal content and certainly suffers from malware problems but no-one is suggesting we stop distributing Firefox because it is dangerous or unsuitable for minors.

As a final point you my consider voting on the bug but please do not post comments, unless they are fully detailed proofs of wrongdoing; and even then it would probably be best posting any such comment here first. If the bug draws unwanted comments it will be locked and we will lose the opportunity to do anything.

P.S.

1. http://toparcadehits.com/terms-of-use/
   That includes in bold print and with a lot of Upper Case text.
   
   BY DOWNLOADING THE SOFTWARE TO PLAY PREMIUM GAMES, YOU SIGNIFY YOUR AGREEMENT TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING OUR USE OF YOUR INFORMATION AS PROVIDED IN THE TOPARCADEHITS PRIVACY POLICY. In addition, the Software automatically modifies your browser settings with Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer to enable our requested add-on rather than requiring you to manually enable it. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING OUR USE OF YOUR INFORMATION AS PROVIDED IN THE TOPARCADEHITS PRIVACY POLICY, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO PLAY PREMIUM GAMES, YOU SHOULD NOT DOWNLOAD THE SOFTWARE, OR, IF YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED THE SOFTWARE, YOU SHOULD DEACTIVATE IT. See “Deactivate Software ” below in Section 5.1
2. They also have a privacy policy http://toparcadehits.com/privacy-policy/
3. if you do test this junk please take care to download this only from the homesite and not somewhere elsewhere you may get other bundled software

P.P.S

• Formal guidelines https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/Add-on_guidelines

ATTENTION! You may find your way to the actual Site: http://toparcadehits.com/deactivate/ Where a removal tool is offered. WARNING! It deleted *all* of my files from my external backup drive which was connected at the time :-{

AND 90% of the files on my Laptop!

AND like millions of others I got the infection from that now heinous and dangerous source of deliberate malware: Download.com

himagain

Would you like to give:

• full details of your setup,
• careful step by step explanation of what you did,
• and what sort of external backup drive and how it is connected?

Preferably give the details in another separate thread and include your full troubleshooting information. Please post back here when done.

That sounds to me like dangerous behaviour, and if the site does not fix it there is a possibility that may be considered as grounds for blocking the software, IF we are able to prove that happens.

• Anyone else noticing the above fault in the installer ?
• Anyone willing to try that out in a test situation, if so you probably will need
  1. either a VM or a pc that you can quickly restore or are about to clear anyway,
  2. and an external backup drive

Ok, so after both AVG Antivirus 2013 AND Spybot - Search & Destroy, failed to flag this "Toparcade Hits" Browser Hijacker/Malware and having uninstalled it and running CCleaner, and even downloading/scanning with AVG and running the "Toparcade Hits" uninstaller..

It still was causing unwanted mini adds on my browser, so I researched this crap further.... AND Successfully rid my comp of it by using CCleaner to disable the Extension, then ran CCleaner Registry Scan and Deleted the Registry Entry for for it.

Trinnyman,

It is important to note Mozilla decided (Bug 880858) this is not to be blocked because it is legitimate software. Note also the chosen solution (above) to this thread is to use the uninstaller provided by TopArcadeHits to remove TopArcadeHits. I have seen no evidence that it was not doing what it says.

• Uninstaller
  the sitelink http://toparcadehits.com/deactivate/

currently suggests this software will uninstall from the Windows control panel.

Users with TopArcadeHits may well also have other Potentially Unwanted Software installed.

• It may have helped others to say what you now found and uninstalled, mentioning the program file names.
• Possibly you had other additional unwanted software or adware on your machine not just TopArcade Hits
• Malware scanners may not detect this because it may be seen as legitimate software. You the user has chosen to download, accept a EULA and install this.
• Some may consider Registry etc cleaners capable of causing damage or inconvenience by removing more than is desirable

If anyone is still looking at this thread.... May you please state how you removed the addon (if you could) very descriptively so i can attempt to get some evidence that this addon should be blocked. Also state on the install if it showed a screen similar to the one below, that would be very helpful, if it didnt show below, that is a violation of the addon guidelines(if you said no to the prompt and it still installed, please state that too). The picture above might be blocked by MCB Blocking introduced in FX23, hit the security icon in the navigation bar and hit "allow" to view the image.

The Windows Control Panel Add/Remove did nothing and the chosen solution, TopArcadeHits uninstaller DID NOT remove TopArcadeHits.

There was no additional software/addware on my machine,

CCleaner offers an option to SAVE the current registry state PRIOR to removing entries.

After trying other solutions, I found that the only thing that stopped TopArcadeHits. From popping up MINI ADDS (Which by the way displayed a message saying, TopArcadeHits when moused over) And the highlighted fake LINKS on select text on the page, which if clicked opened MORE ADDS.

Was the following: use CCleaner to disable the Extension, then run CCleaner Registry Scan and Deleted the Registry Entry for TopArcadeHits.

Thanks Jessicalo88, if I EVER get TopArcadeHits. on my comp again, which I pray I never do, I will give your solution a shot :)

I do not recall seeing that screen nor any screen advising of an add on being added..

Well thank you very much for the information.

Trinnnyman, would you like to document fully and carefully the method of installing toparcade hits without getting any warnings. Waka may be interested in this if it is reproducible, as he was attempting to get the software blocked.