Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

how to remove delta search engine cant get rid of it

  • 12 replies
  • 232 have this problem
  • 14 views
  • Last reply by John99

more options

i have removed delta search from add and remove programs, i also reset mozilla firefox it worked for one day and now its back how do i go about removing delta search with out it coming back. i have windows xp thank you beth brock

i have removed delta search from add and remove programs, i also reset mozilla firefox it worked for one day and now its back how do i go about removing delta search with out it coming back. i have windows xp thank you beth brock

All Replies (12)

more options

The fact that it came back suggests that there are other things still to be removed. I don't remember XP that well, but is there a way to sort the Add/Remove programs list by the installation date? That may help uncover whatever remnants remain.

You also may want to run some supplemental security scanners. These three tools are highly regarded (and free, unlike some things that might be promoted in later replies...):


Once that is gone, there are a variety of ways to clean up your Firefox without having to do another reset. However, if you haven't customized that much since the last one, another reset might be fastest.

more options

Make sure your settings are not frozen by user.js file (in your Firefox data folder) or third party program ( scan with Adwcleaner and Spyhunter). Delta search is much harder to remove than just uninstalling the program itself.

more options

Don't forget to reset Firefox shortcut as well. Or even better, create a new one. Delta Search may add additional parameters to load its search engine. See this:

http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2013/02/remove-delta-searchcom-redirect-delta.html

Also, use AdwCleaner to remove Delta Search related applications from your computer. It could be that one or more programs are reintalling Delta on your PC.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/

more options

Hello friends! my name is Naveed.

Tips to remove delta search from mozilla firefox permanently.

In case you open a new tab in Firefox, and the search you wish to remove still appears after removing from Addons, please do the following:

1. Type in the address bar line "about:config" and press enter. 2. Confirm the message. Type the name of the search you wish to remove in the search bar ex: Delta Search. 2. Right-click the entries and click Reset. Restart Firefox.

That's if the problem persists reply to this I will get back to you.

more options

See also

  • Accidentally, I downloaded something uknonwn and whenever I click the (+) button, an unkown page Delta Search open.
    Further comments and full removal instruction links.
more options

so first you go to control panel you should see there "add or remove programs" click on it now it should give you a list of programs that are installed on your computer. find "delta search" and remove it TA DA

more options

Note that delta-search also can create a user.js file in the Firefox profile folder that needs to be removed as well and involved prefs need to be removed from prefs.js or reset on the about:config page.

more options

I reinstalled Mozilla and it was removed....

more options

I have Windows 8 on my laptop

Naveed, here is some additional information to your Post (answer). After typing in the browser about:config, and confirming the message. I ALSO searched for Delta-Search (with a hyphen between Delta and Search), Not just Delta Search.

Searching for "Delta Search" resulted in three lines that I right clicked and RESET.

Searching for "Delta-Search" resulted in ONE line that I right clicked and RESET.

I honestly discovered the need for the hyphen accidentally. But the results (on the far right side of the page) indicated the "Delta-SearchNewTabURL" words in the result. I also (as Naveed instructed) right clicked on the line and clicked RESET. I restarted Mozilla. Now the new tab page displays previously viewed pages. The default Mozilla "new tab" page results.

I DID NOT uninstall Mozilla. I only followed your instructions and was FREE/Cleaned of Delta Search in less than five minutes! Note: I also restarted my Windows 8 laptop to see if the Delta Search would reappear. It DID NOT!!!!

Naveed, Thank you for the post and information! I am now Delta Search FREE because of your post

Tony Marie New Bern, NC

Modified by ncpickman

more options

After using Windows 7 (64 bit) add/remove programs wizard to remove the Delta malware, any new tabs I opened were still showing the Delta web site/search engine. The toolbar was gone, and my preferences were set with Google as my search engine and home page. I ran several different virus and malware programs and none of them detected a whiff of the Delta search/toolbar on my computer. Note: as far as I could tell, the redirect was the ONLY sign left that Delta had ever affected my computer.

I finally opened the Firefox manual settings (type "about:config" in the address bar without the quotes) and checked those settings to see if any of them had residual Delta settings that were redirecting the home page. Sometimes even if the program itself is gone, it can leave non-viral and non-malevalent pieces of itself around just to be annoying. Sure enough, that's where I found the trouble.

You should note that I didn't even have to manually type anything in to correct the problem, just hit "reset" , so it wasn't possible to mess anything up too badly this way. Hitting "reset" simply returned those particular options back to their default settings. This is a simple and relatively safe way to check, correct and verify stubborn issues like this even if it is tedious to scan down the entire list. When I searched for Delta and it's variations using the built in search bar of the Firefox config program NOTHING came up. So if you suspect a sneaky problem like this, don't rely on the Firefox search option to find it here.

Two things to remember: 1)Always copy (and save) the settings you are changing in plain text (I suggest notepad), so that if you need to, you can easily return them back to what they were if it doesn't work, or if the changes cause problems.

2) Copy and Save the changes you've made--again in plain text, as I suggest above EVEN if you think they've worked, OR if you are still struggling to completely remove the program--or are suspicious that it is still on your computer but hidden. If you have NOT actually removed the malware, the settings will revert back to their faulty settings on their own--Probably the next time you open your browser or restart your computer. That will be one clue to you that you haven't successfully and fully removed your original problem. That can be a VERY GOOD THING to know, and this is easy enough that it's worth trying even if you suspect that you haven't successfully and fully removed the malware. By saving the information you've found and the changes you've made, it will make doing it again much faster and much simpler the second (or third) time around.

Type "about:config" in the address bar without the quotes. You can try the search option, but DON'T count on it finding your problem, or finding ALL all of the faulty settings. Methodically scan down the page looking for anything that looks remotely like the name of the program causing problems. In this case, "Delta". This is where I found my hijacked settings and hopefully where you will find yours--BUT these programs are NOTORIOUS for constantly changing strategies, so I would do a thorough search and NOT count on my findings as being identical to what you'll find on your own computer.....

NOTE that the following are the FAULTY settings caused by Delta, NOT what you would set them to, and are the ACTUAL faulty settings left behind AFTER successfully removing the Delta program. These are directly copied and pasted from my computer (your results may be different):

browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID;20140212131424

browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone;27.0.1

pref.browser.homepage.disable_button.restore_default;false

startup.homepage_override_url;

That was it! I simply clicked "RESET" on each one and that has solved the problem! It helped that in this case the problematic settings were actually pretty obvious with key words like "redirect" and "override".

more options

I missed this one little thing when I posted my instructions above: While I mentioned that the problematic settings were pretty easy to find due to the tell-tale keywords like "redirect" and "override", you can also see why they didn't show up in a search. There is NO mention of the program (Delta) that is redirecting the new tab search engine or page. This MIGHT mean that I actually still have a piece of the program lurking on my computer somewhere. For now though, these changes seem to have solved my problem.

more options

Hi ladybug2535,

Thanks for posting explanation on using about:config

Did you see the post up thread /questions/969882#answer-483224. Note the prefs.js file if it still exists may change preferences even if you use about:config to reset them.