Is it possible to block Conduit?

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My friend has an HP 2000 Windows 7 H.P. SP1 64-bit Notebook PC and Conduit repeatably returns to her computer even after she has had the computer cleaned out. She just called me and said everytime her grandson uses her computer is when Conduit returns, I’ll be checking out her computer later on this week and I’m hoping to get ideas on how to do so

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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May be best to find out if/what the grandson is downloading or the sites that he’s visiting and what he’s clicking on when he gets there.

If he has installed anything then checking the restore points/Scan for affected programs in Safe Mode during his usage may glean something, but I think that the only sure fire way to prevent its reinstall would be to ban the grandson from using it.

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This usually comes when you download a program and choose the default install rather than custom which will allow you to uncheck a box next to Conduit Search install. Always use custom install rather than the default “recommended” install. Don’t remember the specific program but I ran across it earlier this week with a downloaded program install.
This is one way the “free” programs make money.

Jerry

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FYI,

I just installed the latest version of EaseUS Partition Manager on my cousin’s machine and if you don’t select the Custom Install options you will get Conduit installed. You’ve been warned! HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I’ve seen it in at least 3 places under the hidden Custom install option lately. You might try installing Unchecky on systems with casual and inattentive users at the helm though it’s not foolproof.

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I’ll be looking for what’s going on. I’ve seen this quite a few times over the years. Too many times I’ve seen someone just click away on whatever they are doing even after explaining what to not to do; a couple of times I’ve even written instructions but to no avail. I don’t have a problem with uninstalling Conduit & whatever else has come with it but now I know it’s likely to return and that I will be called again. In the beginning I use to do it for free since I’m just a cmptrgy, but no more. Most likely even though the grandson is being pointed out, I believe there’s more to the story of what’s really happening

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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I’ll be looking for what’s going on. I’ve seen this quite a few times over the years. Too many times I’ve seen someone just click away on whatever they are doing even after explaining what to not to do; a couple of times I’ve even written instructions but to no avail. I don’t have a problem with uninstalling Conduit & whatever else has come with it but now I know it’s likely to return and that I will be called again. In the beginning I use to do it for free since I’m just a cmptrgy, but no more. Most likely even though the grandson is being pointed out, I believe there’s more to the story of what’s really happening

I had the same deal with a HP laptop from an in-law. They would visit….but I’d get this “since we’re here can you take a look at my laptop” deal. Then the visits became more frequent just for me to fix the laptop. Of course the story goes “I don’t know what happened or how it got on there”. There last visit was the braking point for me…the laptop was so jacked up that I had to completely wipe the drive and do a clean install….I told this person if you go back on those no no sites again and it gets infected don’t bring it to me, if you do, bring $200 with you. That was the last time I seen laptop. Some years later (5 I think) we went to visit said in-laws and I inquired about the laptop….they said they don’t use it anymore. I chuckled quietly and asked why….they got embarrassed and just smiled, now I laughed openly and loud. Then I said “one time only deal…half off special”….”$100″…so before we left I did a clean install on it once more….I had gas money for the trip home and they had a clean laptop.

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Current version of Malwarebytes removed Conduit’s Search Protect from my XP Pro Sp3 today. Hope it stays away.

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I’ve been to their house twice since my original post; they have 2 computers, the HP laptop I mentioned and a Dell desktop. Each one had Conduit along with plenty of cousins. Each computer was barely crawling along. They had spent $700 over the last 2 years to have them cleaned and they had no idea why- after all they had Norton 360 on the laptop & MSE on the desktop . On the first visit, after cleaning both of them out and leaving some written instructions with explanations, I essentially demanded I come back within a week to follow up on the computers performance which they accepted. On the 2nd visit, the computers were infected again, naturally not seriously yet, and they admitted they didn’t follow the maintenance & security recommendations I left them with. So now came the “easy” part. they were exasperated on why and how things were happening. Oh yes, I had each of them get a notebook, one for each computer. Then I had them follow the recommendations I had left them with but this time they performed the procedures and wrote the instructions in the way they understood what they were doing while I took the time to explain why it was important to follow a maintenance plan & security plan – included in this training session was showing them which sites they were accessing and the results of how Conduit & cousins were returning. In the end they were much relieved and are doing well on their computers. I offered to call them in a couple of months and they readily agreed. I’d like to add some background information: a couple of years ago, one of my friends who was also a friend of this couple had recommended to them they should let me service their computers but naturally they told him they already had a computer shop to take care of them. So when I did get involved what I had in my favor was they were exasperated and didn’t have a clue as to why or what was going on so they were willing to finally listen to someone on such matters

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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