Edge Frozen with Virus Warning Popup

Anonymous

After navigating to a web page, a popup hijacked the Edge browser.

The popup is a false virus warning, with audio, that repeats endlessly.

I used Task Manager to close Edge browser, but after re-opening, it returns to the hijacked page. There is no time to open another tab, or reach settings. How can this be cleared.

First I tried searching for /user/appdata for Edge entries, and only found a couple, deleted them, but no effect.

I launched msconfig, and set to boot to Safe Mode, minimal. I tried launching Edge in Safe, but you get a warning saying Edge will not launch using the built in administrator account. IE still ran, but no network (as you might expect). I cleared history in IE. But then was unable to relaunch msconfig! Pressing Start flashed a start menu but it disappeared. Selecting the search box wound not search. I ended up launching Control Panel using win+x, and finding System Configuration that way.

When I returned to normal Windows, Edge was set back to its home page.

Clearly this is not a good work around. I can't imagine explaining it to my little niece or grandmother.

Please suggest something more rational.

[Moved from Windows]

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous

When this happened to me, I closed Microsoft Edge using the Task Manager.

Then in the search bar next to the Windows 10 logo on the bottom off the screen (I call it the "Cortana Search"), I typed in google.com and hit enter.

Microsoft Edge opened up with a new tab for Google. You can see the offending site still opens in a tab that doesn't have focus. Click the "X" to close Edge. Do not click on the offending site tab or it will get focus again.

When Edge closes nicely, I won't "Restore" the sessions and the offending site tab will be gone.

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Anonymous

This did not work. It closed the offending page, but when I re-opened Edge it popped back up again.

It's a common scam. Click the OK button at the bottom of the popup. You should then see a box Do not allow this site to create new messages. Check it and then close the window.

If that doesn't work, for Edge, follow the instructions by Scott_Ki here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_other-protect_scanning/edge-frozen-with-virus-warning-popup/7212a393-90ad-48d0-ab55-4ffe1f21a554?page=2&msgId=7618ae67-bf16-4155-bf90-d8a7405ee199

For all other browsers, use the Task Manager to exit the browser. Reboot and see if the pop-up goes away.

How to Use the New Task Manager.

http://www.wikihow.com/Open-Windows-Task-Manager

If the problem persists, for any browser:

Remove Tech Support Scam pop-up (Call For Support Scam)

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-tech-support-scam-popups/

Please read:

PSA: Tech Support Scams Pop-Ups on the Rise

https://blog.malwarebytes.org/fraud-scam/2014/11/psa-tech-support-scams-pop-ups-on-the-rise/

Breaking down a notably sophisticated tech support scam M.O.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mmpc/2017/03/02/breaking-down-a-notably-sophisticated-tech-support-scam-m-o/

For more information, see this post by GreginMich

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_other-protect_scanning/1-888-2361-scam/0990122e-61a9-431b-947e-a904c202fa7c?msgId=8d26f1a8-041a-4351-9c24-a222fb305cbd

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195 additional answers

Anonymous

2015-08-22T14:57:45+00:00

I also have the issue on my Windows 10 tablet. I cured the problem by NOT using the default Start Page in Edge. It appears that the Edge "Start Page" is the problem. Go into Edge "Settings" (top right corner of the browser "..."). The default selection under Open with is "Start Page". You'll want to select "A specific page or pages" and pull-down the selection "MSN", "Bing", or "Custom". I selected Bing. The problem went away!

I hope this helps.
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Anonymous

2015-08-26T21:39:44+00:00

@Erdeslawe

No. In this case it seems to be a Edge bug.

See my reply to you here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-networking/microsoft-edge-browserror/ca3eb795-484d-4c2a-8331-7d2e35d7fd05?page=2&msgId=c8f450f7-2e66-4f1c-a8dc-02862482d4ab

In the same thread I also posted about another solution which works:

User RenePeerboom shared the following solution:

1. Open Edge (internet) indirectly, that is from say an email link as an example. Then at the top tabs, the first one is the offending one, DO NOT OPEN IT, just delete it by clicking on the X at the right of that tab, while you have the screen of the site you were able to access indirectly on.

2. Now go to the EDGE settings, top right corner of screen, click on the three ... which stand for "more" there on the sub-menus click on Settings and clear the browser data.

3. Close Edge and re-open; the offending site should be gone. It worked for me.

From <http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect\_other-protect\_scanning/how-to-remove-softwareupdateproductcom-from/ad19b030-e2f5-43de-ae5b-70bf8b24fa2e>
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Anonymous

2015-08-23T05:24:04+00:00
I got the same menacing problem with my edge, in my windows 10 PC.

What I did to avoid it;
1. "End now" with the task manager
2. Open the edge again and tried to close it even before it loads..
Keep pressing ctrl+w (close)

it would go away

i had it two times.

Ms should look it up..

It usually comes with bad websites like torrents
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