Edge Frozen with Virus Warning Popup

Anonymous
2015-08-10T20:42:30+00:00

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]

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Security and privacy

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Anonymous
2015-08-13T17:59:55+00:00

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
2017-04-25T22:28:31+00:00

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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  1. Anonymous
    2017-01-14T16:18:37+00:00

    Rational Approach:

    1.  Right click any *.html file on your hard drive and choose OPEN WITH from the drop down.  Choose OPEN WITH EDGE.  The file will open, and you'll see the tab for the noxious loop site.  Close the tab.  Done.

    Just want to thank you for that easy fix.  I, too, tried all the previous methods -- thinking it was definitely a virus and/or malware and not a pop-up.  I was ready to install McAffe anti-virus -- until I read your post.  Still, Microsoft should have foreseen this issue before they officially released Windows 10.  ;-)

    My computer didn't have a choice of what to open the *.html file with. It just had the

    option of opening it, so it didn't work. Thank you anyway.

    I tried a lot of suggestions here to no avail...BUT, what worked for me was found by a fluke on

    my part. I shut my computer down, restarted it, and uninstalled a temporary program that was

    no longer of use to me. 

    When it finished uninstalling, a tab came up (on the subject of that particular program to ask if I 

    wanted to re-install it). At the same time, the Chrome message came up asking if I wanted to

    bring back my original tabs, and I declined. 

    I lost some tabs, but the nuisance is gone!

    I think that is the trick. Do something that just one new tab will come up, ignore the message 

    to bring back the original tabs, and you are back in business. 

    I hope this helps someone!

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-01-14T15:41:38+00:00

    Rational Approach:

    1.  Right click any *.html file on your hard drive and choose OPEN WITH from the drop down.  Choose OPEN WITH EDGE.  The file will open, and you'll see the tab for the noxious loop site.  Close the tab.  Done.

    Just want to thank you for that easy fix.  I, too, tried all the previous methods -- thinking it was definitely a virus and/or malware and not a pop-up.  I was ready to install McAffe anti-virus -- until I read your post.  Still, Microsoft should have foreseen this issue before they officially released Windows 10.  ;-)

    My computer didn't have a choice of what to open the *.html file with. It just had the

    option of opening it, so it didn't work. Thank you anyway.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-20T14:57:25+00:00

    Not the first time I've seen this one - very annoying and as is said on this post hard to get rid of. I have done it by going back to a previous restore point, but that is time consuming. I tried Malwarebytes this time with no results, so disconnected the internet, ran edge a couple of times - the first time opening a new tab and closing the offending tab - and also cleared all history and set Edge to clear all,k history every time |I shut it down. I rarely use history anyway so that is not a problem.  

    So now, problem solved - again! Incidentally, I have firefox as my default browser and never get this problem with it.

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