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

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
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
    2016-05-09T22:29:03+00:00

    Thanks for the info.  I somehow got it to go away but don't know exactly what I did.  I did unpin it but can't remember what else I did; I tried a lot of things.

    I don't know whether it was related to my frozen problem, but later that same day my email was hacked.  I couldn't access it on my computer, Kindle, or phone.  I kept getting messages that I needed to enter my password but, when I did, it said the password was wrong.  I ended up resetting my Microsoft password, deleting all email accounts and adding them back in and resetting their passwords to get it to work again.

    When I upgraded my Norton anti-virus software recently, the technician warned me not to use Edge as my browser.  He said Microsoft refuses to share info about Windows 10 that would allow anti-virus software developers to protect against potential viruses.  Since Edge froze on me and my email was hacked, I've been using Mozilla Firefox.  I've found it to be much faster than Edge.  Edge was very slow and websites were constantly freezing.  It was like being back on dial-up.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-11T13:57:50+00:00

    I found it easy...........hope it works for you.

    First _ Close Edge using Task Manager   Control-Alt - Delete

    Second _ Close the offending Tab when you restart Edge by IMMEDIATELY holding down the Control key and tapping W (quickly and repeatedly) to close all Tabs before they can load.

    That's it !

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-05-12T02:12:48+00:00

    I tried Ctrl/Alt/Delete but it wouldn't close Edge.  I used Task Manager and tried to close it from there but it didn't work.  I restarted my laptop but Edge was still frozen with the popup message.  I did manage to get it to go away somehow.  I haven't used Edge since.

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