Impossible to get rid of Yahoo Search

Question

Impossible to get rid of Yahoo Search

Carlo Casali 60

Buongiorno.

Il problema riguarda il mio personale PC Windows 11. Browser: Chrome. Motore di ricerca: Google.

PROBLEMA: Quando nella new tab imposto un criterio di ricerca qualsiasi, interviene Yahoo Search, benché io abbia eliminato Yahoo dal mio PC ed abbia seguito tutti i consigli ricevuti, come indicato in dettaglio più sotto.

Se per esempio scrivo: "microsoft learn", nella barra degli indirizzi compare prima fugacemente https flexysearch.com/search?p=microsoft+learn, subito sostituito da search.yahoo.com/search?p=microsoft+learn.

DETTAGLIO DELLE OPERAZIONI CHE HO FATTO PER ELIMINARE YAHOO SEARCH:

Ho ri-verificato che Yahoo non fosse presente nell'elenco dei motori di ricerca.

Ho verificato che nell'elenco delle estensioni non ci siano estensioni sospette (anzi, non compare nessuna estensione).

Ho fatto una scansione completa con learn.microsoft.com/defender-endpoint/safety-scanner-download.

Poi ho fatto anche una scansione con www.malwarebytes.com/it/adwcleaner

Ho risettato il motore di ricerca tramite chrome://settings/searchEngines.

Ciò nonostante, il problema persiste.

Ringrazio in anticipo per qualsiasi aiuto mi venga dato.

C.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

_AW_ 69,121 Volunteer Moderator

Please start by uninstalling both of these.

Windows Diverting Services (HKLM-x32...{A7C3D2E1-4B5F-4A6E-9C8D-1E2F3A4B5C6D}) (Version: 1.26.809.1210 - Netsoft)

Windows Update Helper (HKLM-x32...{2AC336CE-371D-4F3A-86DB-1D5EB887A1A3}) (Version: 1.0.0 - SoftNest Technologies)

Save Fixlist.txt to your Downloads folder.
Close any apps with unsaved work.
Run FRST64English.exe and click "Fix".
The computer will reboot to complete the procedure.

Please upload Fixlog.txt so I can check if any further action is needed. Also, let me know if the Yahoo search issue is resolved.

Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T13:19:53.1866667+00:00

Can you please tell me which path / folder

I cannot find them
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T13:23:28.9966667+00:00

Open the Settings app (Windows key + I) -> Apps ->Installed apps
Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T13:48:59.86+00:00

GREAT, got rid of Yahoo Search. Thank you for your outstanding support.

Here's the link to the fixlog.txt

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MYVFfQ57f64KLc21XHvOnigH4kF3ErxI?usp=sharing
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T13:57:50.8033333+00:00

That's all looking fine in the fixlog. To remove the Farbar scanner and its folders, rename FRST64English.exe to uninstall.exe and run it. A reboot will be required.

Also, it would be very much appreciated if you could click on Yes, accept answer on the reply that fixed the issue.
Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T14:22:06.2833333+00:00

Done.

Thank you once again, AW

For my own info, was there a specific item redirecting google to yahoo search?
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T14:59:38.6166667+00:00

You're most welcome.

I can't be 100% sure which component was causing the redirection. There was a startup item launching a javascript file C:\ProgramData\WindowsProtector15\python.js and I assume that was then launching python based malware.

2 additional answers

Your answer

Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T13:19:53.1866667+00:00

Can you please tell me which path / folder

I cannot find them
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T13:23:28.9966667+00:00

Open the Settings app (Windows key + I) -> Apps ->Installed apps
Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T13:48:59.86+00:00

GREAT, got rid of Yahoo Search. Thank you for your outstanding support.

Here's the link to the fixlog.txt

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MYVFfQ57f64KLc21XHvOnigH4kF3ErxI?usp=sharing
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T13:57:50.8033333+00:00

That's all looking fine in the fixlog. To remove the Farbar scanner and its folders, rename FRST64English.exe to uninstall.exe and run it. A reboot will be required.

Also, it would be very much appreciated if you could click on Yes, accept answer on the reply that fixed the issue.
Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T14:22:06.2833333+00:00

Done.

Thank you once again, AW

For my own info, was there a specific item redirecting google to yahoo search?
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T14:59:38.6166667+00:00

You're most welcome.

I can't be 100% sure which component was causing the redirection. There was a startup item launching a javascript file C:\ProgramData\WindowsProtector15\python.js and I assume that was then launching python based malware.

Answer 1

_AW_ 69,121 Volunteer Moderator

Please provide Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) logs for analysis.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/farbar-recovery-scan-tool/

Note: If you are using Edge or Chrome, SmartScreen may initially block the download. Click on the three dots next to the warning and select Keep => Click the Delete drop arrow => Keep anyway.

If your computer's language is not English, rename FRST64.exe to FRST64English.exe
Run the tool, leave the default settings, and press Scan.
Zip the logs, FRST.txt and Addition.txt, then upload to a cloud storage service like OneDrive, Google Drive or gofile.io
Post the share link.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/share-onedrive-files-and-folders-9fcc2f7d-de0c-4cec-93b0-a82024800c07

Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-06T15:48:51.4433333+00:00
Ho ottenuto i 2 file FRST.txt (54 kB) e Addition.txt (29 kB) e li ho messi in una cartella "FRST scan reports" in Google Drive.

Adesso però sono bloccato perché:

non so come fare per zipparli;

non so come condividere la cartelle in Google drive.

Mi puoi dare qualche indicazione per come fare per favore?

Inoltre: è indispensabile zipparli?

C.

Answer 2

_AW_ 69,121 Volunteer Moderator

You don't need to zip them.

To share on Google Drive,

Right click on the "FRST scan reports" folder and select Share with Google Drive
In the "share item" dialog that opens, under General access, change it from Restricted to Anyone with the link
Click on Copy link and paste the link into your reply.

Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T05:32:30.04+00:00

Thank you AW

Here's the link

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1f-FT4VuAGNB828RyAdB2vysJ-RpNlfrO?usp=sharing
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T05:46:32.47+00:00

Is this software you intentionally installed?

R2 WinDivert_5g303; C:\ProgramData\WinDivertSvc\pythonservice.exe [20992 2026-08-10] () [File not signed] R2 WinUpdater_svc; C:\Program Files (x86)\WinUpdater\pythonservice.exe [20992 2025-07-10] () [File not signed]
Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T05:48:27.47+00:00

No, I did not
_AW_ 69,121 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-07T06:50:51.7933333+00:00

Just double checking, are either of these things that were intentionally installed?

Windows Diverting Services (HKLM-x32...{A7C3D2E1-4B5F-4A6E-9C8D-1E2F3A4B5C6D}) (Version: 1.26.809.1210 - Netsoft)

Windows Update Helper (HKLM-x32...{2AC336CE-371D-4F3A-86DB-1D5EB887A1A3}) (Version: 1.0.0 - SoftNest Technologies)
Carlo Casali 60 Reputation points

2026-09-07T07:39:02.81+00:00

No, I did not intentionally install them