But don't panic just yet because the good news is that there are things you can do to ensure that the whole process is quicker and easier. If you have a lot of ads, or even pop-ups and other types of nuisance delivered by CrimeWatch on your machine you are going to need a reliable anti-malware program and maybe even some Windows registry editing knowledge. Some variants of this malware can be installed on computers under different names and files. So, search for "CrimeWatch" or "Crime Watch" won't help you. If you're not entirely sure what you need, speak to someone techy and ask them to find a removal program and burn it onto a CD or DVD for you. If you have a helpful IT guy at work, he will be the best person to ask. And if you don't then please follow the steps in the removal guide below. I'll try to explain everything simply, without any complicated tech jargon.
There are some basic steps to follow to remove adware from your Windows desktop or laptop computer that might just work for CrimeWatch as well. First of all, you need to close any programs and applications that you have open, including all web pages and browsers. Go to your computer's Control Panel and then to Add/Remove Programs. If you recognize a program in the list as being an imposter you will be able to delete it here. Look for CrimeWatch or list programs by "Install Date". Just click on the program then on Remove. You will now need to reboot your machine. Next, scan your computer with your (up to date and reputable brand of) anti-malware software. If possible (some security software won't let you do this but it's advisable), do this in Safe Mode - access this by holding down the F8 key during the reboot.
If you have found that the CrimeWatch, or traces of it, are still infesting your computer you may want to seek the advice of a professional or someone who has dealt with malware issues before. Ringing your computer manufacturer's help line is also an option.
Naturally once you do have your clean, CrimeWatch free computer back, you will no doubt want to know how you can prevent adware from infecting you again in the future, after all dealing with endless pop up adverts and a slow system are a pain. Factor in the possibility of adware causing security vulnerabilities by interacting strangely with other installed programs and you'll want to make sure you're protected going forward.
The key pointers to remember are to exercise restraint when visiting websites that offer free downloads, as well as sites that contain adult or dubious content. Also ensure that you have a good anti-malware program installed on your PC and always read License Agreements when you're downloading programs and apps so that you know exactly what you are downloading.
To remove this adware and stop annoying CrimeWatch ads, please follow the steps in the removal guide below. If you have any questions, please leave a comment down below. Good luck and be safe online!
Written by Michael Kaur, http://delmalware.blogspot.com
CrimeWatch Removal Guide:
1. First of all, download anti-malware software and run a full system scan. It will detect and remove this infection from your computer. You may then follow the manual removal instructions below to remove the leftover traces of this malware. Hopefully you won't have to do that.
2. Remove CrimeWatch related programs from your computer using the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or Uninstall a program control panel (Windows 7 and Windows 8).
Go to the Start Menu. Select Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs.
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, select Control Panel → Uninstall a Program.
If you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for "control panel".
Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control panel from there.
3. When the Add/Remove Programs or the Uninstall a Program screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and remove the following:
- CrimeWatch
- and any other recently installed application
Simply select each application and click Remove. If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, click Uninstall up near the top of that window. When you're done, please close the Control Panel screen.
Remove CrimeWatch related extensions from Google Chrome:
1. Click on Chrome menu button. Go to Tools → Extensions.
2. Click on the trashcan icon to remove CrimeWatch, MediaPlayerV1, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
If the removal option is grayed out then read how to remove extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Remove CrimeWatch related extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
1. Open Mozilla Firefox. Go to Tools → Add-ons.
2. Select Extensions. Click Remove button to remove CrimeWatch, MediaPlayerV1, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
Remove CrimeWatch related add-ons from Internet Explorer:
1. Open Internet Explorer. Go to Tools → Manage Add-ons. If you have the latest version, simply click on the Settings button.
2. Select Toolbars and Extensions. Click Remove/Disable button to remove the browser add-ons listed above.