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Janice CookFlag for United States of America

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How to remove Ask.com from Internet Explorer

Hi,

Somehow ask.com got installed as the default search engine for IE 11.0.5. I have Windows 8. When I search for a way to remove it, all I get are sites that want me to download a remover. I don't want to install any of these....is there a safe way to get rid of it?

Also, for some reason, TopicTorch and WebDownloader keep getting installed. Is there a way to prevent this? It's driving me crazy. Thanks in advance.
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Rafael
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sounds like you have malware on your system.  Download Malware Bytes from http://www.malwarebytes.org/ to check. It will remove these.
Open IE, go to Tools, internet Options, Connections, Managed add-ons

In search providers, select Ask and click the disable button.

Close IE, Go to control panel, programs & Features
Highlight Ask and click undelete at the top

Ask isn't really spyware, its a nuisance search engine that some people like.

I just keep google selected as the search engine. It keeps the systems reasonably clean.

Don't forget to delete temporary files on the general tab in IE.
On all the computers that I have removed Ask from, it was listed also in the Add/Remove programs.  You need to remove it there also to prevent it from coming back.
Sorry, in my posting, I meant uninstall, not Undelete.

Highlight Ask and click undelete at the top
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Rafael
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The ask tool bar is most often installed as part of a java update. You have to be very careful when installing java as often you will be installing the ask tool bar unless you remove the check mark. The tool bar can be removed by the add and remove programs, also be deleting it in the managed add ons in internet explorer, both of these steps were mentioned previously by other contributors in this thread. It is not really classified as malware but does have malware like behaviour. It is usually easily removed. If you have other browsers make sure the tool bar is removed in the other browsers as well.
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sheana11--
If Ask and Ask Toolbar are not in Control Panel|Programs and Features|Uninstall or Change program list, use Revouninstaller and look to see if Ask is there so Revo can remove.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html
I just removed Ask from a client's computer.  Both in Add-ons and in the Control Panel.