Bing Toolbar Install Won't Go Away

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I was trying to help a lady with her new W7 computer. Somehow she got into a mode where a dialog box had popped up wanting permission to install the Bing toolbar. I clicking on No Thanks, then W7 immediately popped up a dialog box wanting permission to install.it. I declined and the original Bing toolbar dialog box popped right back up. Meanwhile, with the dialog box waiting for user input she couldn’t do anything else with her Internet Explorer program. I could use Task Manager to close the program, but upon starting IE up again I ran into the same problem.
Finally I went ahead and installed the darn thing then disabled it. It was the only way I could avoid having the computer hang up waiting for input.
Any idea what’s going on here and how to keep something like this from hanging up the computer?

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Have you tried to remove the Bing Bar through Control Panel, Programs and Features? I would try Revo Uninstaller or Absolute Uninstaller. Use the advanced removal to get rid of all traces. CCleaner also has an uninstaller worth trying. I would think one of these uninstallers should work for you.

As far as why this happened, are you sure there is no virus/malware activity on the PC. This almost sounds like something they would act like.

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Hi Chuck,

From the way you describe Bing’s behavior, I would first scan for malware to be sure it really is Bing that you are seeing. Scan with your AV and AW software. Download and install MalwareBytes Anti-malware Free edition as well to serve as a second opinion. Do full scans on all hard drives.

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Gerald, we are both of the same mind that this sounds like a fraudulent site that looks like Bing.

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You could also use HijackThis to remove the BHO link.

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I will advise this lady to run another AV scan on her computer to see if she has some infection. It didn’t show up when I installed Microsoft Security Essentials.

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Did you install Windows Live Essentials 2011? The Bing bar is part of that install.

Joe

--Joe

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I imagine Live Essentials got installed as it seems to be a persistent update from Microsoft. Bear in mind this is an elderly lady who knows next to nothing about her computer, so she probably lets the automatic updates go without knowing anything about them. I’ll have to check the next time I see her.

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I also see the Bing Toolbar keep coming back as an update despite marking it ‘hide’ — and I run malwarebytes and other tools. I think it’s Microsoft pushing it. Can anyone clarify this? Several people have told me to just accept it then find its settings and turn it off.

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I also see the Bing Toolbar keep coming back as an update despite marking it ‘hide’ — and I run malwarebytes and other tools. I think it’s Microsoft pushing it. Can anyone clarify this? Several people have told me to just accept it then find its settings and turn it off.

Welcome to the Lounge!!!

The Bing Bar keeps rearing its ugly head every time Microsoft makes a change to the version number. All you can do is watch for it and “hide” it when it re-appears. Yet another example of a stupid customer relations decision by Microsoft.

Joe

--Joe

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This may need to go somewhere else, if so, please move it…..

Is it possible to uninstall the Bing Bar?

Ted (Medico) indicates that it is but I can’t find how.

BJ

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This may need to go somewhere else, if so, please move it…..

Is it possible to uninstall the Bing Bar?

Ted (Medico) indicates that it is but I can’t find how.

BJ

Have you tried Control Panel -> Programs and Features?

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Have you tried Control Panel -> Programs and Features?

First thing i tried!! It doesn’t show up.

Bj

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See if this helps: http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/ff808335.aspx

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Thanks, I’ll give it a shot!!

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If it doesn’t show as a separate item in Progs & Features then Rui’s link won’t help.

You’ll need to find out which email she uses and if it isn’t Windows or if she doesn’t use any of Live Essentials programs, then just uninstall Essentials and install Silverlight on its own, as that can be needed when using some web sites.

When I uninstalled an older version of Essentials (seems an age ago now ), I think it gives the option to just select parts of it should she need the email or photo gallery bits.

The only Bing update that I have to hide now is for the Bing Desktop – whatever that is, but showing her how to check for and hide some updates may be a problem.

If she doesn’t have the newer version of Essentials installed then you will need to look through C:Program Files for a MSN folder to delete.

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