Home Spyware Removal VirusRescue Removal Instructions

VirusRescue Removal Instructions

Posted: August 23, 2006

Why is it important to remove VirusRescue?

VirusRescue is an illegal and corrupt anti-spyware program!

This means that it pretends to look like a legitimate application for the removal of spyware, but it’s really a malicious program that issues fake warnings in an attempt to trick you into buying VirusRescue’s full commercial version. VirusRescue may secretly install and automatically download itself onto your computer. If you click on the fake system alert, you will have to pay for VirusRescue program, which will not protect you against spyware, but might actually expose you to more security threats.

VirusRescue is part of a group of rogue anti-spyware applications which falsely report spyware infections, then offer to remove the alleged spyware for a fee. Rogue anti-spyware applications similar to VirusRescue include SpywareQuake and VirusRescue.

I have VirusRescue, what do I do?

You have many options for detecting and removing VirusRescue. The most extreme is reformatting your PC, possibly costing you all of your data and definitely costing hour of time wasted on reloading your PC to its original form. Reformatting your computer should be your last resort. If you’re having problems finding VirusRescue, try using a preferred spyware scanner to quickly detect VirusRescue first. If you don’t have a spyware scanner, you can always try the instructional methods provided below.

  • Start a full system scan to detect VirusRescue & other parasites.
  • SpyHunter will automatically search for VirusRescue files.

Please note that SpyHunter’s free scanner is only for detection purposes. If SpyHunter’s scanner finds VirusRescue on your PC, you can buy SpyHunter’s full version to remove VirusRescue and other spyware.

Are you infected with VirusRescue?

Your machine may be infected with VirusRescue, if you have the following symptoms:
*Note: Symptoms tend to vary depending on software installed on your system and other system factors.

Symptom #1: A questionable red or green icon appears in your system tray next to the system clock, representing a newly installed program which you do not recall ever downloading. If you click on the icon a fake system alert popup will direct you to VirusRescue’s website. In some cases, even when you don’t click on the icon the fake system alert may still pop up.

Symptom #2: The questionable icon pops up a fake system alert that lures you into downloading VirusRescue program by stating that your computer is infected with dangerous spyware and that you should download VirusRescue program to remove the alleged infection. The false system alert may read:

“Your computer is infected! Windows has detected spyware infection! It is recommended to use special antispyware tools to prevent data loss. Windows will now download and install the most up-to-date antispyware for you. Click here to protect your computer from spyware!”

Symptom #3: Once you’re infected, rogue anti-spyware VirusRescue will run on every time Windows starts up. A screenshot of VirusRescue is provided below.

VirusRescue Screenshot

VirusRescue Manual Detection

If you’ve discovered that VirusRescue has infected your PC, you must act quickly and take the proper steps to eliminating the infection. Note: The manual removal of any parasite is difficult. To avoid the unnecessary risk of damaging your computer, we advise you to download SpyHunter’s spyware scanner tool to automatically detect VirusRescue.

To manually remove VirusRescue, follow these removal steps:

Step #1: Remove VirusRescue with Windows Add/Remove Programs utility.

Sometimes all it takes to get rid of spyware like VirusRescue is to remove the program using the Add/Remove Programs control panel in Windows.

  1. In Windows XP Professional, click on Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
  2. In Windows 2000 Professional / Windows ME / Windows 98, click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.
  3. In the list of programs, search for the software you want to remove. If you see a program you don’t recognize or don’t recall installing, look it up in Google to learn what it is.
  4. Select the questionable program and remove it with the Remove button.

Step #2: Kill VirusRescue using the Windows Task Manager

To kill a VirusRescue process that has infected your computer, you will need to use the Windows Task Manager to check by process, highlight the process in question, and then end the task. To do this:

  1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC on the keyboard.
  2. Click on Processes Tab to see all active tasks. For easier detection, left click the process under the heading Image Name.
  3. Find and kill the following VirusRescue process:
    vr_setup_3_0[1].exe
    vr_setup_3_0.exe
    vrsvc.exe
    virusrescue.exe
  4. Once you’ve identified the VirusRescue process, press DEL on your keyboard or click End Process to kill it from your system.

Step #3: Use PsKill to Kill a Process

Sometimes a parasite can disable your Windows Task Manager so you can use pslist and pskill (a third party application by Mark Russinovich) to list and kill the unwanted processes.

  1. Download PsKill or PsList.
  2. Extract the program from the .Zip archive.
  3. Move pskill.exe to your C: drive.
  4. Open a command window and click Start > Run.
  5. Type cmd and click the OK button.
  6. In the command window, type C:pskill.exe and the name of the process you wish to kill, then press Enter. For example, if you wanted to kill the process for VirusRescue, you would type: C:pskill.exe VirusRescue.exe.
    If the file was successfully removed, PsKill will say “process VirusRescue.exe killed”.
  7. Find and Remove these VirusRescue files:
    VirusRescue v3.0.3 Website.lnk
    VirusRescue v3.0.3 Un-Installer.lnk
    VirusRescue v3.0.3.lnk
    VirusRescue.url
    VirusRescue v3.0.1 Website.lnk
    VirusRescue v3.0.1 Un-Installer.lnk
    VirusRescue v3.0.1.lnk
    vr_setup_3_0[1].exe
    VirusRescue
    config.ini
    vrext.dll
    stopapi4.dll
    pl.dll
    kernel40.dll
    asc4.dll
    vr_setup_3_0.exe
    vrsvc.exe
    Arrayvirusrescue.exe

    vrext.dll
    stopapi4.dll
    pl.dll
    kernel40.dll
    Arrayasc4.dll

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