Malware Removal Guides » June 7, 2017: Manual Removal Guide for PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater

Manual Removal Guide for PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater

The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.

If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site.

Threat Details:

Categories:

  • pups

Description:

PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater is an application for automated driver updates. The free version only scans for outdated drivers. If the user wants to install the drivers, he has to buy an annual license for 35,69 EUR (status: May 2017). This is a subscription that is automatically renewed.

Removal Instructions:

Files:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.

  • The file at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater\backups\BackupInfo.xml".
  • The file at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater\CommonSettings.xml".
  • The file at "<$COMMONDESKTOP>\Simple Driver Updater.lnk".
  • The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater\Simple Driver Updater.lnk".
  • The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater\Uninstall.lnk".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Simple Driver Updater\SimpleDriverUpdater.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Simple Driver Updater\SimpleDriverUpdaterUpdater.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Simple Driver Updater\SimpleStarSmartMonitorSetup.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Simple Driver Updater\tray.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Simple Driver Updater\Uninstall.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\SimpleStar Smart Monitor\SimpleStar Smart Monitor Service.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\SimpleStar Smart Monitor\SimpleStarSmartMonitor.exe".
  • The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\SimpleStar Smart Monitor\Uninstall.exe".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Tasks\Start Simple Driver Updater Schedule.job".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Tasks\Start Simple Driver Updater Update.job".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater uses rootkit technologies, use the rootkit scanner integrated into Spybot-S&D 2.x or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!

Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

Folders:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.

  • The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater\backups".
  • The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater\Language".
  • The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater".
  • The directory at "<$COMMONAPPDATA>\SimpleStar\SimpleStar Smart Monitor".
  • The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\SimpleStar\Simple Driver Updater".
  • The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Simple Driver Updater".
  • The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\SimpleStar Smart Monitor".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!

Registry:

You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.

  • Delete the registry key "{A85EF924-D5E3-4C9F-90A8-524ED861385F}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
  • Delete the registry key "Simple Driver Updater" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\".
  • Delete the registry key "SimpleStar Smart Monitor Service.exe" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
  • Delete the registry key "SimpleStar Smart Monitor Service" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\".
  • Delete the registry key "SimpleStar Smart Monitor Service" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\".
  • Delete the registry key "SimpleStar Smart Monitor Service" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\".

If PU.SimpleStar.SimpleDriverUpdater uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer, RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.

Final Words:

If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,

  1. Please read these instructions before requesting assistance,
  2. Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.
Tags: , ,