PC Tools Registry Mechanic

[DaftApeth]

A box has appeared on my pc during the last few days (since dcs have been allowed access, although could be a co-incidence), saying it is pc tools registry mechanic and that 783 registry errors found.

What is this, where has it appeared from and what should I do?

TIA

PC Tools Registry Mechanic is a genuine piece of software that is meant to clean up the registry, the database that is at the heart of windows. The benefits of such things are very questionable though...

However you've got some questions.

Is the pop up genuinely from Registry Mechanic or something pretending to be it?

How did it get on there? It doesn't go downloading and installing itself?

I'd download and run something like the free version of MalwareBytes from here:
www.malwarebytes.org/

That will check your machine out for any bad software.

I'd also check the Add/Remove Programs section of Windows to find out if the program is listed on there.

Finally I'd also ask the DCs exactly what they've been getting up to on the computer.

As BadgersPaws has said, if it is the real PC Tools Registry Mechanic then it's a legitimate piece of software that your kids have somehow downloaded by mistake. Lots of sites that you go to to download something you specifically want have very misleading links/buttons - usually placed very close to what you need to click to get the software you actually intended - and it should just be a case of uninstalling via add and remove programs.

Running Malwarebytes is definitely good advice for anyone though - especially if kids have access to the PC! Do watch out, though, as even trying to get hold of Malwarebytes can result in the same sort of thing, as their website will direct you elsewhere to get the installation file, and 9 times out of 10 there'll be a big prominent advert with a download button to click for some random software like Registry Mechanic, and a little teeny-weeny, slightly out of the way button that you need to click for the Malwarebytes executable

thankyou both.

I have run malwarebytes and nothing has come up, also run scans on my Norton and again all ok.

there is a shortcut on the desktop for pc tools registry mechanic. The details say that it was downloaded at 20.20 last Saturday 11th.

The children, I think, would have been in bed (but I was ill then so my memory is somewhat hazy). dh insists that the only site he would have been on then would have the National Lottery (we didn't win!!). I've had a quick look at that site and can't see anyting on there that would have ben downloadable.

The only other option, looking at the history, is that ds was still up and on miniclip. I could imagine it could be something on there.

Anyway, to get rid of it, where do I find the add/remove that you mention?

TIA

I think I did it - via the control panel.

Many thanks

The children and husband will be using their own computer again now!

this has popped up on my laptop too. Noone else has used it and I definitely haven't agreed to download it (or anything else recently). Yet here it is, making me paranoid as the number of errors it reports keeps increasing.

I just checked when it was installed - 27/ 03/2358 wtf?!

I shall uninstall it too.

oops, actually 27/03/2581. So that makes more sense then...

Lol