Installmac has taken over my Mac ...

I accidentally acquired the InstallMac plague this evening (downloading Flash update). To remove, I tried a method recommended in the most recent "remove Installmac" post I could find - and now Safari just keeps quitting "unexpectedly". ... seems I've made things significantly worse.
MacBook Air (11" - Mid 2013)
OSX Yosemite (10.10.1)
1.3GHz i5
Intel HD Graphics 5000
Any help in resolving this issue will be greatly appreciated

There is no need to download anything to solve this problem.
If Safari crashes on launch and you don't have another web browser, you should be able to launch Safari by starting up in safe mode.
You may have installed the "Genieo" or "InstallMac" ad-injection malware. Follow the instructions on this Apple Support page to remove it.
Back up all data before making any changes.
Besides the files listed in the linked support article, you may also need to remove this file in the same way:
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.genieo.completer.ltvbit.plist
If there are other items with a name that includes "Genieo" or "genieo" alongside any of those you find, remove them as well.
One of the steps in the article is to remove malicious Safari extensions. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.
After removing the malware, remember to reset your home page in all the web browsers affected, if it was changed.
If you don't find any of the files or extensions listed, or if removing them doesn't stop the ad injection, then you may have one of the other kinds of adware covered by the support article. Follow the rest of the instructions in the article.
Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. Chances are you got it from an Internet cesspit such as "Softonic" or "CNET Download." Never visit either of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.
In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked
Install system data files and security updates
if it's not already checked.

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My computer has been infected with a Trojan Horse. It has completely taken over my Mac email account and was sending out malicious email to everyone in my address book. At the same time it infected my iPhone---I am no longer able to receive or send emai

My computer has been infected by a Trojan Horse. It has taken over my Mac email account and began sending out malicious emails to everyone in my address book. I cleared out my MAC address book and began using my AOL email account. It took a few days and then my AOL email account was infected and has now been send out malicious email to all my contacts for over a month. It has also infected my iPhone--I am no longer able to send or receive emails on my iPhone. Also, once the Trojan Horse began using my AOL email it completely blocked me from using my MAC account by sending never ending popups asking for my email password to access my MAC email account, but it never accepts my pass word. The TH has also slowed down everything on my computer. It's like I am working on an old PC with dial up connection instead of the high speed digital connection that I have. The little color wheel spins constantly as I wait for sometimes over a minute for a page to pull up. If it pulls up at all. I have tried to use the 2 disks that came with my computer to completely remove everything on my computer and then reinstall all the programs, but I am not allowed to sweep my computer clean. I thought maybe my disks that came with my computer were defective so I called Apple and they sent me 2 new disks. I am not able able to clear my computer with the 2 new disks either. I have done this before successfully so it's not something new to me. I do remember when I believe my computer became infected: I had googled an unusual sewing term, and I was opening what appeared to be legitimate sites, when all of a sudden a pop up appeared that said that my computer had been infected. I immediately shut my computer off, but it was too late. I downloaded a virus program for Mac, and it has never found a virus or problem at all. I think it is part of this Trojan Horse, but I am unable to delete it from my computer. It refuses to uninstall. The Mac Trojan Horse is real and it is terrible. If anyone has any suggestions for me I would be very appreciative,
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Install ClamXav and run a scan with that. It should pick up any trojans.
17" 2.2GHz i7 Quad-Core MacBook Pro  8G RAM  750G HD + OCZ Vertex 3 SSD Boot HD 
Got problems with your Apple iDevice-like iPhone, iPad or iPod touch? Try Troubleshooting 101

In regards to typing in snow leopard what has taken over the spell checking task

in regards to typing in snow leopard what has taken over the spell checking task?

Is this what you need?
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8580.html>
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/27071.html>

10.4.11 seems to have taken over my Mac

Along with others, I'm having problems with 10.4.11
I repaired permissions, repaired the directory with Disk Warrior, rebooted, zapped the PRAM, etc
I tried rebooting from a backup disk, but it wouldn't recognize it as a startup disk (which I've done many times before updating to 10.4.11)
After reading other threads, I decided to go back to 10.4.10
So I tried an archive and install with my OS X boot disc.
Holding the C key down on reboot works for Disc Warrior, but not for the OS X disc. (It boots up in the 10.4.11 disc.)
When I click on the install icon, I get a message saying that OS X 10.4 can't be installed on this machine. (This is a Mac Pro purchased this summer.)
I even tried taking out the drive that has 10.4.11 on it and it still won't recognize the OS in the optical drive or the other boot hard drive. Just a flashing file folder.
It seems HAL has taken over the ship.
Perhaps if I bought a new hard drive that already had OS 10.4 on it.....
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There are no guarantees, but following this procedure when installing updates and upgrades on your Mac will go a long way towards avoiding unpleasant after effects and ‘post-update stress disorder’.
It is also worth noting that it is an extreme rarity for updates to cause upsets to your system, but they may well reveal pre-existing ones, particularly those of which you may have been unaware. If you are actually aware of any glitches, make sure they are fixed before proceeding further.
So before you do anything else:
If you can, make a full backup first.
Turn off sleep mode for both screen and hard disk.
1. Repair Permissions (in Disk Utility)
2. Verify the state of your hard disk using Disk Utility. If any faults are reported, restart from your install disk (holding down the C key), go to Disk Utility, and repair your startup disk. Restart again to get back to your startup disk.
At least you can now be reasonably certain that your system does not contain any obvious faults that might cause an update/upgrade to fail.
3. Download the correct version of the COMBO update from the Apple download site. If your car runs on gasoline you would not want to fill the tank with diesel, so don’t try to install the PPC updater on an Intel Mac!
If you prefer to download updates via Software Update in the Apple menu (which would ensure that the correct version for your Mac was being downloaded), it is not recommended to allow SU to install major (or even minor) updates automatically. Set Software Update to just download the updater without immediately installing it. There is always the possibility that the combined download and install (which can be a lengthy process) might be interrupted by a power outage or your cat walking across the keyboard, and an interrupted install will almost certainly cause havoc. Once it is downloaded, you can install at a time that suits you. You should make a backup copy of the updater on a CD in case you ever need a reinstall.
Using the Combo updater ensures that all system files changed since the original 10.4.0 are included, and any that may have been missed out or subsequently damaged will be repaired. The Delta updater, although a temptingly smaller download, only takes you from the previous version to the new one, i.e. for example from 10.4.9 to 10.4.10. Software Update will generally download the Delta updater only. The preferable Combo updater needs to be downloaded from Apple's download site.
Now proceed as follows:
4. Close all applications.
5. Unplug all peripherals except your keyboard and mouse.
6. Install the update/upgrade. Do not under any circumstances interrupt this procedure. Do not do anything else on your computer while it is installing. Be patient.
7. When it ask for a restart to complete the installation, click restart. This can take longer than normal, there are probably thousands of files to overwrite and place in the correct location. Do nothing while this is going on.
8. Once your Mac is awake, repair permissions again, and you should be good to go!
If your Mac seems slightly sluggish or ‘different’, perform a second restart. It can’t hurt and is sometimes efficacious!
9. Open a few of your most used applications and check that all is OK. In this connection please remember that not all manufacturers of third party applications and plug-ins, add-ons, haxies etc, will have had time to do any necessary rewrites to their software to make them 10.4.10. compliant. Give them a weeks or two while you regularly check their websites for updates. This applies particularly to plug-ins for Safari 3.
N.B. Do not attempt to install two different updates at the same time as each may have different routines and requirements. Follow the above recommendations for each update in turn.
Lastly, Apple's own article on the subject of Software Update may also be useful reading:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106695
If you are updating a browser:
Input Managers can do as much harm as good. They use a security loophole to reach right into your applications' code and change that code as the application starts up. If you have installed 10.4.11 and Safari is crashing, the very first thing to do is clear out your InputManagers folders (both in your own Library and in the top-level /Library), log out and log back in, and try again.
So, disable all third party add-ons before updating Safari, as they may not have been updated yet for the new version. Add them back one by one. If something goes awry, remove it again and check on the software manufacturer's website for news of an update to match your version of Safari. Remember: Tiger up to 10.4.10 used Safari 2.0.4 or, if you downloaded it, Safari 3.0.3 beta. Safari 10.4.11 uses Safari 3.0.4 which is not a beta. If Safari 3.0.4 on 10.4.11 is not the fastest browser you have ever used, then something is wrong!
Most errors reported here after an update are due to an unrepaired or undetected inherent fault in the system, and/or a third party ad-on.

Genieo has taken over!

http://search.genieo.com has taken over as my default search engine, even though I set my default in Safari as Google. I even quit the browser to make sure it wasn't a reset problem.
I am ****** and feel violated - I never even heard of genieo. Any suggestions?

It sounds as if you have the genieo / installmac adware / trojan installed :
Backup first, then carefully follow :
Adware Removal Guide : Genieo
or
You installed the "Genieo" search-hijacking rootkit.
I suggest that you don't trust the uninstaller that the company provide, since it doesn't work properly & leaves active software behind. Genieo seem unable or unwilling to resolve that, so perhaps they continue to receive some benefit from it.

Firefox has taken over my computer to the extent that I can't get out of firefox back to my regular homepage and moreover I can't even log out or shut down.

When I try to log on as I have usually done I get a small window
stating that an error has occurred and when I click on what should solve the problem a larger white window appears stating
I should not close the window...although several times I have
not close the window all I get is 2 blue spinning circles.
I feel like Firefox has taken over my heretofore routine
usage of my computer and I have lost control. HELP!!!!!

That file could be set as a Launch Agent or Daemon in your ~/Library or /Library, You could try to look for it or Safeboot your computer and then empty the trash. Safebooting disables Launch Agents/Daemon and Third Party Kernal extensions. Here's the article to Safeboot OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? - Apple Support

I recently updated Firefox and something called Fantistic Games has taken over my homepage and I can't get rid of it.

I used to get a field of 9 options to open when I opened a new page by clicking on the + button on the right side of the Search tab. After I updated Firefox a couple of days ago, my homepage had been taken over by something called "Fantasti Games". I can't find it anywhere to uninstall "Fantisti Games". I now have Google come up as my homepage when I open Mozilla Firefox, but each tab that I open comes up with the "FantastiGames" search engine. I need to get rid of that from my computer and revert back to what I had before, which was when I opened a new tab, I got nine large icons on the screen that gave me the choice of common sites to go to (such as AOL, YouTube, Weather.com, Google, etc.). Please tell me how to uninstall "FantastiGames".

This is embarrassing. It sounds like you have a third party program that has taken over your search engine, home page, and/or the default new tab page. Fortunately, this can be remedied easily:
# At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will open.
# In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Extensions panel.
# Select the toolbar you wish to remove.
# Click the remove button.
# Click "Restart now" if it pops up. Your tabs will be saved and restored after the restart.
After Firefox restarts, install the [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/searchreset/ Search Reset Tool]. This will remove the rest of the traces of this program from your Firefox.
For further information, please read [[Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page]].
Did this fix the problem? Let us know!

My father has itunes account for ipad and my mother for an iphone my father has taken over iphone and needs to link it to his account

my father has itunes account for ipad and my mother for an iphone my father has taken over iphone and needs to link it to his account

iTunes will need to be set up on your computer however you can set up a new Apple ID to use for your iPhone. Really all you need to do is Assign a new Apple ID to your iCloud account.
Follow the link to create a new Apple ID: https://appleid.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyAppleId.woa/
After you do that, on the device you want to assign a new iCloud account go: Settings > iCloud > Delete Account and then sign in with the new Apple ID.
NOTE: This does not effect iTunes, all of your devices can continue to use one shared iTunes account under your original Apple ID for downloading apps and backups. This simply gives iCloud a place to sync the individual devices information and will stop iCloud form merging all the information, such as contacts, with all of your devices.

How do I get rid of a search engine that has taken over home page?

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Soultender

I finally got a hold of someone at that search us.com. They gave me this link to try and solve the problem. I have already reinstalled firefox but it might help someone else out. And it's much simpler. I haven't tried it but they said to get a hold of them if it didn't work. the link is:
Running ResetBrowsers.exe from http://support.search.us.com/uninstall.php should restore your settings to their defaults
Hope I'm not misusing this post. Thanks again for all your help. Your are all awesome.

Preview has taken over RAW file type binding from Photoshop

Preview v 3.0.4 has taken over as the default program with which to open RAW files. Double-clicking a RAW file in OS 10.3.9 or earlier (?) used to automatically open RAW files into the latest Photoshop version installed (be it 7, CS, CS2).
After purchasing a new Dual 2.7 G5 with Tiger 10.4 or 10.4.4, ALLL RAW ICNS have changed to a PREVIEW.app's icon for RAW images, and RAW files now default to Preview when double-clicked, instead of the Photographer's choice of Photoshop, as it has been for years.
These and other file type bindings (PDF) have been captured by Preview in the new OS.
What is going on? What to do? How do I regain the original file binding of RAW files to an intelligent and professional program (PHTOSHOP CSx), instead of this NEWBIE nearly unusable PREVIEW application?
Simply remove all PREVIEW resources? Then it's usefulness for browsing large numbers of images will be lost.
I simply want PREVIEW to leave my professional digital world alone and let me continue working efficiently.
Any help? Ideas?
Thanks a bunch,
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Simply select one of your crw files, do GetInfo (command-i) on the file and in the Open With section choose Photoshop. Click the Apply to All button. From now on all crw files will open in Photoshop. I suspect the default changed because Preview can now open many many raw files, and not everyone has Photoshop.
Francine
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A search engine called DynaSearch has taken over fire fox without my permission

I think My brother has attacked my computer, he found my note book and i now have 160 spam when I had only about ten before, and even an xxx dating service used my daughters name to make me click to their site, saying," Sheila has a message for you". Since then fire fox started crashing every ten minutes, and now it's not crashing because a site called DynaSearch has taking over the usual Google trademark that used to apesr on my page, this is a search engine that has taken over Fire Fox without my permission correct. How do I get Fire Fox back, and get them off.

Do a malware check with some malware scan programs.<br />
You need to scan with all programs because each program detects different malware.<br />
Make sure that you update each program to get the latest version of the database before doing a scan.<br />
* http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php - Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
* http://www.superantispyware.com/ - SuperAntispyware
* http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx - Windows Defender: Home Page
* http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html - Spybot Search & Destroy
* http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php - Ad-Aware Free
See also "Spyware on Windows": http://kb.mozillazine.org/Popups_not_blocked and [[Searches are redirected to another site]]

I have a web site that has taken over mozilla fire fox

bing . com has taken over my fire fox when i sign in 2 it my alo was my home page but it has been replaced with this site bing i did not do it i have tried 2 block it and remove it and i cant close it at all ,,, also i have removed fire fox and re installed it and still the same thing happens i have tried every thing but nothing works so what do i do 2 remove it or at least block it i can t even read my mail b/c it after 15 secs wll go back 2 the home screen 4 bing and will not let me view my mail its as if a parental block is on plz help charles

In Tools, Addons, Extensions, you may wish to disable 'SearchToolbar' extension, restart Firefox.

I have a virus that has taken over Safari and will not allow me to use Safari or even shut down my computer. It claims I need to send $1000 to a "green dot account to get my on line capability.Help

I have a virus that has taken over Safari and will not allow me to browse of even shut down the computer. The request is to send $1,000 to a "green dot" address to get the virus removed.
Help!
lawrencefromchatham

Command, option and escape keys held down together will open the "Force Quit" dialog window.
Quit Safari and then relaunch it while holding down the shift key.

Adobe has taken over my scanner. Used to scan and it would come to my computer as a

Adobe has taken over my scanner. I used to scan and it would go to a file. It asked me to update and it came up with a bunch of choices, I asked someone which to chose and they suggested whatever I have. On the side it comes up with = Export, Create, Convert, and I cannot just save it as I used to. How can I convert it back to a simple scan?

Hello you can also try resetting firefox ,
The Reset Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information.
Note: ''This will cause you to lose any Extensions, Open websites, and some Preferences.''
To Reset Firefox do the following:
#Go to Firefox > Help > Troubleshooting Information.
#Click the "Reset Firefox" button.
#Firefox will close and reset. After Firefox is done, it will show a window with the information that is imported. Click Finish.
#Firefox will open with all factory defaults applied.
Further information can be found in the [[Reset Firefox – easily fix most problems]] article.
Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!
Thank you.

Help!!!!! Incredimail MY START has taken over my computer!!! How do I get rid of it permanently???? Started with latest Firefox Update

Since the latest Firefox, Incredimail My Start has taken over my computer! I do not have Incredimail, I do not want Incredimail. I want to ENTIRELY get rid of it altogether forever. Please give me the instructions. I cannot find it as an add on or a plug in -- I do not know WHAT it is but whatever it is I DO NOT WANT IT ON MY COMPUTER!
Thanks so much in advance! Please hurry! This is driving me crazy. I have set Google as my home page, but every new tap I add, is Incredimail MyStart. I DO NOT WANT IT. This started with the latest Firefox update.

Sometimes a problem with Firefox may be a result of malware installed on your computer, that you may not be aware of.
You can try these free programs to scan for malware, which work with your existing antivirus software:
* [http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/default.aspx Microsoft Safety Scanner]
* [http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/ MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware]
* [http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363 TDSSKiller - AntiRootkit Utility]
* [http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro/ Hitman Pro]
* [http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/ ESET Online Scanner]
[http://windows.microsoft.com/MSE Microsoft Security Essentials] is a good permanent antivirus for Windows 7/Vista/XP if you don't already have one.
Further information can be found in the [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware]] article.
Did this fix your problems?

Installmac has taken over my Mac ...

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