Ad: Manage updates with the Download App
ie8 fix
Click Here

Windows XP forum: MIRO: horrendous add-on which caused crashes and corruption

by: SunnyRainbowHeart August 6, 2010 9:48 AM PDT

Like this

0 people like this thread

Staff pick

MIRO: horrendous add-on which caused crashes and corruption

by SunnyRainbowHeart - 8/6/10 9:48 AM

I downloaded MIRO as a help for downloading videos from the internet. I carefully unchecked extra functions such as making it my search engine or having its toolbar. I have Windows XP with Mozilla Firefox for internet access.

#1 It wouldn't download completely, stating I didn't have enough memory, which is baloney because my hard drive has 87% free space.
#2 It wouldn't uninstall although I removed it from CONTROL PANEL's "Add/Remove".
#3 It hijacked my home page and substituted its search engine as well as downloaded itself as a toolbar

#4 It made "MY COMPUTER" inaccessible
#5 MIRO makes it impossible to power off my computer except via my pushing the power off button.
#6 Several other weird symptomatologies too numerous to list, except for the most bizarre one of all: when I tried to open MIRO's uninstall icon, MIRO had evidently somehow invaded my software because it attached itself to GOOGLE TALK and the result is that selecting MIRO uninstall changed the icon to GOOGLE TALK and wants me to uninstall GOOGLE TALK. Evidently MIRO has caused industrial-strength software corruption.

Would someone please tell me--step by step without assuming I should know fancy techie terms and procedures--how to get rid of this accursed thing? (A similar situation occurred with "SiteRanker"--once these things get ahold of your computer they never want to leave.)


Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

Link please.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 8/6/10 10:14 AM

In Reply to: MIRO: horrendous add-on which caused crashes and corruption by SunnyRainbowHeart

Where did you get this MIRO? The one I see at download.com is just a player.

Try REVO at http://download.cnet.com/Revo-Uninstaller/3000-2096_4-10687648.html
Bob


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

RE: MIRO: horrendous add-on which caused crashes and corrupt

by SunnyRainbowHeart - 8/6/10 10:31 AM

In Reply to: Link please. by R. Proffitt Moderator

Thank you so much, Bob, for the REVO uninstaller hyperlink. It's magic.

I got the MIRO from Googling how to download videos from the internet to one's PC and found it in some techie forum.

Your REVO was wonderful in that it brought up a list of potential uninstallables. It successfully removed the SiteRanker but nowhere do I find the MIRO except as a toolbar on the third line underneath my URL box. I don't know where to look for it.


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

For me, the manual uninstall is next.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 8/6/10 10:37 AM

In Reply to: RE: MIRO: horrendous add-on which caused crashes and corrupt by SunnyRainbowHeart

When uninstall fails, revo fails I turn to the time honored manual uninstalls.

Let me share the tools I use.

1. HIJACKTHIS. This is a power tool so use with care. Only check off what you absolutely are sure about because there is no undo.

Link -> http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10227353.html

2. MANUAL METHODS. I have been know to boot SAFE MODE and Explore the hard drive and see if there is a home to that software I want gone in "Program Files". Some seem nervous about that but when I want it gone and it won't go this is one place I look and delete it's home there.

3. After step 2 I reboot and see how I stand.
Bob

PS. We might want to look at Grif's advice at http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6121_102-0.html?threadID=378815&tag=forums06;forum-threads

PPS. Glad REVO helped a little.


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

RE: For me, the manual uninsta

by SunnyRainbowHeart - 8/6/10 11:19 AM

In Reply to: For me, the manual uninstall is next. by R. Proffitt Moderator

Something very interesting I came upon, Bob, thanks to your information.

I looked, although not in Safe Mode (I was too eager), in My Computer/Program Files and found "MIRO"--but it is listed as "PARTICIPATORY CULTURE PROGRAM". When I put the cursor on it, the word "MIRO" flashed on. According to Properties it contains zero bytes. Then why in the devil is it still plastered on as a toolbar??


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

TOOLBAR as in Internet Explorer?

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 8/6/10 11:43 AM

In Reply to: RE: For me, the manual uninsta by SunnyRainbowHeart

That is considered an addon. Hijackthis usually lists these as a BHO.

If you want, post the BHO's listed. Some versions of IE let you manage addins.
Bob


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

RE: TOOLBAR as in Internet Explorer

by SunnyRainbowHeart - 8/6/10 12:20 PM

In Reply to: TOOLBAR as in Internet Explorer? by R. Proffitt Moderator

Sorry about my naivete, but I don't know what a BHO is. Also, I'm using Firefox, not IE. (I also downloaded GreaseMonkey, the Firefox add-on to accomplish what I couldn't with Miro, and now I can't find where GreaseMonkey is on my hard drive in order to try to open it. I should have a Ph.D. in compounding computer problems, LOL.)

BTW, I right-clicked on my URL box and found www.getmiro.com as the URL
I'd visited to download the wretched thing.

I just went to HijackThis.com but don't know what to do with it.


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

FINALLY REMOVED "MIRO" ADD-ON!

by SunnyRainbowHeart - 8/6/10 1:16 PM

In Reply to: TOOLBAR as in Internet Explorer? by R. Proffitt Moderator

Hooray! I accidentally found the wretched MIRO when I started to download some free software and it came up in my download list as Miro_Installer.exe with a size of 448 kb.

I typed Miro_Installer.exe into START>SEARCH and the search thingie found it immediately. I right-clicked on it right there in the search box and selected "DELETE". All traces of it, including the wretched toolbar which was called "MiroStart.com", are now gone.

This is probably a circuitous way of having done it but it's the only way I knew how. Thank you for all of your help, Bob, and I hope that what I posted helps other people.


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

Good to read that.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 8/6/10 4:04 PM

In Reply to: FINALLY REMOVED "MIRO" ADD-ON! by SunnyRainbowHeart

It sounds like a long road but your machine should be in better shape than when you started. I can't take any credit here. You used what tips I shared and thought through the rest.

If I helped it was because you pitched in and kept at it.
Bob


Was this reply helpful? (0)   (0)

Staff pick

Reply
Report offensive post
Email to friend

More Discussions

Forum Icon Legend

  • UnreadUnread
  • ReadRead
  • Locked threadLocked thread
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  • ModeratorModerator
  • CNET StaffCNET Staff
  • Samsung StaffSamsung Staff
  • Norton Authorized Support TeamNorton Authorized Support Team
  • AVG StaffAVG Staff
  • avast! Staffavast! Staff
  • Webroot Support TeamWebroot Support Team
  • Acer Customer Experience TeamAcer Customer Experience Team
  • Windows Outreach TeamWindows Outreach Team
  • DISH staffDISH staff
  • Dell StaffDell Staff
  • Intel StaffIntel Staff
  • QuestionQuestion
  • Resolved questionResolved question
  • General discussionGeneral discussion
  • TipTip
  • Alert or warningAlert or warning
  • PraisePraise
  • RantRant

You are e-mailing the following post: Post Subject

Your e-mail address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the e-mail and in case of transmission error. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose.

Sorry, there was a problem emailing this post. Please try again.

Submit Email Cancel

Thank you. Sent email to

Close

Thank you. Sent email to

Close

You are reporting the following post: Post Subject

If you believe this post is offensive or violates the CNET Forums' Usage policies, you can report it below (this will not automatically remove the post). Once reported, our moderators will be notified and the post will be reviewed.

Offensive: Sexually explicit or offensive language

Spam: Advertisements or commercial links

Disruptive posting: Flaming or offending other users

Illegal activities: Promote cracked software, or other illegal content

Sorry, there was a problem submitting your post. Please try again.

Submit Report Cancel

Your message has been submitted and will be reviewed by our staff. Thank you for helping us maintain CNET's great community.

Close

Your message has been submitted and will be reviewed by our staff. Thank you for helping us maintain CNET's great community.

Close

You are posting a reply to: Post Subject

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. Please refer to the CNET Forums policies for details. All submitted content is subject to CBS Interactive Site Terms of Use.

You are currently tracking this discussion. Click here to manage your tracked discussions.

If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.

Sorry, there was a problem submitting your post. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem generating the preview. Please try again.

Duplicate posts are not allowed in the forums. Please edit your post and submit again.

Submit Reply Preview Cancel

Thank you, , your post has been submitted.

> Click here to view your post. > Manage your tracked discussions. > Track this discussion. Close

Thank you, , your post has been submitted and will appear on our site shortly.

Close