How to Remove Privacy Components (Removal Info)

By Shonda on Feb 27, 2009 | Reply

Does SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility remove Privacy Components (all the files listed on the Removal Info page)?

I’m trying to remove using Microsoft’s Malicious Spyware Removal Tool, then hoping I can regain control of my PC (I accidentally shut the PC down and rebooted). Now, I can’t get past the fake Privacy Components window to get my computer complete its start up menu. …so being able to delete each file manually is out of the question.

Help! Is there anything else I can do besides running the Microsoft program? …I guess pay for SpyHunter?

Thanks.

By Brandon on Feb 27, 2009 | Reply

hi shonda, my friend has the same problem exactly, he cant get past privacy screen, so we dont kno wat to do…im hoping he doesnt hav to wipe hdd and start over, if so im putting him on xp, i dont have any problems with that OS. safe mode doesnt work either, it goes right back to privacy screen, with blue background

By Sean on Feb 27, 2009 | Reply

Hi shonda,
I had this same issue today while fixing my bosses computer. You can still delete these files manually by first starting windows in safe mode. Once you are in safe mode delete the file pc.exe( the other files such as agent.exe will not allow you to delete them until after you have killed the processes, and deleted the registry values). Once you delete pc.exe, you should be able to restart windows in normal mode. It should start up fine. You can then proceed to delete the rest of the files. Don’t forget to delete all of the registry values, dll’s, and files. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. I dealt with this issue about two hours ago, and now everything is fine!!

By nil on Feb 28, 2009 | Reply

uhm i think i managed to get rid of it but my computer lags after the manual removal… can somebody help me?

By Nick on Mar 2, 2009 | Reply

Hey Sean. I saw your response to Shonda. My friend has this same problem. I tried to start in Safe Mode but the Privacy COmponents screen popped up and I wasn’t able to do anything. I can’t even get to the desktop to launch IE to download SpyHunter or some other program to help out. Any suggestions?

By micky on Mar 4, 2009 | Reply

it worked – thanks

By Kevin on Mar 4, 2009 | Reply

Hey nil… I had the same problem as you. the way i solved it was to start in safe mode with dos prompt. look for the directory and then delete pc.exe from there. once you have done that you can start windows normally and do the rest from your normal desktop

By Carl on Mar 6, 2009 | Reply

I can’t even start my computer in SafeMode! I can’t open any file, shortcut, folder, program, or emulator that I have on my laptop because of this! I can’t find a way of permanently removing this annoying Rogue program for free (I don’t have any money because I’m poor). The scan I did deleted the program, but it came back as I restarted the computer. There is no way I can possibly get rid of this stupid Trojan…. Is there anyone out there that can help me?

By DaveN on Mar 8, 2009 | Reply

I had the same problem yesterday — couldn’t get it into safe mode. Finally I found my system disk that came with the computer and booted up from that. Then I chose the system restore option and restored to a couple of days before the infection. It’s working fine now.

By Richard on Mar 8, 2009 | Reply

hey im just wondering if someone could liek give me a step by step process for getting rid of it because, my desktop is completly black and i can not access my desktop or my start menu (even by clicking the button)

soo if some one could reply to this giving me the step-by-step procedure for getting rid of it (with out paying for somthing) email me at some_call_me_a_player@hotmail.com

Thank-you

By Andy on Mar 8, 2009 | Reply

I am posting the solution I just came up with.

Click Ctrl-Alt-Delete and then in the top left corner, press “File”. Click “New Task”. Click “Browse”. Type “uninstall” in the top left corner search box. Privacy Components should come up as one of the programs to uninstall.

Let me know if I this works.

By Ellen on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

Andy, I tried your method in Safe Mode but I couldn’t browse for anything. All I could do was run “cmnd”, which, of course, took me to the DOS prompt. I was able to dredge up almost forgotten DOS commands (like del and rd) and deleted the files I needed to delete. I then rebooted and finished off deleting everything else I had to delete (including the Registry entry). All is now good. I have Vista Home Edition on my laptop.

Thanks to everybody for your help and comments. Much appreciated.

By Josh on Mar 15, 2009 | Reply

I had just got infected last night, and immeaditly started all spyware and virus scans I own, but the only one that seems to have worked was Live One Care Full Service Scan. It is a free scan that is safe and easy, it also removes any found virus or spyware for free. The only issue is it takes many hours to do a complete scan (I always do at night at its usually done by the time i get up in the morning. Hope this helps!

By Justin on Mar 16, 2009 | Reply

Privacy Components showed up under its own program file. I looked inside briefly, saw the Uninstall, didn’t like it. Backtracked, highlighted the Privacy Components program file and deleted it (along with everything inside of it, in the process).

After that I logged off and on, and my desktop was restored.

By Jim on Mar 16, 2009 | Reply

Andy, you are genuis. Thanks to you I have been able to uninstall Privacy Components with no harm caused to my machine and no further action required – (though I have taken the precaution of disabling agent.exe from the startup boot as it remaied listed there, even though the root folder no longer exists). Thank you!

By Leslier on Apr 22, 2009 | Reply

Can someone help!! I cannot boot my computer in any mode, how can I remove this crazy killer?? Someone please e-mail me at vyle_leslie@yahoo.com

By Andy s on May 4, 2009 | Reply

Had the same problem. This is what I did. Booted up into safe mode with DOS prompt.

changed directory to C:\program files\privacy center\

once in that directory I typed in “erase *.*”

Rebooted and PC was fine.

Did a regedit and deleted the entry.

Andy

By Mike F on May 20, 2009 | Reply

Found the same pc.exe on my computer and panicked. My computer was luckily not locking up like others seem to have done.

I read all the notes here and despite a search could not find privacy components on my computer.

I then ran SPYBOT which I have had for years and which never finds anything significant. For the first time ever it located 13 malicious problems all in the privacy components that I could not find and removed them.

Everyting seems to be fine but I am running the windows one care product someone else mentioned as a precaution, it seems very thorough but has not found anything as spybot seems to have dealt with the issue already.

Good old SPYBOT! This is not an advert for them, I am just overjoyed and want to help others!!!

By tim on May 21, 2009 | Reply

I have tried everything listed up top. Once in DOS, says that it can not find file. Anyother suggestions?

By tim on May 21, 2009 | Reply

BTW, Im running vista. Andy when you said change dir, how exactly did you do that?

By brent on Jul 27, 2009 | Reply

Task manager was disabled and i cant get on my internet. I dont know what to do but maybe i might just need a new computer. Is there anything i can do?

By Ragnar on Dec 23, 2009 | Reply

do a ctrl+alt+del start task manager stop the process pc.exe

under file run explorer this should get you past the blockage