Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus (Removal Guide)

“Windows Cleaning Toolkit” is a computer virus, which masquerades as genuine security software, while actually reporting non-existent malware threats in order to scare the user into paying for this rogue security software.

What is Windows Cleaning Toolkit?

Windows Cleaning Toolkit is a rogue anti-virus program from the Rogue.FakeVimes family of computer infections. This program is classified as a rogue because it pretends to be an anti-virus program, but will instead displays bogus scan results, report non-existing computer infections, and does not allow you to run your normal applications.
In this case, not only is Windows Cleaning Toolkit going to disrupt your system, it’s going to try and trick you into making a purchase using your credit card.
Windows Cleaning Toolkit appears in the form of a fake Windows warning on your computer system that reads you have a specific number of viruses on your computer (usually in the hundreds) and that this software has detected those viruses. To get rid of them you must purchase the full-version of Windows Cleaning Toolkit. It’s important to remember that by purchasing the “claimed full version to remove the viruses” you will be submitting your personal information to unscrupulous persons and may also end up being a victim of credit card or identity fraud or theft.

To protect itself from being removed, Windows Cleaning Toolkit will also terminate any application you try to run on your computer. It does this to protect itself from being removed by legitimate security programs and to scare you into thinking your programs are infected. When this infection terminates a program it will display a message similar to the following:

Firewall has blocked a program from accessing the Internet
c:\windows\system32\taskmanger.exe
is suspected to have infected your PC.
This type of virus intercepts entered data and transmits them
to a remote server.

How did Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus got on my computer?

Windows Cleaning Toolkit is distributed through several means. Malicious websites, or legitimate websites that have been hacked, can infect your machine through exploit kits that use vulnerabilities on your computer to install this rogue antivirus without your permission.
Another method used to propagate Windows Cleaning Toolkit is spam email containing infected attachments or links to malicious websites. Cyber-criminals spam out an email, with forged header information, tricking you into believing that it is from a shipping company like DHL or FedEx. The email tells you that they tried to deliver a package to you, but failed for some reason. Sometimes the emails claim to be notifications of a shipment you have made. Either way, you can’t resist being curious as to what the email is referring to – and open the attached file (or click on a link embedded inside the email). And with that, your computer is infected with the Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus.
The threat may also be downloaded manually by tricking the user into thinking they are installing a useful piece of software, for instance a bogus update for Adobe Flash Player or another piece of software.
The Windows Cleaning Toolkit infection is also prevalent on peer-to-peer file sharing websites and is often packaged with pirated or illegally acquired software.

Am I infected with Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus?

Some examples of the interface, fake alerts, fake scanning results, and pop-ups displayed by Windows Cleaning Toolkit are shown below:

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How to remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus (Removal Guide)

This page is a comprehensive guide, which will remove the Windows Cleaning Toolkit infection from your your computer. Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, STOP and ask for our assistance. Please keep in mind that to perform this removal guide, you will need a clean (non-infected) computer and a CD or USB stick.

STEP 1: Start your computer in Safe Mode with Command Prompt
STEP 2: Fix your Windows Registry to remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit
STEP 3: Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
STEP 4: Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit rootkit with RogueKiller
STEP 5:  Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit infection with HitmanPro

STEP 1 : Start your computer in Safe Mode with Command Prompt

1. Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer.
2. When the computer starts you will see your computer’s hardware being listed. When you see this information start to gently tap the F8 key repeatedly until you are presented with the Windows XP, Vista or 7 Advanced Boot Options.
   
   If you are using Windows 8, press the Windows key + C, and then click Settings. Click Power, hold down Shift on your keyboard and click Restart, then click on Troubleshoot and select Advanced options. In the Advanced Options screen, select Startup Settings, then click on Restart. Alternatively, you can read this guide to start Windows 8 in Safe Mode with Networking.
3. If you are using Windows XP, Vista or 7 in the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Command Prompt , and then press ENTER.
   
   If you are using Windows 8, press 6 on your keyboard to Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
   Windows will start in Safe Mode with Networking.

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STEP 2: Fix your Windows Registry to remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit

Windows Cleaning Toolkit has hijacked your Windows Registry to start automatically before your Windows desktop is shown, which makes your computer unusable until the infection is removed.

1. Using a clean (non-infected) computer download onto a CD or USB stick the below program to fix your Windows Registry:
   REGFIX DOWNLOAD LINK(This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download the registry fix for the Windows Cleaning Toolkit infection)
2. While your computer is in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, the Command Prompt allows you to type commands and then press Enter on your keyboard to execute them.
   In this Command Prompt window, please type explorer.exe and then press Enter on your keyboard.
   
3. The Windows desktop will now appear. When the desktop appears you can then close the Command Prompt window by clicking on the X.
4. Now insert your CD or USB drive and open up the drive letter associated with your inserted media. You can access this drive letter by opening the Computer icon on your desktop or from the Start Menu. Once the drive letter is open, double-click on the RegFix.reg and allow the data to be merged when you are prompted. Once the data has been merged, you can press the OK button and remove the removable media from your computer.
   
5. Please reboot your computer into the normal Windows mode and login as the infected user. When you are back at your normal Windows desktop please continue with the next step.

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STEP 3: Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware FREE

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is a powerful on-demand scanner which will remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit malicious files from your computer.

1. You can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free from the below link, then double-click on the icon named mbam-setup.exe to install this program.
   MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK(This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free)
2. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the setup process, then at the last screen click on the Finish button.
   
3. On the Scanner tab, select Perform quick scan, and then click on the Scan button to start searching for the Windows Cleaning Toolkit malicious files.
   
4. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus as shown below.
   
5. When the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scan has finished, click on the Show Results button.
   
6. You will now be presented with a screen showing you the computer infections that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected. Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked), then click on the Remove Selected button.
   
7. Once your computer will restart in Windows regular mode, open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and perform a Full System scan to verify that there are no remaining threats.

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STEP 4: Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit rootkit with RogueKiller

RogueKiller is a utility that will scan for the Windows Cleaning Toolkit rootkit, registry keys and any other malicious files on your computer.

1. You can download the latest official version of RogueKiller from the below link.
   ROGUEKILLER DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will automatically download RogueKiller on your computer)
2. Double click on RogueKiller.exe to start this utility and then wait for the Prescan to complete.This should take only a few seconds,  then click on the Scan button to perform a system scan.
   
3. After the scan has completed, press the Delete button to remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit malicious registry keys or files.
   

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STEP 5: Remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit infection with HitmanPro

HitmanPro is a second opinion scanner, designed to rescue your computer from malware (viruses, trojans, rootkits, etc.) that have infected your computer despite all the security measures you have taken (such as anti virus software, firewalls, etc.).

1. You can download HitmanPro from the below link:
   HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a web page from where you can download HitmanPro)
2. Double-click on the file named HitmanPro.exe (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or HitmanPro_x64.exe (for 64-bit versions of Windows). When the program starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below.
   
   Click on the Next button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.
   
3. HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for Windows Cleaning Toolkit trojan.
   
4. When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the Next button, to remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit virus.
   
5. Click on the Activate free license button to begin the free 30 days trial, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
   

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Your computer should now be free of the Windows Cleaning Toolkit infection. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through, you may want to consider purchasing the PRO version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future, and perform regular computer scans with HitmanPro.
If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove Windows Cleaning Toolkit from your machine, please start a new thread in our Malware Removal Assistance forum.