Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up virus

The “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ad is a social engineering technique, which is used cyber criminals to install adware and other potentially unwanted programs on users machines.

The “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-ups happens regardless of the web browser or search engine, and if you are seeing this ad whenever you are doing a Google search or visiting a website, then your computer may be infected with adware or a potentially unwanted program.
This infection is designed specifically to make money. It generates web traffic, collects sales leads for other dubious sites, and will display advertisements and sponsored links within your web browser.

“Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads are distributed via adware or other malicious programs. Malicious websites, or legitimate websites that have been compromised, may display this pop-up ads within your web browser.
On these infected or compromised websites, cyber criminals will display a pop-up box stating that your browser needs to be updated. If you click on the “Recommended Download” button, instead of installing an update for Internet Explorer, Firefox or Chrome, you’ll agree to install adware or another malicious program.
The text of “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up is:

Codec Performer Update is Recommended
Please Install Codec Performer Update (RECOMMENDED)
• Supports MP3, WMA, RealVideo, RealAudio, DivX, XviD and much more
• Based on FFDShow and Haali splitter the leading codecs libraries
• One install for all your codecs need
• 100% Free & Safe- share it with your friends
• Updating takes under a minute, and you do not need to restart after installation

The “Please Install Codec Performer Update” link may install on your computer, toolbars (Babylon Toolbar, Delta Toolbar), adware (Yontoo, DealPly, CouponBuddy) or other types of malware.

You should always pay attention when installing software because often, a software installer includes optional installs, such as this “Please Install Codec Performer Update” adware. Be very careful what you agree to install.
Always opt for the custom installation and deselect anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place. It goes without saying that you should not install software that you don’t trust.

How to remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-ups (Virus Removal Guide)

This page is a comprehensive guide, which will remove the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-ups from your computer, and any other adware program that may have been installed during the setup process.
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.
STEP 1: Uninstall “Please Install Codec Performer Update” program from your computer
STEP 2: Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads from Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome
STEP 3: Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” adware from Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome with AdwCleaner
STEP 4: Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
STEP 5: Double-check for the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” infection with HitmanPro

STEP 1 : Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” malicious programs from your computer

The “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads may be displayed by an adware program that you have recently installed on your computer. In our case “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-ups were installed with the BrowseToSave, SuperLyrics, DownloadTerms 1.0, BrowserDefender, TidyNetwork.com and WebCake 3.0 programs.
In this first step, we will try to identify and remove any malicious program that might be installed on your computer.

1. To uninstall the programs that are responsible for the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads from your computer, click the Start button, then select Control Panel, and click on Uninstall a program.
   If you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for “control panel“. Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control Panel from there, then select Uninstall a program.
   
2. When the Add/Remove Programs or the Uninstall a Program screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and uninstall LyricsSay-1, LyricXeeker, Plus-HD 1.3, Browse2Save, WebCake 3.00, DownloadTerms 1.0, LyricsBuddy-1, TidyNetwork.com, ElectroLyrics-1, a2zLyrics-1, SimpleLyrics and any other unwanted or recently installed programs from your computer.
   

Depending on what program has installed the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” infection, the above programs may have a different name or not be installed on your computer.
If you cannot find the program that is responsible for the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads, you can proceed with the next step.

If you are having issues while trying to uninstall the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” malicious programs, you can use Revo Uninstaller to completly remove the unwated programs from your machine.

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STEP 2 : Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads from Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome

Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads from Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon  (Tools for Windows XP users) at the top (far right), then click again on Internet Options.
   
2. In the Internet Options dialog box, click on the Advanced tab, then click on the Reset button.
   
3. In the Reset Internet Explorer settings section, check the Delete personal settings box, then click on Reset.
   
4. When Internet Explorer finishes resetting, click Close in the confirmation dialogue box and then click OK.
5. Close and open Internet Explorer.

Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads from Mozilla Firefox

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu (on Windows XP, click the Help menu at the top of the Firefox window), and select Troubleshooting Information.
   
2. Click the Reset Firefox button in the upper-right corner of the Troubleshooting Information page.
   
3. To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens.
4. Firefox will close and be reset. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish

Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” pop-up ads from Google Chrome

1. To remove the Please Install Codec Performer Update extensions from this web browser, click the Chrome menu   button on the browser toolbar, select Tools and then click on Extensions.
   
2. In the Extensions tab, remove LyricsSay-1, LyricXeeker, HD-Plus, GetLyrics, DownloadTerms 1.0, Browse2Save, SuperLyrics, WebCake and any other unknown extensions by clicking the trash can icon.
   Basically, if you have not installed an extension, you should remove it from your web browser.
   

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STEP 3: Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” adware from Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome with AdwCleaner

The AdwCleaner utility will scan your computer for “Please Install Codec Performer Update” malicious files and registry keys, that may have been installed on your computer without your knowledge.

1. You can download AdwCleaner utility from the below link.
   Download AdwCleanerFree official download. Nothing to install.
2. Before starting AdwCleaner, close all open programs and internet browsers, then double-click on the AdwCleaner icon.
   
   If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.
3. When the AdwCleaner program will open, click on the Scan button as shown below.
   
   AdwCleaner will now start to search for “Please Install Codec Performer Update” malicious files that may be installed on your computer.
4. To remove the Please Install Codec Performer Update malicious files that were detected in the previous step, please click on the Clean button.
   
   AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to reboot the computer. Please do so and then click on the OK button.

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STEP 4: Remove “Please Install Codec Performer Update” virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free utilizes Malwarebytes powerful technology to detect and remove all traces of malware including worms, trojans, rootkits, rogues, dialers, spyware and more.

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.
   Download MalwarebytesFree official installer. Your download starts right away.
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 Please Install Codec Performer Update malicious files.
   
4. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for “Please Install Codec Performer Update” 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.
   

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STEP 5: Double-check for the “Please Install Codec Performer Update” 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:
   Download HitmanProOfficial Sophos download. Free scan, free 30-day trial to remove threats.
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 Please Install Codec Performer Update malicious files.
   
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 “Please Install Codec Performer Update” adware.
   
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 “Please Install Codec Performer Update” 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 Please Install Codec Performer Update from your machine, please start a new thread in our Malware Removal Assistance forum.