{"id":53880,"date":"2016-09-14T04:21:53","date_gmt":"2016-09-14T04:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/?p=53880"},"modified":"2016-09-14T04:21:32","modified_gmt":"2016-09-14T04:21:32","slug":"remove-search-searchfdm-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/remove-search-searchfdm-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Remove Search.searchfdm.com and Free Driver Maps (Removal Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Search.searchfdm.com<\/strong> (<em>Free Driver Maps by SaferBrowser<\/em>) is a browser hijacker that is bundled with other free software that you download off of the Internet. When installed this browser hijacker it will set the homepage and search engine for your web browser to <em>http:\/\/search.searchfdm.com\/<\/em>.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad4096988457\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309684--placement_360520\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3957935887\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-53881\" title=\"search.searchfdm.com redirect\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/search.searchfdm.com-redirect.jpg\" alt=\"search.searchfdm.com virus\" width=\"732\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/search.searchfdm.com-redirect.jpg 732w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/search.searchfdm.com-redirect-300x181.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Search.searchfdm.com (Free Driver Maps by SaferBrowser) homepage got on your computer after you have installed a freeware software that had bundled into their installation this browser hijacker. Unfortunately, some free downloads do not adequately disclose that other software will also be installed and you may find that you have installed this malicious program without your knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>For example, when you install <em>custom versions<\/em> of VLC Player, you will also agree to change your browser homepage\u00a0and default search engine to <em>http:\/\/search.searchfdm.com\/<\/em>.<br \/>\nHowever when you uninstall VLC Player from your computer, your web browser\u2019s default settings will not be restored. This means that you&#8217;ll have to remove Search.searchfdm.com homepage from your favorite web browser manually.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad4027231207\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381396-ad_309691-placement_360566\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1471373341\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>You should <strong>always pay attention when installing software<\/strong> because often, a software installer includes optional installs, such as this Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker. Be very careful what you agree to install.<br \/>\n<strong>Always opt for the custom installation<\/strong> 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\u2019t trust.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mwtad2058110493\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309746-ad_309691-placement_360521\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"4456629336\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"mt_title\">How to remove Search.searchfdm.com redirect\u00a0(Removal Guide)<\/h2>\n<p>This page is a comprehensive guide which will remove Search.searchfdm.com redirect and other malicious\u00a0programs that be installed on your machine.<br \/>\nPlease perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, <strong>STOP<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/forums\/malware-removal-assistance.10\/\" target=\"_blank\">ask for our assistance<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">To remove Search.searchfdm.com (Free Driver Maps) redirect, please follow these steps:<br \/>\n<a href=\"#adwcleaner\"><strong>STEP 1<\/strong>: Scan your computer with Adwcleaner<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#malwarebytes\"><strong>STEP 2<\/strong>: Scan your computer with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#hitmanpro\"><strong>STEP 3<\/strong>: Double-check for malware with HitmanPro<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#browser\"><strong>(OPTIONAL) STEP 4<\/strong>: Reset your browser to the default settings<\/a><\/p><div id=\"mwtad1246071740\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309686-ad_309691-placement_360569\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"6935453015\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 class=\"mt_blue\">STEP 1: Scan your computer with AdwCleaner<\/h3>\n<p>AdwCleaner is a free utility, which will scan your computer and web browser for the Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download <strong>AdwCleaner<\/strong> from the below link.<br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/toolslib.net\/downloads\/viewdownload\/1-adwcleaner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(<em>This link will open a new web page from where you can download &#8220;AdwCleaner&#8221;<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Before starting AdwCleaner,\u00a0close your\u00a0web\u00a0browser, then <strong>double-click on the AdwCleaner icon<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38260\" title=\"Double-click on the AdwCleaner Icon\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Icon.jpg\" alt=\"Start AdwCleaner\" width=\"167\" height=\"143\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18096\" title=\"User Account Control icon\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/UAC-prompt.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of User Account Control\" width=\"13\" height=\"16\" \/> If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.<\/li>\n<li>When the AdwCleaner program will open, click on the &#8220;<strong>Scan<\/strong>&#8221; button as shown below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38262\" title=\"Click on Scan button to search for Search.searchfdm.com\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"AdwCleaner Scan button\" width=\"565\" height=\"591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Scan.jpg 565w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Scan-287x300.jpg 287w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 565px) 100vw, 565px\" \/><br \/>\nAdwCleaner will now start to search for Search.searchfdm.com adware and other\u00a0malicious files that may\u00a0be installed on your computer.<\/li>\n<li>To remove the Search.searchfdm.com malicious files that were detected in the previous step, please click on the &#8220;<strong>Cleaning<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38259\" title=\"Click on the Cleaning button to remove adware\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Clean.jpg\" alt=\"Remove Search.searchfdm.com adware with AdwCleaner\" width=\"569\" height=\"587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Clean.jpg 569w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Clean-291x300.jpg 291w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 569px) 100vw, 569px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>AdwCleaner will prompt you to save any open files or documents,\u00a0as the program will need to reboot the computer to complete the cleaning process. Please do so, and then click on the &#8220;<strong>OK<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38261\" title=\"Save your documents then click on the OK button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Removing-Malware.jpg\" alt=\"AdwCleaner removing adware\" width=\"566\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Removing-Malware.jpg 566w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Adwcleaner-Removing-Malware-300x232.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><br \/>\nWhen your computer reboots and you are logged in, AdwCleaner will automatically open a log file that contains the files, registry keys, and programs that were removed from your computer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"malwarebytes\" class=\"mt_blue\">STEP 2: Scan your computer with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware<\/h3>\n<p>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a powerful on-demand scanner which will\u00a0remove the Search.searchfdm.com redirect from your machine. It is important to note that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download <strong>download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware<\/strong>\u00a0from the below link.<br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/downloads-malwarebytes-for-windows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK<\/a> <\/strong><em>(This link will open a new web page from where you can download &#8220;Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free&#8221;)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Once downloaded, close all programs, then double-click on the icon on your desktop named &#8220;<em>mbam-setup&#8221;<\/em> to start the installation of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38277\" title=\"Double-click on the mbam-setup to install Malwarebytes\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Setup.jpg\" alt=\"Start Malwarebytes Anti-Malware setup\" width=\"107\" height=\"107\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18096\" title=\"User Account Control icon\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/UAC-prompt.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of User Account Control\" width=\"13\" height=\"16\" \/> You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click \u201c<em>Yes<\/em>\u201d to continue with the installation.<\/li>\n<li>When the installation begins, you will see the <em>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Setup Wizard<\/em> which will guide you through the installation process.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38272\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Setup Wizard\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Installer.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Installer\" width=\"550\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Installer.jpg 550w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Installer-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><br \/>\nTo install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on your machine, <em>keep following the prompts<\/em> by clicking the &#8220;<strong>Next<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38271\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Final Setup Screen\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Final-Screen.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware final screen\" width=\"544\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Final-Screen.jpg 544w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Final-Screen-300x232.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Once installed, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will automatically start and you will see a message stating that you should update the program, and that a scan has never been run on your system. To start a system scan you can click on the &#8220;<strong>Scan\u00a0Now<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38275\" title=\"Click on the Scan Now button to scan with Malwarebytes\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Scan Now\" width=\"661\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scan.jpg 661w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scan-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 661px) 100vw, 661px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker. When Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is scanning it will look like the image below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38276\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware while performing a scan\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scanning-For-Malware.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Scanning for Search.searchfdm.com\" width=\"662\" height=\"444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scanning-For-Malware.jpg 662w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scanning-For-Malware-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 662px) 100vw, 662px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected. To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes Anti-malware has found, click on the &#8220;<strong>Remove Selected<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38273\" title=\"Click on Remove Selected to remove malware\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Removing-Malware.jpg\" alt=\"Remove Search.searchfdm.com malware that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected\" width=\"648\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Removing-Malware.jpg 648w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Removing-Malware-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px\" \/><br \/>\nPlease note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.<\/li>\n<li>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now quarantine all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. When removing the files, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot your computer, please allow it to do so.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38274\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware asking to restart PC\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Restart-PC.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware asking to restart PC\" width=\"639\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Restart-PC.jpg 639w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Restart-PC-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><br \/>\nAfter your computer will restart, you should open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and perform another &#8220;<em>Threat Scan<\/em>&#8221; scan to verify that there are no remaining threats<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"hitmanpro\" class=\"mt_blue\">STEP 3: Double-check for malware with HitmanPro<\/h3>\n<p>HitmanPro finds and removes malware, adware, bots, and other threats that even the best antivirus suite can oftentimes miss. It&#8217;s designed to run alongside your antivirus suite, firewall, and other security tools.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad4038694632\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381401-ad_309691-placement_360573\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"5315249587\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download <strong>HitmanPro<\/strong> from the below link:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/downloads-hitmanpro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <strong>HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK<\/strong><\/a> <em>(This link will open a new web page from where you can download &#8220;HitmanPro&#8221;)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Double-click on the file named &#8220;<strong>HitmanPro.exe<\/strong>&#8221; (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or &#8220;<strong>HitmanPro_x64.exe<\/strong>&#8221; (for 64-bit versions of Windows). When the program starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38264\" title=\"HitmanPro startup screen\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Installer.jpg\" alt=\"HitmanPro Installer\" width=\"635\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Installer.jpg 635w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Installer-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><br \/>\nClick on the &#8220;<strong>Next<\/strong>&#8221; button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38267\" title=\"itmanPro installation options (Click Next)\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Start-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"itmanPro while installing on PC\" width=\"641\" height=\"513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Start-Scan.jpg 641w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Start-Scan-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 641px) 100vw, 641px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38265\" title=\"HitmanPro scanning for Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"HitmanPro scanning\" width=\"636\" height=\"507\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan.jpg 636w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-300x239.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>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 &#8220;<strong>Next<\/strong>&#8221; button, to remove Search.searchfdm.com virus.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38266\" title=\"HitmanPro scan results (Click Next)\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-Results.jpg\" alt=\"HitmanPro detected malware\" width=\"642\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-Results.jpg 642w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-Results-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 642px) 100vw, 642px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click on the &#8220;<strong>Activate free license<\/strong>&#8221; button to begin the <strong>free 30 days trial<\/strong>, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38263\" title=\"Click on the Activate free license button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Activate-Free-License.jpg\" alt=\"Remove malware with HitmanPro\" width=\"631\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Activate-Free-License.jpg 631w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Activate-Free-License-300x239.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"browser\" class=\"mt_blue\">(Optional) STEP 4: Reset your browser to the default settings<\/h3>\n<p>If you are still experiencing issues with the Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker in Internet Explorer, Firefox or Chrome, we will need to reset your browser to its default settings.<br \/>\n<strong>This step needs to be performed only if your issues have not been solved by the previous steps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"responsive-tabs\">\n<p class=\"tabtitle\">Internet Explorer<\/p>\n<div class=\"tabcontent\">\n\nYou can reset Internet Explorer settings to return them to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was first installed on your PC.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open Internet Explorer, click on the &#8220;<strong>gear icon<\/strong>&#8221; <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25948\" title=\"Internet Explorer Icon Gear\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/icongear.jpg\" alt=\"IE Icon Gear\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/>\u00a0in the upper right part of your browser, then click again on\u00a0<strong>Internet Options<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20057\" title=\"Click on the Gear Icon then on Internet Options\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Internet-Options-Internet-Explorer.jpg\" alt=\"[Image: Internet Options in Internet Explorer]\" width=\"625\" height=\"261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Internet-Options-Internet-Explorer.jpg 625w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Internet-Options-Internet-Explorer-300x125.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In the &#8220;<em>Internet Options<\/em>&#8221; dialog box, click on the\u00a0&#8220;<strong>Advanced<\/strong>&#8221;\u00a0tab, then click\u00a0on the &#8220;<strong>Reset<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20059\" title=\"In the Advanced tab click on the Reset button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Reset-Internet-Explorer.jpg\" alt=\"[Image: Reset Internet Explorer]\" width=\"613\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Reset-Internet-Explorer.jpg 613w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Reset-Internet-Explorer-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In the &#8220;<em>Reset Internet Explorer settings<\/em>&#8221; section, select the &#8220;<strong>Delete personal settings<\/strong>&#8221; check box, then click on\u00a0&#8220;<strong>Reset<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20058\" title=\"Click on the Reset button to revert IE to its default settings\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/reset-button-Internet-Explorer.jpg\" alt=\"[Image: Reset Internet Explorer to its default settings]\" width=\"626\" height=\"472\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/reset-button-Internet-Explorer.jpg 626w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/reset-button-Internet-Explorer-300x226.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the &#8220;<strong>Close<\/strong>&#8221; button\u00a0in the confirmation dialogue box. You will now \u00a0need to close your browser, and then you can open Internet Explorer again.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20056\" title=\"Click on the Close button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Close-button-Reset.jpg\" alt=\"[Image Reset Internet Explorer settings]\" width=\"621\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Close-button-Reset.jpg 621w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Close-button-Reset-300x248.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<\/div><p class=\"tabtitle\">Mozilla Firefox<\/p>\n<div class=\"tabcontent\">\n\nIf you&#8217;re having problems with Firefox, resetting it can help. The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill information, browsing history and open tabs.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>In the upper-right corner of the Firefox window, click the <strong>Firefox\u00a0menu button<\/strong> (<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21537\" title=\"Firefox Menu button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Firefox-menu-button.png\" alt=\"[Image: Firefox Menu button]\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/>), then click on the\u00a0&#8220;<strong>Help<\/strong>&#8221;\u00a0(<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21536\" title=\"Firefox Help button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Firefox-Help.png\" alt=\"[Image: Firefox Help button]\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/>) button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-41734 alignnone\" title=\"Click on the Menu button then question mark button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Firefox-Help.jpg\" alt=\"Firefox Help button\" width=\"614\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Firefox-Help.jpg 614w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Firefox-Help-300x186.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>From the <em>Help<\/em> menu, choose <strong>Troubleshooting Information<\/strong>.<br \/>\nIf you&#8217;re unable to access the Help menu, type <em>about:support<\/em> in your address bar to bring up the Troubleshooting information page.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-41736 alignnone\" title=\"Click on Troubleshooting Information in Firefox\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Firefox-Troubleshooting-Information.jpg\" alt=\"Troubleshooting Information in Firefox\" width=\"640\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Firefox-Troubleshooting-Information.jpg 640w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Firefox-Troubleshooting-Information-300x232.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click the\u00a0&#8220;<strong>Refresh Firefox<\/strong>&#8221;\u00a0button in the upper-right corner of the &#8220;<em>Troubleshooting Information<\/em>&#8221; page.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-41737 alignnone\" title=\"Click on the Refresh Firefox button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Refresh-Firefox.jpg\" alt=\"Refresh Firefox button\" width=\"637\" height=\"494\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Refresh-Firefox.jpg 637w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Refresh-Firefox-300x233.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>To continue, click on the &#8220;<strong>Refresh Firefox<\/strong>&#8221;\u00a0button in the new confirmation window that opens.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-41743 alignnone\" title=\"Click again on Refresh Firefox button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Firefox-Reset-Settings.jpg\" alt=\"Reset Firefox settings to default\" width=\"631\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Firefox-Reset-Settings.jpg 631w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Firefox-Reset-Settings-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Firefox will close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it&#8217;s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on the &#8220;<strong>Finish<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named &#8220;<em>Old Firefox Data<\/em>&#8220;. If the reset didn&#8217;t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don&#8217;t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information.<br \/>\n\n<\/div><p class=\"tabtitle\">Google Chrome<\/p>\n<div class=\"tabcontent\">\n\nGoogle Chrome has an option that will reset itself to its default settings. Resetting your browser settings will reset the unwanted changes caused by installing other programmes. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be cleared or changed.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click on Chrome&#8217;s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-52347\" title=\"Three-line-Chrome\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Three-line-Chrome.png\" alt=\"Three-line-Chrome\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" \/>. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled <strong>Settings<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-49774 alignnone\" title=\"Click on Settings button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Settings-Google-Chrome.jpg\" alt=\"Click on Settings\" width=\"524\" height=\"398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Settings-Google-Chrome.jpg 524w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Settings-Google-Chrome-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 524px) 100vw, 524px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Chrome&#8217;s Settings should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. Next, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the <strong>Show advanced settings<\/strong> link (as seen in the below example).<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-49771\" title=\"Click on Show advanced settings link\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Advanced-Settings-Chrome.jpg\" alt=\"Advanced settings Google Chrome\" width=\"510\" height=\"449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Advanced-Settings-Chrome.jpg 510w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Advanced-Settings-Chrome-300x264.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Chrome&#8217;s advanced Settings should now be displayed. Scroll down until the <em>Reset browser settings<\/em> section is visible, as shown in the example below. Next, click on the <strong>Reset browser<\/strong> settings button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-49772\" title=\"Click on Reset browser button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Reset-Settings-Chrome.jpg\" alt=\"Reset button in Google Chrome\" width=\"509\" height=\"443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Reset-Settings-Chrome.jpg 509w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Reset-Settings-Chrome-300x261.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 509px) 100vw, 509px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the <strong>Reset<\/strong> button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-49773\" title=\"Click on Reset button to restore Chrome to default settings\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Restore-Google-Chrome.jpg\" alt=\"Restore Google Chrome to default settings\" width=\"506\" height=\"363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Restore-Google-Chrome.jpg 506w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Restore-Google-Chrome-300x215.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<\/div><p class=\"tabtitle\">Microsoft Edge<\/p><div id=\"mwtad1074213481\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381404-ad_309691-placement_381406\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"8735619847\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tabcontent\">\n\n<ol>\n<li>In the upper-right corner of the Microsoft Edge window, click the &#8220;<strong>More actions<\/strong>&#8221; icon (three dots), then click on the &#8220;<strong>Settings<\/strong>&#8221; option.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-45254 alignnone\" title=\"Click on Settings in Microsoft Edge\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Microsoft-Edge-Settings.jpg\" alt=\"Microsoft Edge Settings\" width=\"629\" height=\"414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Microsoft-Edge-Settings.jpg 629w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Microsoft-Edge-Settings-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Under the section labeled &#8220;<em>Open With<\/em>&#8220;, select the option &#8220;<strong>Start page<\/strong>&#8220;.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-45255 alignnone\" title=\"Select Start page in Microsoft Edge\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Microsoft-Edge-Start-page.jpg\" alt=\"Microosft Edge start page\" width=\"638\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Microsoft-Edge-Start-page.jpg 638w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Microsoft-Edge-Start-page-300x209.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Your computer should now be free of the Search.searchfdm.com browser hijacker. You can remove <strong>AdwCleaner<\/strong> from your machine, however we recommend that you keep <strong>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware<\/strong> and <strong>HitmanPro<\/strong> installed, and perform regular computer scans.<\/p>\n<p>If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove Search.searchfdm.com redirect from your machine, please do one of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Run a system scan with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/downloads-zemana-antimalware\/\" target=\"_blank\">Zemana AntiMalware<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Start a new thread in our <strong><a title=\"Free Malware Removal Support\" href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/forums\/malware-removal-assistance.10\/\" target=\"_blank\">Malware Removal Assistance<\/a><\/strong> forum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Search.searchfdm.com (Free Driver Maps by SaferBrowser) is a browser hijacker that is bundled with other free software that you download off of the Internet. When installed this browser hijacker it will set the homepage and &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Remove Search.searchfdm.com and Free Driver Maps (Removal Guide)\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/remove-search-searchfdm-com\/#more-53880\" aria-label=\"Read more about Remove Search.searchfdm.com and Free Driver Maps (Removal Guide)\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53881,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2725],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adware","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}