What is search_checker.exe?
search_checker.exe is usually located in the 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Security Updates Service\' folder.
Some of the anti-virus scanners at VirusTotal detected search_checker.exe.
If you have additional information about the file, please share it with the FreeFixer users by posting a comment at the bottom of this page.
Vendor and version information [?]
search_checker.exe does not have any version or vendor information.
Digital signatures [?]
search_checker.exe is not signed.
VirusTotal report
10 of the 72 anti-virus programs at VirusTotal detected the search_checker.exe file. That's a 14% detection rate.
| Scanner | Detection Name |
|---|---|
| APEX | Malicious |
| Cybereason | malicious.de6f0b |
| FireEye | Generic.mg.2143339ea9756234 |
| Invincea | heuristic |
| K7AntiVirus | Trojan-Downloader ( 005169191 ) |
| K7GW | Trojan-Downloader ( 005169191 ) |
| MaxSecure | Trojan.Malware.300983.susgen |
| SentinelOne | DFI - Suspicious PE |
| Trapmine | malicious.high.ml.score |
| Zillya | Adware.AdLoad.Win32.823 |
search_checker.exe removal instructions
The instructions below shows how to remove search_checker.exe with help from the FreeFixer removal tool. Basically, you install FreeFixer, scan your computer, check the search_checker.exe file for removal, restart your computer and scan it again to verify that search_checker.exe has been successfully removed. Here are the removal instructions in more detail:
- Download and install FreeFixer: http://www.freefixer.com/download.html
- Start FreeFixer and press the Start Scan button. The scan will finish in approximately five minutes.
- When the scan is finished, locate search_checker.exe in the scan result and tick the checkbox next to the search_checker.exe file. Do not check any other file for removal unless you are 100% sure you want to delete it. Tip: Press CTRL-F to open up FreeFixer's search dialog to quickly locate search_checker.exe in the scan result.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Security Updates Service\search_checker.exe 
- Scroll down to the bottom of the scan result and press the Fix button. FreeFixer will now delete the search_checker.exe file.
- Restart your computer.
- Start FreeFixer and scan your computer again. If search_checker.exe still remains in the scan result, proceed with the next step. If search_checker.exe is gone from the scan result you're done.
- If search_checker.exe still remains in the scan result, check its checkbox again in the scan result and click Fix.
- Restart your computer.
- Start FreeFixer and scan your computer again. Verify that search_checker.exe no longer appear in the scan result.
Folder name variants
search_checker.exe may also be located in other folders than C:\Program Files (x86)\Security Updates Service\. The most common variants are listed below:
- C:\Program Files\Security Updates Service\
Hashes [?]
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| MD5 | 2143339ea9756234f92af26f341660e5 |
| SHA256 | b98135680099657b0da19133a480ac63f6be54f957b5c8828647a96d966494e7 |
Error Messages
These are some of the error messages that can appear related to search_checker.exe:
search_checker.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
search_checker.exe - Application Error. The instruction at "0xXXXXXXXX" referenced memory at "0xXXXXXXXX". The memory could not be "read/written". Click on OK to terminate the program.
search_checker.exe has stopped working.
End Program - search_checker.exe. This program is not responding.
search_checker.exe is not a valid Win32 application.
search_checker.exe - Application Error. The application failed to initialize properly (0xXXXXXXXX). Click OK to terminate the application.
What will you do with the file?
To help other users, please let us know what you will do with the file:
What did other users do?
The poll result listed below shows what users chose to do with the file. 100% have voted for removal. Based on votes from 7 users.
| Votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep | 0 % | 0 | |
| Remove | 100 % | 7 |
NOTE: Please do not use this poll as the only source of input to determine what you will do with the file. Only 7 users has voted so far so it does not offer a high degree of confidence.
Comments
Please share with the other users what you think about this file. What does this file do? Is it legitimate or something that your computer is better without? Do you know how it was installed on your system? Did you install it yourself or did it come bundled with some other software? Is it running smoothly or do you get some error message? Any information that will help to document this file is welcome. Thank you for your contributions.
I'm reading all new comments so don't hesitate to post a question about the file. If I don't have the answer perhaps another user can help you.
don't want it. didn't ask for it, just jumped on my machine. need to get rid of it. HOW?????
# 22 Jun 2020, 10:30
bigkahuna writes