Smasher.exe is a non-system process that can be traced to the software Ad SmasheR from the site popUpstop.com. The file can be located in the C:\Program Files\ad smasher folder.
Is Smasher.exe a virus?
In most cases, the smasher.exe file is considered safe, but it can cause problems on your PC, especially if the registry entries that are associated with it are broken or corrupt. And while smasher.exe is not a CPU-intensive file, it can be part of the reason your computer is performing less than optimal, if such many processes are running at the same time.
Still, there is a slight possibility that smasher.exe could be a virus because malware is known to take the names of commonly used software. It is one of the many tricks that cybercriminals use to infiltrate computer systems.
What Does Smasher.exe Do?
Smasher.exe is an executable file that originates from the Ad SmasheR software installed on your computer. Ad SmasheR is a software package for blocking annoying pop-up ads. The program also removes web bugs, automatically cleans your Temp folder, and keeps browser helper objects from downloading. The Ad SmasheR has both free and premium versions.
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Smasher.exe Errors
Like any software package, the smasher.exe process can cause problems on your computer. Common error messages associated with the process include:
- File not found: Smasher.exe
- Cannot find file: Smasher.exe
- Device not recognized missing Smasher.exe file
These messages can be annoying, thus prompting Windows users to want to do something to stop them:
Should Smasher.exe Be Removed?
Well, it all depends on how you want to approach the problems caused by the software package. If, they are too much to bear, and you are certain that you can do without the app, then there is no need to have it around. But before you go around removing apps from your computer, it is best to first diagnose the problem with the help of an anti-malware solution such as Outbyte Antivirus.
An anti-malware solution will tell you if there are any viruses on your PC that could be making installed software behave in unexpected ways. If, on the other hand, the smasher.exe process turns out to be a malware, the antivirus will also help stop it.
That said, there are other ways of removing, or stopping the smasher.exe process. With the help of a PC repair tool, you can isolate and stop the smasher.exe and all the folders associated with it. You can also prevent it from automatically launching every time your computer starts. Doing this will prevent the app from consuming too much computing resources on your computer.
At the same time, a PC repair tool will repair any corrupt, missing, or broken registry entries, which could be the culprit behind the smasher.exe process causing errors.
Of course, all of this can be done manually, and in this next part of the article, we will show you how to remove the smasher.exe process from your computer.
How to Use the Task Manager to Stop the Smasher.exe Process
The Task Manager is a Windows utility tool that shows all the processes that are running on your computer. It can be used to stop any processes that are problematic. Here are the steps to take:
- Press the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys.
- From the the list of options, select Task Manager.
- On the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the smasher.exe process.
- Right-click and choose End task.
If you want to remove the file behind the process instead of just quitting it, you can choose Open file location instead of End task. From the file location, you can then erase the contents of the folder.
How to Uninstall Apps Using Control Panel
You can uninstall files from your computer with the help of the Control Panel app. The following are the steps to take:
- On the Windows search box, type “control panel”.
- Select the Control Panel from the list of options that appear.
- Under Programs, click Uninstall a program.
- From the list of programs that appear choose Ad SmasheR.
- Right-click to uninstall.
How to Remove Problematic Apps Using System Restore
System Restore is a Windows process that allows you to revert any changes to the configuration of your Windows device after a certain period of time. You can use System Restore to also remove any problematic apps such the Ad SmasheR program. The following are the steps to take:
- On the Windows search box, type “create a restore point”.
- Select Create a restore point from the search results.
- On the System properties app, go to the System protection Select System Restore.
- Choose a restore point from the list of the restore points that are available on your computer.
- After choosing a restore point, you will be shown ‘affected programs’ or programs that will no longer be available once the restore process is complete.
- Make sure that your targeted programs makes it to this list.
Note that system restore will only work if there is already a restore point available before the installation of the problematic app.
Hopefully, this article has helped you deal with the smasher.exe process. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to use the comment section below.