Moo.exe from Cow Virus Link might look like a hastily created filename, so I wouldn’t dismiss it too quickly. On a machine that is already acting wrong, it may be the visible edge of a Trojan problem rather than the whole problem itself.
Trojans like Cow Virus Link, Moo Virus, and Alsulics get in by borrowing trust from something ordinary, often an installer or attachment that looks safe enough to open. Once inside, they do not have to make noise. A machine that slows down while the browser starts acting off already deserves caution. Reappearing files or unfamiliar processes push it further, because they suggest the visible file may not be the whole thing.
Moo.exe may expose your browser to redirects, ads, and persistent unwanted components. Install SpyHunter Pro to scan for risks, remove related threats, and enable real-time protection.
*Source of claim SH can remove it. Trial w/Credit card; image is for illustration; full terms.
The issue is that deleting a single sketchy file or stopping a suspicious process is rarely going to be enough. You need a structured approach in order to rid your PC of this malware, which is why we’ve prepared the detailed guide below. We strongly recommend that you use it in combination with the powerful Spy Hunter 5 removal tool that’s also available on this page.
Cow Virus Link Removal Guide
Start with the shorter method because it handles the most obvious places first. If Cow Virus Link is limited to a visible app and folder, this may be enough. If it returns after rebooting, continue with the advanced steps that follow.
Quick Manual Removal for Moo.exe – Try This First
- 1.1First, go to your downloads folder (This PC > Downloads), sort the items there by date, and see if any suspicious files have been downloaded recently. Found anything fishy? Delete it before continuing.
- 1.2Next, go to the Start Menu, navigate to Settings (the gear icon), and then to Apps.
- 1.3You’ll see all installed programs listed on that page – sort them by installation date and look for Moo.exe or anything else that looks suspicious, unfamiliar, or unwanted.
- 1.4If you find Cow Virus Link or another sketchy app, select it and start the uninstallation process. Be careful when following the uninstallation prompts so that you don’t let anything linked to the program remain on your PC.
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1.5Afterward, look for the installation directory. You’ll often find it at
C:\UserNames\UserName\AppData\Local\Programs\, but it might also be elsewhere. - 1.6If you find the malware folder, remove it together with any leftover files that might still be in it.
Reboot the PC when the quick method is complete, then check whether the suspicious behavior has stopped. If Cow Virus Link remains active, the system likely has additional leftovers, so move on to the full manual cleanup.
SUMMARY:
OFFERIf you are on Windows, continue with the steps below.
If you are on Mac, use our remove ads on Mac guide.
If you are on Android, use our Android malware removal guide.
If you are on iPhone, use ourย iPhone virus removalย guide.
How to Fully Get Rid of Cow Virus Link
SpyHunter 5 is placed before the manual sections because it can scan for Cow Virus Link and other unwanted items automatically. It is optional, but strongly recommended, since it may remove the infection before you need to touch system folders or the registry.
Fastest Removal Option: Use SpyHunter 5
- 1.1Click here to download and install the anti-malware tool on your PC.
- 1.2Start SpyHunter 5, click the Buy button and choose between starting your 7-days free trial or directly purchasing the tool.
If you choose to buy SpyHunter 5 now, you can use our discount code, “HTRG15“, for 15% off.
- 1.3
Once you activate SpyHunter, click Start Scan Now, select the Full Scan option, and let the tool do its job. - 1.4Once the scan completes (it could take a while, so have patience), you’ll see all malware and other undesirables listed.
Click Next to review the detections and then click Next again to delete all rogue items.
Preparatory Steps for Removing Cow Virus Link
Before you search for files by hand, make hidden folders visible and prepare a tool for locked items. Cow Virus Link may conceal or protect components, and these steps help prevent simple Windows access errors during cleanup.
1. Preparing for the Cow Virus Link Removal
- 1.1The first preparatory step you must perform is to enable the visibility of hidden files and folders.
Do this by searching for Folder Options in the Start Menu and selecting the View tab. Then activate “Show hidden files and folders” and save the change by clicking Apply and then OK. - 1.2Next, you’ll need to download and install a free utility called LockHunter It’s crucial because it lets you delete files locked by malicious processes.
You can complete most of the guide manually, but locked files are a frequent obstacle. The utility is recommended only for cases where Windows prevents deletion of folders connected to Cow Virus Link while they are still in use.
LockHunter is free, quick to install, and does not require a user account. Use it as a practical workaround when a suspicious folder refuses to delete through standard Windows options.
Remove Cow Virus Link Processes From the Task Manager
Task Manager can reveal active processes that keep the Trojan running. Cow Virus Link may use random or innocent-looking names, so inspect suspicious entries by resource use, file location, and whether they belong to software you recognize.
2. How to Delete Cow Virus Link Processes in the Task Manager
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2.1This is done through the Task Manager which you can open by pressing
Ctrl + Shift + Esc. - 2.2If it shows a simplified view, click More Details to expand it and see all running processes.
- 2.3Sort the list of processes by how much Memory or CPU they are using. Then look out for any that are using unusually large amounts of either resource type and yet don’t seem related to any legitimate programs that you have on your PC.
Note: Don’t expect to find a rogue process named “Cow Virus Link“. Most forms of malware will hide their processes under innocent-looking names, similar to Moo.exe.
- 2.4For each dubious process, right-click it and select Open file location. This will lead you to a folder where the data used by this process is stored.
- 2.5You must delete that entire folder, but you’ll likely get an error when you attempt to do that because some of the files there are in use by the malware. The workaround is to use LockHunter: right-click the folder, select “What’s locking this folder?” from the context menu, and click Delete in the next window.
- 2.6After removing the files, go back to Task Manager, write down the name of the rogue process (you’ll need it later), then click it, and click the End Task button to quit it.
Delete Cow Virus Link Files
The file search should cover every directory listed in the guide. Cow Virus Link may rely on helpers in startup folders, program directories, app data, and temp storage, so careful checking is more reliable than removing one obvious folder.
3. How to Get Rid of Cow Virus Link Files
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3.1Start by examining the Startup folders at:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartupC:\Users\*Your Username*\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup -
3.2Search them for suspicious files, but if you aren’t what files are rogue, just delete everything in those folders except for the
desktop.inifile, which is a standard system file. -
3.3Next, inspect the
Program FilesandProgram Files (x86)in yourC:drive. Some malware apps will create folders there, so look for anything that looks linked to Cow Virus Link or that is otherwise unrecognized or out-of-place folders. Delete anything suspicious you may find. -
3.4Three other locations you must check are:
C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\Programs\C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\
Again, if you notice anything fishy in them, it must be deleted. And if there’s a folder you aren’t sure about, it’s probably best to get rid of it. At worst, it will be something harmless linked to a legitimate program in your system. However, if you didn’t recognize its name right away, chances are it’s something you either don’t need or something that’s outright unwanted (like Cow Virus Link). -
3.5Finally, remember to clear the Temp folder. It’s located at
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Temp.
It stores only temporary files, which are all okay to delete. So, to save yourself some time spent looking for malware files, just Ctrl + A to select everything, and then press Delete from your keyboard to delete all of the folder’s contents.
Get Rid of Cow Virus Link Scheduled Tasks
Task Scheduler cleanup is important because a hidden task can relaunch the threat after removal. Look for entries that might start Cow Virus Link, run an unknown script, or download a file again after the next restart.
4. Eliminate Cow Virus Link Scheduled Tasks
- 4.1Open the Task Scheduler by searching for it in the Start Menu search bar. Then, one by one, review the scheduled tasks in the Task Scheduler Library.
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4.2For each task, double-click it and open the Actions tab, where you can learn what it is that the task is set to perform. Look for tasks that run unfamiliar executables, scripts, or anything located in the
AppDataorRoamingdirectories. - 4.3If you come across a task that executes anything suspicious, write down its file path, then right-click the task, and select Delete.
- 4.4After that, go to the file path you saved and delete the file that the task was set to run.
Uninstall the Cow Virus Link Malware App Through the Windows Registry
The registry may contain entries that keep Cow Virus Link active at startup or preserve unwanted system changes. Remove only values you can confidently link to the infection. Use SpyHunter 5 if you prefer a safer automated registry cleanup.
5. Remove Cow Virus Link Through the Registry
- 5.1Type “regedit” in the Start Menu and hit Enter to go to the Registry Editor.
- 5.2Then click Edit > Find to open the search box and then type the exact name of whatever program you tried to uninstall during the quick steps at the start of the guide.
- 5.3Click Find Next and if a result comes up, click the registry key (folder) in the left panel that contains it and delete that key. Perform another search after each deleted key until there are no more results for that search query.
- 5.4Next, search for the name of any other programs you attempted to delete. Also search for the names of processes you ended in the Task Manager earlier in the guide.
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5.5After you’ve deleted all relevant entries, manually navigate to these registry keys:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceHKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunHKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceHKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\RunHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\RunHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnceHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\SetupHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services - 5.6Select each of these keys to reveal their contents in the right panel. Then look for values referencing Cow Virus Link or any unknown applications. Delete only the specific values linked to the malware and leave the keys that contain them intact.