CompMaui

Lets take care of two of the most annoying things to have ever hit the digital world. Adware and Spyware.

Spybot Search and Destroy is one of the three programs that every computer running Microsoft Windows should have installed. It is free, it is easy to use, and is amazingly powerful. So let’s get started!

Begin by navigating over to Download.com's Spybot Search and Destroy Download Page. Once you are there click the link that says "Download Now" as noted in the graphic below.

When prompted, select "Run" as indicated in the graphic below.

Select your language and click "Ok."

At the welcome screen, click "Next."

Agree to the License Agreement by clicking the radio button (the circle) next to "I accept the agreement" and click "Next."

Leave everything on the Select Destination Location screen as it is and click "Next."

Check only, "Download updates immediately" and "Security Center integration" (if it is available) and click "Next."

Leave everything on the Select Start Menu Folder screen as it is and click "Next."

Ensure all of the check boxes on the Select Additional Tasks page are selected and click "Next."

Click "Install."

The automatic update process will begin shortly after you hit install. It will close automatically once it completes.

Ensure all of the check boxes are checked on the "Completing the Spybot - Search & Destroy Setup Wizard" screen and click "Finish."

Click "OK" when you see the "Service installed successfully" screen.

This is the "Legal stuff" screen. It warns you that if you use this tool to remove spyware and adware (things you don't want) from your computer, other programs that rely on that spyware or adware (which you don't want) will cease to work. Check "Don't show this message again" and click "OK"

Click "OK." We will discuss updating at a later time.

If you like, you can create a registry backup. But for this tutorial we aren't going to create one (I never do), so click "Next."

Click "Search for updates." This will take us to the update screen where we can get the most recent updates for detecting the newest spyware and adware threats.

A random mirror (site to download from) will be selected. You only need to click "Continue."

Check every box on the screen. This will ensure that you get every update available for Spybot Search and Destroy. Your list may look different.
Click "Download." The process will begin and you will see a progress bar."
Once the downloads finish click "Exit."

After exiting the dowload updates window you will return to the "Search for updates" screen. Click "Next."

Click "Immunize this system" then "Next."

Well done! Spybot Search and Destroy is installed and updated. Now the only thing we have left to do is to use it to scan our computer for issues we have already encountered. Click "Start using the program."

To scan your computer for issues we need to go to the "Search & Destroy" section of Spybot - Search & Destroy. Click where the graphic below indicates.

Click "Check for problems." This will start the scan. The scan may take some time. There is a progress bar at the bottom of the window to indicate the scan's progress.

If Spybot finds any issues, they will be listed in the window below. (Fortunately my system was clean, but this is a rarity.) If you have problems detected, ensure every problem is selected (check the box next to each issue) and click the "Fix selected problems" button where the graphic below indicates. This will automatically remove the undesired spyware/adware.

Stick around, next we are going to learn how to clear out free space, cover our tracks and get our computer to boot faster.