Tip O'Tex Computer Club

October 2004 Newsletter

Get Rid of Spyware!!!!

I can't stress this enough. Almost every computer I've run across that was running slow was just full of spyware - sometimes up to 1,000 files. And its not just that there are programs on your computer that you don't want, didn't ask for, and don't need - spyware sends information about you and your viewing habits, as well as your e-mail address to others. You don't want that to happen.

This month I'm going to describe how to d/l, install, update and use Search & Destroy. Next month a refresher on Ad-Aware. These two programs are the ones that almost all professionals use to clean up spyware, adware and malware.

Spybot Search & Destroy

You can download the program at: http://connecting-point.net/tools.php

From there, click on "Spybot Search & Destroy 1.3" That will start the download. When asked, choose Save and save the file on your hard drive, in case you need to install it again later. The file is 4.15 mb, so you don't want to have to download it more than once. While it is downloading, check to make sure that you don't have a check in the box next to "Close this dialog box...." That way, when the d/l is complete, you can just click on Run, without having to go find it.

1. When you click on Run, you may get a Security Warning screen - if you do, just tell it to "Run." (Sometimes those warnings are scarier than they need to be.)
2. Click OK where it shows English as the language of choice.
3. On the next screen, click on Next.
4. On the next screen, click next to "I accept the agreement" and then click Next.
5. The next screen shows where its going to install it on your hard drive - just accept the location it chooses by clicking on Next.
6. You don't need additional languages or "skins" so if there are checkmarks there, remove them, and then click on Next.
7. On the next screen, you just need to click on Next to accept the Start Menu location.
8. I'd leave checkmarks next to "Create desktop icons" and "Use Internet Explorer protection (SDHelper" and then click Next, and then Install.
9. When the installation is compete, there will be a checkmark next to Run SpybotSD.exe so just click on Finish.

Now you go thru the first-time run of the program, and you'll want to still be online to do this.

1. Click on the "Create registry backup" button. This could take a while, so wait until you see the "Next" arrow appear again, and then click on it.
2. Click on the "Search for updates" button and when you see it, click on "Download all available updates."
3. When you see the "Next" arrow again, click on it and the click on "Immunize this system" and then on Next and then on "Start using the program."
4. In the upper left corner, click on "Search & Destroy."
5. Click on "Check for problems."
6. You can watch the progress at the bottom of the screen, and when its done, the progress bar will disappear and you'll see how many pieces of "junk" you have.
7. At the top, click on "Fix selected problems."
8. Its possible that you may have some spyware running that S&D can't remove while its running. In that case, it will ask permission to run again the next time you start your computer. Tell it YES, and then re-start your computer.
9. When the computer starts up, S&D will run before Windows finished loading. When its done, you'll be back in Windows again with almost all of your spyware gone.

Once a week check for UPDATES and if there are any, get them before running the program. Run the program once a week to keep your computer clear.

Note: As part of the use of S&D you'll probably receive two "warnings" - one telling you that you have Ad-Aware on your computer and that it may find S&D as something bad, but it won't. The other tells you that if you remove certain files you may not be able to use certain web sites or programs. Well, if they're spyware you don't want to use them anyway. You may want to check on those boxes to tell them to not warn you in the future.

Next month there will be detailed instructions for Ad-Aware. You should always run both programs, one after the other (not at the same time) Both are very good programs but don't always find exactly the same spyware.

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