Spybot search & destroy - the easy way!

Introduction
Spybot Search and Destroy in a very handy utility which searches your hard drive in order to detect, locate and eliminate spyware/adware modules. Those modules are responsible for the display of unwelcome ads. What’s more, those modules can sometimes be even more dangerous; specifically, some of them will gather information about your internet/pc habits and then transmit this information online. Spybot Search and Destroy not only will eliminate those modules but it also offers an option to delete all tracks of activity that you might have left on your pc.

Spybot Search and Destroy Installation:
You can download Spybot Search and Destroy from: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html .The installation procedure is really simple:

Double click on the setup, choose the language that you prefer and click “OK”
Click “Next”, Select the option “I accept agreement” and click “Next” again
Select a location where you want the application to be installed and click “Next”.
Take some time to tick the features that you are interested in and once again, click “Next”
Keep on clicking “Next” until the setup is complete. If there is an option that you would like to alter in one of the steps, feel free to do so before you click “Next”.
When the setup is over, click the “Finish” button and you are done.

How to use Spybot Search and Destroy:
After you have successfully installed Spybot Search and Destroy, the only thing left to do is to actually try and see what it does!

Click on: Start->Programs->Spybot - Search and Destroy-> Spybot - Search and Destroy

If you are given a warning, take the time to read it. It says that if you remove the ads of certain applications, you might not be able to continue using them. This is important to know.

If you are presented with a wizard, you can take the time to play with it but for the purpose of this tutorial, just keep on pressing “Next” until you get rid of it.

Let’s get to the interesting part now, the utility itself. If everything went under plan, you should be looking at something that looks like this:

Image No #1

spybot1

Notice the arrows and the numbers on the image. They will help you coordinate.

The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that Spybot has the necessary updates. Click on the button “Search for Updates” (Number 1 in image #1). As soon as you have done that, Spybot will search for updates on the internet. Unless there is a problem with your internet connection, Spybot will find quite a few updates available. Take a look at the image below. The first arrow (Number 1 in the image #2) shows a list of available updates. As you can see, you can tick only the ones you are interested in. I advise that you tick all of them, they are helpful. Next, click on the “Download Updates” button (Number 2 in the image #2). Spybot will download the selected components and install them.

Image No #2

spybot2

The next thing that you need to do is to click on the “Check for problems” button (Number 1 in the image #1). As soon as you have done this, Spybot will start scanning your computer for harmful modules. Please keep in mind that the more updates you have downloaded, the more effective Spybot will be! Please be patient until Spybot finishes the scanning process; it might take anything ranging from a few minutes up to several hours. When Spybot has finished, you should be looking at something that looks like this:

Image No #3

spybot3

Spybot displays a list of malicious modules that it has detected using a red color. You have the ability to un-tick components that you don’t want to eliminate. (Take a look at the arrow number #1 in the image number #3)
When you have selected the malicious modules that you would like Spybot to remove, click on the”Fix selected problems” button (Number 2 in the image #3). That’s it, congratulations, you’re done!

Conclusion
Easy, wasn’t it? Well, there’s a thing that you need to consider. As I told you at the beginning, it is possible that if you remove certain components then you will not be able to access an application which is based on them. This is rare, but it can happen. If it does happen, you can always use the “recovery” feature in order to bring everything back to normality. It’s very easy to use and it can really save you in certain situations!