1) Start your computer in safe mode

When you power on your computer continuously tap the "F8" key until a menu appears. From this menu select "Safe Mode With Networking".

If you are asked what operating system you wish to start, select your operating system (using the arrow keys) and press enter. In most cases there will only be one. Once loaded you will be asked a "Yes" or "No" question in a prompt. Select "Yes" to agree to using Safe Mode.


2) Open your browser and download Spybot Search and Destroy

Go to the link: http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html and select your language on the right.

Under "Products" select Search and Destroy. On the following page select Search and Destroy again and then click "Download" located next to one of the mirrors (a mirror is a download location. Having more than one evens out the load and covers the eventuality of one going down).

Be careful and make sure that you actually download Spybot Search and Destroy (or Spybot S&D). It can be very easy to click on one or the ads on the page that has "DOWNLOAD" written in big letters.

Once downloaded the file will be named "spybotsdxxx.exe" where xxx is the version number.


3) Install Spybot Search and Destroy

Locate the file you just downloaded and double click it. Click "Run" or "Allow" on the following prompts.

Select the instalation language, press next and agree to the license agreement. Press next again (to choose where you want it installed, the default option is fine) and you should be greeted with some installation options.

I suggest that you untick "Additional Languages", "Icons for starting Blind User mode", "Separate Secure Shredder Application" and "Explorer File Scan Plugin", but it's okay to install them if you wish. Once decided, click "Next" and "Next" again. Now, untick "Use Internet Explorer Protection (SDHelper)" and untick "Use System Settings Protection (TeaTimer)". They are useful in protecting your computer in the future, but they can slow down your computer and this guide is for scan and removal only. Click "Next" followed by "Install".

Once installed you can leave the "Run SpybotSD.exe" box checked and click "Finish". You'll get a notice letting you know that if you have installed some advertisement funded applications and use this to remove the advertisements, you could lose them.

This kind of application will usually put advertisements on your desktop and / or change your home page. They are rare now, but if you have such applications, you may want to consider this. You can check the "Don't show this message again" box and click "OK", or you can leave the box if you wish to be reminded of this in future.


4) First Run

You will now be prompted to create a registry back up. Press the "Create registry backup" button and in a short while the "Next" button will light up. Click it. Click the "Search for Updates" button. Select a mirror and press next. Tick everything and press "Download".

You should get a message saying "Please Re-apply immunization after this update". This is refering to the SDHelper and TeaTimer options which you may or may not have installed earlier on. If you did, then you'll need to turn them back on by clicking "Immunize" on the left hand side of the main screen. I suggested that you didn't, so, if you didn't, don't worry about it. Click "Ok" and click "Exit".

You'll see the warning prompt about removing advertising and how it might remove ad supported applications. Click "Ok".


5) Scan

This is the important bit and it's also the easy bit. On the main screen click the "Check For Problems" button. You may be prompted to remove temporary files in order to speed the process up. This is fine. It'll start scanning. This can take some time (up to two hours).


6) Removing Problems

Okay, it's looking good. Your scan is complete and you've got a big list of problems. Most of these are likely to be relatively harmless (tracking cookies), but are still an invasion into your online privacy. Some of them may be more dangerous. They should all be ticked ready for removal. You can untick some if you think you need them.

Click "Fix selected problems" and click "Yes". It should quickly tell you how many problems have been fixed. You can now restart your computer as normal.

Sometimes the problem file(s) will be active at this point. This will mean that Spybot Search and Destroy will be unable to remove it. In this case you will be asked if you would like to schedule a scan for the next time the computer boots up (it doesn't have to be safe mode). I strongly recommend that you do this. The scan will probably take the same amount of time, but this time it will remove the problem file(s) without any trouble.


7) Other Information.

Spybot Search and Destroy is one of a few good programs available for free to fix computer programs. Other programs include Adaware SE ( http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php)and HijackThis (only for advanced users) (http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis). However, I usually find Spybot Search and Destroy to be most effective and user friendly.

Safe Mode is the ideal place to scan for problems as many problem files will not activate under it. Activated files can sometimes prevent you from accessing the internet, certain sites, 'hide' from scans or can be very difficult to remove.

Avast Free Antivirus (http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download) is an antivirus that allows you to schedule a Boot Time Scan. This type of scan will find and remove more viruses than a normal scan as the files in question are not activated.