How to Locate & Delete Spyware

If your computer is infected with spyware, your personal information, such as online banking details, could be at risk. Spyware also often shows you unwanted advertisements, makes browsing the Internet much slower, and can also slow down your computer.

Since having spyware on your computer can have such serious effects, it is imperative to quickly detect and remove it from your computer.

There are several programs available to locate and delete spyware, such as Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy.

This how to will focus on using SpyBot Search and Destroy to detect and eliminate spyware. However, the principals used to install and run SpyBot can be applied to most other anti-spyware programs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Access to the Internet

1. Even though it is essential to regularly scan your computer for spyware with an Anti-Spyware program, there are a number of warning signs that can be seen by an average computer user.
   
   Warning signs that your computer might be infected with spyware include: increased popup windows, inability to get online, not being able to use Google, slow computer performance, slow Internet, and not being able to change your homepage.
   
   It is important to pay attention to changes in the way your computer works, as this might give you the first indication that your computer is infected.

2. 
    

   To Locate and Delete spyware, first install SpyBot Search and Destroy.
   
   A link for SpyBot is included below. Select one of the mirrors and click the "DownLoad" icon.

3. 
    

   Once you have downloaded SpyBot, double click on the file to install it. You will need to select your language and accept the Terms of Service.
   
   You can use all of the default settings by clicking "Next," EXCEPT when you get to the "Select Addition Tasks" dialog(pictured.)
   
   At the "Select Addition Tasks" dialog, un-check the box that says "Use system settings protection (Tea Timer)" and click "Next."

4. Once SpyBot has finished installing, it will automatically check and download updates, so make sure that you are hooked up to the Internet before you install the program.*[1]

5. After SpyBot has been installed, run the program. You will be prompted to make a backup of your registry and read the help files[2]. After you have made a backup of your registry, click "Start Using the Program."

6. 
    

   It is important to update Spybot every time you use it, so click on "Search for Updates." Select a location that is in your country and close by and install any missing updates.

7. 
    

   Once you have updated SpyBot, click the "Check for Problems" button to begin scanning your system.
   
   SpyBot will begin to scan your system to locate spyware. You will see a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, but be patient as the scan can take some time.

8. 
    

   Once the scan is complete you will see a list of suspected spyware that has been located. Place a check mark next to the problems you want Spybot to remove and click "Fix Selected Problems." SpyBot will automatically try to delete the spyware.[3]

9. Once the spyware has been removed, restart your computer and scan it once again with SpyBot, to make certain it has not come back.

Tips & Warnings

• [1] If the Internet on the infected computer doesn't work, download the "Detection Updates" when you download SpyBot. Then, once SpyBot is installed, run the Detection Updates file to update SpyBot.
• [2] The SpyBot Help Files are very useful and include a tutorial that shows how to use the program. Click on the Help Menu to use it.
• [3] Sometimes SpyBot might not be able to remove a file because it is in use. In this case, SpyBot will ask you to allow it to run when the computer is restarted, which will cause it to start a scan before Windows Loads.
• It is a good idea to regularly scan your computer for spyware, even if it is not infected. Start by scanning your computer once a day, then relax this a little bit as time goes on.
• While it is possible to remove most types of spyware, this is not always the case. It may be necessary to use an Anti-Virus program as well.
• There are many other anti-spyware programs, such as MalewareBytes and Ad-Aware, which are very similar to SpyBot. You can apply the principals you learned in this tutorial to using those programs.
• Many people use two or more different anti-spyware programs to scan for spyware, because sometimes one program might miss something that the other does not.
• The scan can take awhile to complete, so be patient and don't use the computer while it is scanning.
• If the computer is very seriously infected, often, reinstalling Windows will be easier and more effective at removing spyware. However, make sure to backup any important files first.

Resources

• Download SpyBot

[kated2009]

on 9/22/2009 Very helpful article. Thank you for the great tips!

[Upon-Request]

on 9/22/2009 Thanks for the resource. Spyware gets so annoying!

[kip29]

on 8/1/2009 phattinkerbell, when you first install spybot, you will be prompted to make a back up of your registry.

You can also do this at anytime by following these instructions: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

You are right that it is important to be very careful when working with the registry. This is one of the reasons that having a backup is so important. Often, spyware and adware will infect the registry. When you remove it from the registry, it might end up causing some problems, so having a saved backup of the registry is very important.

[phattinkerbell]

on 8/1/2009 How do you make a backup of your registry? I'm maybe an advanced amateur computer user and have no idea how to do this part. I've always read that "if you don't know what you're doing, stay away from the registry!"

[mommyhen42]

on 7/15/2009 Personally I love adaware but was not familiar with spybot