How to Get Rid of Ad-Aware or Spybot
Both the Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy programs are designed to scan your computer's hard drive for malicious software such as spyware. While you would normally want to keep either program installed, you may need to remove one or the other when installing certain types of software. You can get rid of Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy by using their built-in uninstall features or by using the uninstall feature of your operating system.
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Instructions
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Ad-Aware
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1
Access the Start menu and choose "All Programs." Click the folder labeled "Lavasoft."
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2
Look through the options to see if your version of Lavasoft has a feature labeled "Uninstall." Click the option and follow the on-screen prompts to get rid of the Ad-Aware program.
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3
Click "Control Panel" if you can't find an uninstall option. Select "Uninstall a Program." If your computer uses an operating system other than Windows Vista you may need to select "Add and Remove Programs."
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4
Scroll through the list of programs and click the "Lavasoft" entry. Click "Uninstall" then follow the on-screen prompts.
Spybot
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5
Open the Start menu and choose "All Programs." Click the folder labeled "Spybot - Search and Destroy."
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6
Click "Uninstall Spybot." Click "Continue" if your operating system brings up a new window asking for your permission to open the program.
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Click "Uninstall." Return to the Start menu and click "My Computer." Navigate to the folder where Spybot was originally installed, which will usually be the "Programs" folder.
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Right-click the "Spybot" folder and choose "Delete" to get rid of all traces of the Spybot program.
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Tips & Warnings
If your computer is running Windows XP you also need to delete an extra folder to get rid of Spybot. Navigate to the "Documents and Settings" folder on your hard drive. Open the folder labeled "All Users" then "Application Data." Right-click and delete the folder named "Spybot Search and Destroy."
After you remove Ad-Aware or Spybot you should immediately install another anti-spyware tool to keep your operating system free of malicious programs that could potentially threaten your privacy.
