How Do I Use Spybot Search & Destroy?
When you have an Internet connection and surf the Internet, you may download malicious software, known as malware, without realizing it. These programs can disrupt your computer's functioning by producing unwanted ads, disabling and enabling features without your consent, or even inflicting direct damage on other software and hardware. Spybot Search & Destroy is a free program that scans your PC's hard drive and removes malware to make browsing the Web and using an Internet connection a safer experience.
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Instructions
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Open Spybot Search & Destroy from your "Start" menu or from a desktop or taskbar shortcut. Its location depends on where you saved the program. If you don't yet have the program on your computer, go to the Spybot Search & Destroy website (see "Resources") and follow the instructions to download and install for free.
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Click the "Search & Destroy" tab, then click "Check for problems" to start a scan. You can perform other tasks while the program scans your PC, but the fewer other programs and applications you have open, the faster the scan.
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Scroll down the list of suspicious files once the scan is complete, and deselect any files from legitimate programs that you do not want to remove.
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Click "Fix selected problems," then click "Yes" to confirm your choice and "OK" when Search & Destroy has removed the files.
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Click the "Recovery" tab if you believe you've mistakenly removed files. To recover deleted files, select the item from the list and click "Recover selected items." Alternatively, click "Purge selected items" to remove them permanently from your computer.
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Click the "Immunize" tab, then click "Immunize" in the horizontal menu to update ongoing protection for your Web browser. Click "Check again" to repeat the process or "Undo" to reverse it.
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Click "Help" at any time to search for specific advice on how to use and troubleshoot Spybot Search & Destroy's features.
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