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Ad-Ware and Spy-Ware Prevention and Cleaning

Spyware and Adware is prevalent on the Internet and can be installed on your system without your knowledge. We recommend that you run these scans weekly. After you run Ad-Aware please run Spybot. Although these are both very good cleaning programs one alone will not always clean everything. The Google toolbar is a free tool for preventing pop-up ads.

Ad-Aware
Installing:
Download Ad-Aware

1. Click the Download Ad-Aware link.
2. Click Run (Windows XP).
3. Click Run again (Windows XP)
4. When the installation wizard opens, follow the prompts, always accepting the defaults, until you see a progress bar appear. This will signify that installation is underway.
5. After the installation is complete, click Finish.
Running:
1. Double click the Ad-Aware icon on your desktop.
2. Click on the check for updates now link. Click Connect to download and install any updates that are available. Click Finish. It will bring you back to the previous screen.
3. In the Ad-Aware menu, click the Scan Now button to the left.
4. Click Next, which will begin a scan of the computer. The amount of time the scan takes will depend on the number of files on your computer.
5. Once the scan is complete, click Next. A Scanning Results window with check boxes will open. Ensure that all boxes are all checked. Right click on the list and choose Select all objects from the menu and click Next.
6. You will receive a notification of the number of objects cleaned. Click OK to confirm the removal of the objects and close out of Ad-Aware Personal.

SpyBot Search and Destroy
Installing:
Download SpyBot S & D - Ad-Aware release date May 12, 2004
1. Click the Download SpyBot S & D link
2. Click Run Windows XP
3. Click Run again Windows XP
4. Click OK for the setup default language (English).
5. Click Next to the Welcome to the Spybot-Search & Destroy Setup Wizard.
6. Click I accept the agreement and click Next.
7. Click Next on the Destination screen.
8. Click Next for the full installation on the Select Components screen.
9. Click Next to place a shortcut in the Start-Up Menu.
10. For the Select Additional Tasks click Next.
11. Click Install.
12. Click Finish which will open Spybot.
Running for the first time:
1. You will be prompted to create a backup registry, this is not necessary; however, should spyware destroy some of your original settings, Spybot may be able to restore them from this backup. Click Create registry backup, click Next.
2. Click search for updates.
3. Click download all available updates then click Next.
4. Click immunize this system then click Next.
5. Click start using the program.
Running:
1. Click Search & Destroy.
2. Click check for problems.
3. After the scan is completed, all infected files will be in RED, make sure the items are checked, click Fix Selected Problems button.
4. Click Yes when asked You are about to remove the checked items. Do you wish to continue?
5. Click OK on confirmation screen.
6. Click the X in the upper right corner to close out of the program.

Google Toolbar
Installing:
Download Google Toolbar - Ad-Aware release date May 12, 2004
1. Click the Download SpyBot S & D link
2. Click Run Windows XP
3. Click Run again Windows XP
4. Click Agree on the license agreement.
5. Click radio button; Disable advance features (no information will be sent to Google). Click Next.
6. If you do not want Google to be your default search engine, then uncheck the box.
7. Choose which way you would like Google to close windows, automatically or close them yourself.
8. Click Next.
9. If you are prompted with the window: Installation Question: Script Errors; The Google Toolbar's pop-up blocker works best if you turn off Internet Explorer's script error settings (which is the default configuration). Some web developers like to have this setting on, but most users do not need it. Click YES if you would like us to disable script errors. Click Yes.
10. Internet Explorer window will open displaying the toolbar that just been installed. Click the X in the upper right corner of the window to close out of IE.

Updated: September 13, 2006