Remove Spyware and Adware :

Spyware programs, as the name suggests, are designed to stealthily install on your system, to spy and track your computer and web browsing activity. These tools collect this information and usually send it to advertising websites.

Adware programs, on the other hand, are designed to install on your system and display advertising content on your PC. Not all adware is malicious. Many freeware programs display adware, to generate revenue for their product. These adware are usually removed once you buy the professional version of the product. However, the adware that is displayed on your system without your consent is malicious and is categorized as a spyware.

How to Remove Spyware and Adware from My Computer

Most spyware and adware programs are designed in such a way that as soon as they gain entry to your system, they copy numerous files to different locations on your computer. They also add quite a few entries to the Windows registry, in order to carry out their malicious activities. Many of these spyware registry keys and files are hidden, which makes it practically impossible to remove spyware and adware manually from the system.

However, don’t worry. You can easily get rid of these malicious programs and even prevent them from creeping on to your system by following the simple steps listed below.

Step 1: Download and Install a Reliable Anti-Spyware Utility.

It is not possible to perform a spyware scan using antivirus tools. Therefore, many antivirus manufacturers integrate an antispyware feature along with their antivirus and other system security tools. However, if this is not the case with your antivirus tool, then you will have to separately install an anti-spyware utility on your computer.

You can easily select and download a reliable and efficient anti-spyware utility from the Internet. You can confirm the reliability and efficiency of your spyware product by reading through the user reviews posted at various websites.

After downloading, you can install the tool on your computer by double-clicking its EXE file.

Step 2: Close all Applications and Run a Full System Scan

After your anti-spyware tool is installed, you need to run a full system scan on your PC. For the spyware scan to be effective, before starting the scan, exit all applications currently running on your computer. Also, disconnect your PC from the Internet and from the Local Area Network or LAN. This is important because the scan may ignore the currently running applications and your scan will be incomplete.

It is usually recommended that you run the anti-spyware scan—and the antivirus scan—in Safe Mode. In Safe Mode, only essential services and process are loaded, and you reduce the chances of a file being left unscanned.

Note: To start your PC in Safe Mode, restart your PC and press F8. Next, from the options listed on the screen, select Safe Mode.

Step 3: Run the Scan Again to Ensure Complete Cleanup.

If you are scanning for the first time, it is recommended that you run the scan at least twice to ensure complete cleanup. You must do this even if your system does not report any errors during the first scan.

Step 4: Scan the Registry for Spyware Registry Problems.

As mentioned earlier, spyware and adware programs add many registry keys. Therefore, to ensure a complete spyware cleanup, you must also get rid of spyware registry problems. Even though most anti-spyware programs are designed to check the registry for spyware entries, it is recommended that after the anti-spyware scan, that you also run a separate registry scan to ensure complete removal of all malicious entries. The best and simplest way to perform an effective registry scan is to use a registry cleaner tool.

Registry cleaner tools use advanced algorithms to perform a thorough scan of your PC, and remove even those spyware entries that are added deep within the registry as embedded or non-removable keys.

Spyware and adware programs are not only troublesome, but are also malicious in nature. To prevent these programs from installing on your PC, you must be careful about the emails, files, and websites you open. Additionally, you must perform regular anti-spyware and registry scans to ensure that your PC is free from any malicious programs.