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Cleaning and Maintaining your computer from spyware

Spyware Removal Instructions

(*NOTE: PUC ITSS is not responsible for problems that result or appear to result from following these instructions.)

Spyware, sometimes called adware, are programs installed on your computer which may do any or all of the following:

  • Track your visits to various websites, cause advertisements to pop up on your screen, or use your computer's processor to process data for third parties.
  • Change your web browser's default home page or even make it impossible to visit certain web sites.
  • In extreme cases, spyware may render your computer so slow that it is virtually unusable.

Procedure Outline (Note: if you need it you may obtain a CD-ROM with the programs listed below from ITSS)
This is the basic procedure to get rid of spyware and ad pop-ups. Each step will be covered in detail in subsequent sections.

  1. Look through Add/Remove Programs in the control panel for known or suspected spyware and uninstall whatever items can be uninstalled.
  2. Boot computer in Safe Mode with Networking.
  3. Download, install and run CCleaner to clean out all the temporary files on the computer.
  4. Download, install and update SpyBot Search & Destroy and scan system and remove all objects that are found.
  5. Download, install, and update Lavasoft Ad-Aware and scan system and remove all objects that are found.
  6. Check for Windows Critical Updates and install any critical updates that are needed.
  7. Run optional optimization procedures on the computer.

Step One: Using Add/Remove Programs to Uninstall Known Spyware

  1. Open Start->Settings->Control Panel and launch the Add/Remove Programs tool.
  2. Starting at the beginning, search for known spyware items to uninstall, including but not limited to the following list.
  3. Click on suspicious items to highlight them and click the Remove button to uninstall them.

Partial List of Known Spyware:

  • Bargain Buddy
  • Bonzi Buddy
  • Safe Surfing
  • Comet Cursor
  • SaveNow
  • Search Assistant
  • Webhancer Agent
  • Golden Palace Casino
  • Web Helper
  • Wild Tangent
  • Lycos Side Search
  • My Web Search
  • 180 Search Assistant
  • New.Net Domains
  • My Search Bar

Step Two: Booting Computer in Safe Mode with Networking

  1. Start with your computer turned off.
  2. When you turn the computer on, immediately begin tapping the F8 key and continue to do so until the Advanced Startup Options screen appears.
  3. Using the arrow keys on the keyboard, select the option Safe Mode With Networking and press Enter.
  4. Select the operating system (usually, there's only one choice) and press Enter.
  5. Login to Windows as usual when prompted.
  6. Windows will display a dialog box explaining that Windows is running in safe mode. Click OK (Windows 2000) or Yes (Windows XP).

Step Three: Installing and Running CCleaner
(Note: PUC campus users can download CCleaner from http://downloads.puc.edu under the Spyware link)

  1. Download and install CCleaner using the default settings.
  2. Once installed, run CCleaner and choose the “Analyze” and then the “Run Cleaner” buttons.
  3. Close CCleaner when it is done removing the temporary files.

Step Four: Installing & Scanning With SpyBot Search & Destroy
(Note: PUC campus users can download Spybot from http://downloads.puc.edu under the Spyware link)

  1. Download and install Spybot using the default settings.
  2. Once installed, the Spybot S&D Wizard will appear. Click the Create registry backup button and click Next when it is finished.
  3. Click the Search for updates button and, when it becomes available, click the Download all available updates button. Click Next.
  4. Click the Immunize this system button. When Spybot confirms that your system has been immunized, click Next.
  5. Click the Start using the program button. Spybot will launch.
  6. In the left-hand pane of the Spybot window, click the Search & Destroy button and then click the Check for problems button. Spybot will scan your computer for known spyware.
  7. When the scan is complete, Spybot will display the results of its scan. Click the Fix selected problems button and click Yes when asked if you want to continue.
  8. Spybot will give you confirmation when it is finished. If Spybot finds spyware that it cannot remove, it may ask if it can run at the next startup. Click No. The next step is to run another spyware removal program shortly that may be able to remove items that Spybot cannot. Otherwise, click OK when Spybot tells you how many problems it fixed.

Step Five: Installing & Scanning With Lavasoft Ad-Aware
(Note: PUC campus users can download Ad-Aware from http://downloads.puc.edu under the Spyware link)

  1. Download and install Ad-aware using the default settings
  2. Run Ad-Aware by double-clicking the Ad-Aware 6 icon on the desktop.
  3. When Ad-Aware launches, click the Check for updates now link in the lower right portion of the window.
  4. Click Connect in the Performing Webupdate dialog box
  5. Ad-Aware should notify you that there is a "New reference file available." and offer to download and install it. Click OK.
  6. Click Finish when the Webupdate is complete.
  7. Now, click on the Start button in the lower right of the Ad-Aware window.
  8. Leave the option to Perform smart system scan selected and click Next.
  9. Ad-Aware will scan your registry and system folders for known spyware components and will display the results when the scan is complete.
  10. Click Next.
  11. If all of the items listed are not already checked, right-click anywhere in the list and choose Select all objects from the contextual menu. Click Next.
  12. Click OK when asked if you want to continue removing the items.
  13. If Ad-Aware is unable to clean some items and offers to run at the next startup, click OK.
  14. Reboot your computer (YOU DO NOT NEED TO COME BACK INTO SAFE MODE).

Step Six: Install Windows Critical Updates

  1. With the spyware now removed from the system, launch Internet Explorer and point the browser to http://update.microsoft.com (or, using Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Windows Update).
  2. You may be asked if you wish to install and run the Windows Update control. If so, click Yes.
  3. After it is installed, click the Scan for updates link.
  4. When the scan is complete, the update page will show you how many Critical Updates are needed in the left margin of the page.
  5. Click on the Review and install updates link in the main browser frame and follow the instructions on the screen.
  6. Note: There may be updates that must be installed separately from other updates (e.g. Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows 2000 Service Pack 4). Allow them to install and Restart if prompted to do so. After each subsequent restart, revisit the Windows Update site and scan for updates until the total required critical updates are at zero.

Step Seven: Basic Optimization (optional)

  1. Run a Disk Defragmenter. Go to the Start menu, Program->Accessories->System Tools->Disk Defragmenter. Click on the "Defragment" button and let the machine defrag to help speed up your computer.

(Credit for the bulk of this outline goes to University of Notre Dame.)