Free spyware remover

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

What would you is the best Free spyware remover avaiable on the net?

[KIMIMELA 1]

Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal. Available at www.download.com.

[TrekkieMage 0]

That and Spybot S&D is really good.

 

The most impotant thing do do for anything you've got is keep it updated!! :blink:

[Takara_Soong 4]

I prefer Spybot-S&D!

[stvoyagerfan 1]

i recommend both adaware and spybot. i also recommend using them both.

 

tm :blink:

[MANVERU 0]

Spybot SD is the best!!!!

[Tal 0]

Spybot and adaware, if one doesnt get it the other will. I use both and it keeps my computer sorted.

[BKY1701 0]

You don't need a spyware remover if you use a secure borwser.

 

But you can try spybot S&D.

 

Since I have used firefox I have not gotten any spyware what-so-ever.

[TrekkieMage 0]

^It's still a good idea to have them. Our Spybot S&D got out of date, and in about 2 or 3 months (I lost track) we got 82 bugs. None of our other programs caught/prevented them (Firefox, AVG, AdAware, Spyware Blaster)

[BKY1701 0]

^It's still a good idea to have them. Our Spybot S&D got out of date, and in about 2 or 3 months (I lost track) we got 82 bugs. None of our other programs caught/prevented them (Firefox, AVG, AdAware, Spyware Blaster)

 

Were they cookies? If so, they pose a threat only to insecure browsers.

 

Also, if you had major spyware before, it's likely there will be traces of it left even after it has been removed; sometimes such traces are picked up later, but are not really a sign of having any spyware.

 

Also. there is the possibility you got spyware and it was never properly removed, and thus was still running, just undetected.

 

With a clean window install, having only ever used firefox, I have never had any spyware detections.

[TrekkieMage 0]

Yeah, but unfortunetly a lot of people haven't had a clean install, and a lot have used other less secure browsers.

[BKY1701 0]

Yeah, but unfortunetly a lot of people haven't had a clean install, and a lot have used other less secure browsers.

 

There are some thing that only a disk format will fix. I would recommend reinstalling windows at least every year under heavy use, as the registry will become full of junk and windows files will become corrupted; resulting in the computer running slower, crashing and maybe even take a major dive.

 

Windows is NOT a stable, secure or easy to fix OS.

[TrekkieMage 0]

I am well aware of that, but it happens to be the most commonly used OS. So until either Microsoft produces a better OS (ha!) or something else becomes more widely used, users must learn how to protect it as much as possible. Becuaue I highly doubt many people will be willing to reinstall their entire OS every year. Some may not even know how to do that or where to go to have it done.

[BKY1701 0]

I am well aware of that, but it happens to be the most commonly used OS. So until either Microsoft produces a better OS (ha!) or something else becomes more widely used

 

It goes for all OSes to tell you the truth, just some last longer.

 

Most problems people attribute to viruses and spyware; yet never seem to find said spyware, are really caused by system degeneration.

 

I had an old computer that every 6 months would totally lock you out of windows. It added a password; but never told you said password and it was impossible to find/crack it; as there was still no password.

[Data 0]

Yeah, but unfortunetly a lot of people haven't had a clean install, and a lot have used other less secure browsers.

 

There are some thing that only a disk format will fix. I would recommend reinstalling windows at least every year under heavy use, as the registry will become full of junk and windows files will become corrupted; resulting in the computer running slower, crashing and maybe even take a major dive.

 

Windows is NOT a stable, secure or easy to fix OS.

 

I have always been under the understanding that a heavily used hardrive needs to be formatted about every two years. No matter what OS you are using. That is why a regular backup is a good idea.

Edited December 17, 2005 by Data

[BKY1701 0]

Yeah, but unfortunetly a lot of people haven't had a clean install, and a lot have used other less secure browsers.

 

There are some thing that only a disk format will fix. I would recommend reinstalling windows at least every year under heavy use, as the registry will become full of junk and windows files will become corrupted; resulting in the computer running slower, crashing and maybe even take a major dive.

 

Windows is NOT a stable, secure or easy to fix OS.

 

I have always been under the understanding that a heavily used hardrive needs to be formatted about every two years. No matter what OS you are using. That is why a regular backup is a good idea.

 

It was that way with older file systems (FAT*), but with most now it will outlive the drive itself as long as it is not corrupted. It can also be repaired via defrag and disk-check to a point.

[Data 0]

My statement applies to any OS. But yes, with the way things change now, a person will probably be buying a new system or new drive before the format is needed.

Edited December 17, 2005 by Data

[Yillara Skye 1]

House Call at trendmicro.com is pretty good at scanning your computer for viruses, adware, spyware & whatever greyware is. It also will pop up areas of your computer that has vulnerabilities in it, and suggest how to fix it.

 

Trendmicro.com

[Dark Reality 0]

There are some things Adaware can check for that Spybot cannot and vice versa. Run both to be safe.

 

Running Firefox won't solve the problem. In fact, MSIE 6 Sp2 (which you get when you upgrade Windows XP to Service Pack 2) can now block spyware, so for anyone keeping up with the updates, that point is moot. Besides, Spyware can also come in with other programs. Kazaa (filesharing) was notorious for installing a few spyware apps such as Cydoor, Brilliant Projector, and Bonzai Buddy.

 

For those who want to learn how to reformat your hard drive and reinstall Windows... it's not as hard as it seems. I made my girlfriend do it (with my supervision) when I moved in - it's a snap. I recommend reading one of my guides I posted on my board a year and a half ago - "How to Keep Your Computer Running Smooth with Acronis". The first part deals with reformatting and reinstalling. The next part is about using a program called Acronis True Image to back-up your entire hard drive so that you can do a "quick restore" - that is, within 10 minutes getting your hard drive back to that state in like 3 steps.

 

Any questions you have about reformatting/reinstalling, ask me. I've done it at least a couple dozen times on this and the last two computers I've owned. I don't mean ask me here, either PM me here or on my board (link's in my signature) or send me an email at darkreality@gmail.com. And it's best if you have a second computer with which to get online while you're working with the first one, so you can get help in realtime.

[BKY1701 0]

Running Firefox won't solve the problem. In fact, MSIE 6 Sp2 (which you get when you upgrade Windows XP to Service Pack 2) can now block spyware, so for anyone keeping up with the updates, that point is moot.

 

A system integrated browser will always be less secure then an independent one. And you must remember; many times in the past MS was thought to have a secure browser. But every time it has been shown there were security holes just not yet discovered.

 

The difference between firefox security vs. IE security is that firefox only allows safe things (scripts and such), and IE attempts to block unsafe things.

 

Besides, Spyware can also come in with other programs. Kazaa (filesharing) was notorious for installing a few spyware apps such as Cydoor, Brilliant Projector, and Bonzai Buddy.

 

True, but the same as one should avoid known insecure browsers, once should avoid known unsafe programs.

 

It's not that hard to understand that you should avoid running things from unknown/questionable sites REGARDLESS of what a virus scan of the file says. Many viruses and spyware are UNKNOWN by most virus/spyware scanners.

 

 

And reinstalling windows XP IS very easy (unlike some other windows and other OSes), all you need to do is put in the CD, turn off the computer, turn it back on and do what it says.