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Getting Secure |
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Update and Scanning Instructions for McAfee VirusScan
Open the Windows Start Menu, the open the All Programs menu.
Select the Network Associates submenu. Click on VirusScan On-Demand Scan.
The default settings for a scan will be fine. Click on Start.
VirusScan will now begin scanning your computer for viruses. VirusScan will automatically remove any viruses that it finds, and list them below the scan status window.
While your computer is scanning for viruses, you can scan for spyware simultaneously.
Update and Scanning Instructions for Spybot
Running Spybot Search & Destroy for the First Time
The first time you run Spybot a warning message will be presented. Some programs that come bundled with Spyware or Adware will stop functioning if
you attempt to remove the spyware or adware portion (the KaZaA file sharing application is a common example.) For privacy sake, it is recommended to
remove any and all spyware that the scan may find, and if it causes a program to stop functioning properly you should seek a replacement for that program that does not come bundled with spyware. You may check the box to prevent this warning from coming back in the future.
The Spybot wizard window will now appear and you may begin using the program. It is a good idea to run a registry backup before using Spybot the first time. Click the button to do so (the process may take 2-3 minutes depending on the computer), and click Next to continue.
Spybot operates with a set of "definitions" much like an Antivirus program does. It can only search and repair items that it knows about, and new spyware and adware appears all the time. It is a good idea to search for, and download any available updates every time Spybot is run. After doing so, click Next to continue.
The Immunize feature of Spybot will protect your computer from known spyware and adware by preventing it from ever being installed. Click the Immunize button to enable this protection, and then click Next to continue.
Click the Start using the program button to perform a system scan. You may also wish to read the tutorial and help files for detailed information before continuing.
System Scanning & Cleaning
For best results, make sure to quit all other programs before performing a scan, and specifically any Internet Explorer windows that may be open. Click the Search & Destroy button in the upper left hand corner to activate the scanning window. Click the Check for problems button to begin a scan. A scan generally takes between 5 and 15 minutes depending on your computer.
When the scan is complete, Spybot will list potentially harmful items in a list in red. Drag the grey box with the two blue arrows on it to the left to view information about each item. If you wish to select the entire list, right click on one of the entries and chose select all. This will check the box in front of every item found. To select one item at a time, check off each item you would like to remove.
Click the Fix selected problems button near the top of Spybot to clean the items off your computer. It is common to receive error messages while the items are being removed, so do not be concerned if you receive one, simply click OK. You may also be asked if you would like Spybot to be run at next system boot. Occasionally, some items are still "active" in memory and cannot be removed until your computer is restarted. Allowing Spybot to run at next reboot will finish the cleaning process for you, so it is a good idea to answer yes.
That's it! If Spybot found and removed multiple items, your computer should run better, and pop-up advertisements should decrease. It is a good idea to run and update Spybot once a week.