Install and Use Spybot Search and Destroy

In this tutorial you will learn how to install and use a spyware detection and removal software that is one of the standards in virus cleaning and repair. (If you already have Spybot installed on your computer you can skip down to the using the program step with).

First step is to download the latest installation package from their website http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html.  Pick any of these mirrors by clicking on “download here”. You can save it to somewhere on your computer such as your downloads folder, or just click “run” or “open” when the file begins to download. The program has a feature that runs in the background called the “Tea Timer”. It is really a useful tool, but it needs a tutorial all to its’ self, so follow the instructions to install the program (basically just click ok, yes, install, or whatever the POSITIVE prompt is) and when you get to that option, just uncheck the box for the sake of this tutorial. The most important thing is that you get it installed, updated, and scan with it.

At the end of the installation you will click the finish button and that will start step one. I like to check the box that says “don’t show this again” on the legal stuff window you get to first.

It is recommended that you click the button that says “create registry backup” in the next window just in case something goes wrong during the scan (I have never had a problem related to this so I always skip it). The “next” button will grey out for a minute. Press the “next” button when it becomes available again.

On the next screen just click “search for updates.

In the next window you will be given a list of locations from which to choose where you will download the updates from. Just pick one from your country and click continue.
(Start here if you already have Spybot installed. Click the update button and your next screen is the one like below).

I always check all of the boxes in the next screen, but the ones underneath the “other files” are optional and not necessary to get the task done.

The next steps are kind of cluttered up by the many windows popping up, but don’t stress. Just click ok on all of them until you finally end up at the program window.

In the program window the first thing you want to do is click on the “Immunize” button. It will run down a list of how many files you are not protected from. As soon as it is done listing them, click immunize button.

When it is done click on the button on the left labeled ”Search & Destroy” and then click where it says “Check for problems”.

You may be prompted to delete temporary files to increase the speed of the scan. Click yes unless you understand what checking no would do.

The button that said “Check for problems” now says “Stop check” (don’t do that) and there is a green progress indicator at the bottom of the window. This can go on for quite a while if you have a slower computer or a lot of files on your hard drive.

When it is all done if no problems are found you are finished and can exit the program. If there are results in the list the “Fix selected problems button is now available. Click it and it will remove these exploits for you.

Now you are going to be prompted whether or not to fix the problems. I find this is a pretty silly question, but click yes unless you know what you are doing.

Now you will see the results of the process in a pop up prompt with an ok button. Click it and if you are not prompted for anything else, congratulations you are finished and can close the program.

You may be prompted with a choice of whether or not to allow Spybot to run at the next system startup to remove the exploits. If you are click ok. You should reboot your computer immediately. It can take a really long time for that to complete. When it is done it will say “zero problems found” and as soon as you close the program your computer will resume booting to the desktop and you are now fixed up and finished… for today. Don’t forget to update and scan this program weekly at least or you may be seeing me sooner than you would like.

Thanks for sharing my tutorials with you posse!