How to Remove a Spyware Infection

Remove Spyware

Do you have a Spyware infection to remove? Even high tech computer network security falls victim on occasion! Hackers never seem to sleep. They work tirelessly trying to find security vulnerabilities. Their goal in life is to take control of your computer and turn it into a mindless drone to do their bidding. Or, perhaps they just want your personal financial information.

Things You'll Need:
* Computer
* Internet Connection
* USB Drive

1. Disconnect from the Internet immediately to prevent any or possibly further loss of sensitive data, once you realize spyware has infected you're computer. Do not rely on a software disconnect, since the infection may have compromised it. This means physically unplugging your WiFi, LAN line, Cable/Satellite connection or telephone Modem. You will need Internet access from another non-infected computer and a USB drive with at least 32MB available.

2. Open your Browser offline, and clear your Cache files, Cookies and History. Click on Start, Run, Type the word 'Prefetch.' When the folder opens, delete the contents and close it. You could also use a program such as CCleaner which will do all of this and more with just a few mouse clicks.

3. Click on Start, Help and Support. In the Help and Support Center, click on Undo changes to your computer with System Restore. In the next window, tick the radio button next to Restore my computer to an earlier time, and click on next. You're in luck, if the spyware hasn't deleted your restore points! Select the last known good day out of the highlighted calendar dates, then click next. In the next window, click next again to start the process.

4. Use an unaffected computer, while your system is being restored. Go online and visit avast.com. Download avast! Home Edition FREE software to your USB drive. This free anti virus protection software includes anti spyware protection as well as email security. It has a boot time scanner which operates much like Window's CHKDSK in that it runs during the next reboot before Windows starts.

5. Uninstall your existing antivirus program, once the infected computer has been restored. If your program does not have an uninstall link in the All Programs list from the Start menu, click on Start/ Control Panel, and double-click on Add or Remove Programs. Select your program from the list and uninstall it. You should get a warning pop up, from Windows, telling you that you have no antivirus software installed. If you had adequate software, spyware would not have compromised your system.

6. Plug the USB drive into an available 2.0 port. Open My Computer and navigate to the Avast program installation file titled 'setupeng.exe' and double-click to begin. During the install, you will have the opportunity to initiate a boot-time scan; do that now. Once the install has completed, your computer should begin the reboot automatically. Allow Avast to perform the start up scan.

7. Follow the prompts to Quarantine and delete any infections found, if you cannot repair the file(s) first. Afterward, initiate a complete scan which includes all drives. Deleting infected files may cause a desired program to cease functioning. If this occurs, uninstall and reinstall the affected program. Temporarily disable System Restore if you cannot seem to get rid of a persistent infection after successive scans. Once your computer comes up clean after rebooting and running a complete scan, don't forget to enable monitoring on all drives. Create a Restore point.

Tips
* For better results; reboot in Safe Mode, after installing or updating your spyware removal software, and run a complete scan.
* Microsoft security essentials is another free offering from a reputable company.
* Be mindful of what you delete.

Warnings
* More than one anti virus program running on one computer will usually cause conflicts such as false positives.
* Don't forget to scan your removable drives, since viruses, spyware and malware can copy malicious files to them as a manner of survival!

Copyright 03/20/2009 All Rights Reserved. Questions? Comments? Contact Me
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