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How to Keep your Computer Clean
by The F@t Guy
Back... Home.. Forward... Clean and Scan your Machine -Using the Utilities














CCleaner











Spybot
Search & Destroy







































Malwarebytes





























SuperAntiSpyware









Lavasoft
Adaware

Before we begin:
Please read these notes to be certain you are ready, and make sure your Windows installation is completely updated and has been restarted if Windows Update has requested a restart.

Go through your data, clean up your front-end folders, file (or throw) everything away.
Go through your e-mail and web-mail folders, File (or throw) everything away. Then Continue:

Now, simply open your Clean and Scan list in your Start Menu, and begin at the top:

Section 1:
 Items in this section begin with "1" in your clean and scan menu.

CCleaner:

CCleaner will empty all system trash, remove temp files, clean up IE and Firefox, and even tidy up the registry.

OPERATION:
Open CCleaner.
Poke "Run Cleaner" button.
Clean registry (optional, see notes)
Close CCleaner

END OPERATION. Cleaner notes

Section 2:  Items in this section begin with "2" in your clean and scan menu.

SpyBot Search & Destroy
Spybot Search & Destroy looks for spyware and adware on your machine.
Using Spybot Search & Destroy is a bit complicated, but once used to it, it really isn't that bad:

OPERATION:

Start Spybot S&D.

::UPDATE --------------------------------------------------[UPDATE]
Poke the Update Button.
The Update dialog comes up.
Mirror List: Pick a site to update from - Any US site will be faster...
Poke Continue
Update List: RClick on any item, and "select all"
Poke "Download".

When done downloading the updates are installed. The program may close, and several DOSboxes may occur. This is perfectly normal. In a short while the program will restart and be completely updated.

When completed, poke "Exit" to return to main dialog.

::IMMUNIZE ------------------------------------------------[IMMUNIZE]
In the Side Bar, poke "Immunize". It will automatically calculate the present immunizations to see if there are any new ones (they are downloaded within the "Update" procedure).

The important thing to see on this page is the "Unprotected" total in the top right area. The number behind "Unprotected" is red, and should read "0". If it is not "0", poke the "Immunize" button on the upper left.

::CHECK for Problems --------------------------------------[CHECK]
On the Side Bar, Poke "Search & Destroy".
Top and left, Poke "Check for Problems".
The S&D engine begins it's search and a green zippy line starts crawling across the bottom. As it finds them the problems are displayed in the large white area. Leave everything alone until the search is completed. Once done all problems will
have a green check next to them. If not then check them all (or RClick "Select All").
Poke the "Fix Selected Problems" button (top and left).
As problems are fixed the green check will turn bold.
When all is done, [x].

END OPERATION
Spybot Notes

Section 3:  Items in this section begin with "3" in your clean and scan menu. You do not have all of these in your system. You will probably only have one.  Pick yours and skip the rest!

Malwarebytes

 Malwarebytes looks for  spyware, adware, and trojans on your computer

OPERATION:

Start Malwarebytes.

::UPDATE --------------------------------------------------[UPDATE]
If definitions are out of date, Malwarebytes asks to update on "open". If so, allow, and skip this section.
Otherwise:

Poke "Update" tab.
Poke "Check for Updates".
"Updating Malwarebytes anti-malware" dialog updates.
Info dialog when complete. Press "OK"

Return to "Scanner" tab.

::SCAN ----------------------------------------------------[SCAN]
Select  "Quick" or "Full" scan via the radio button.
**Note: Select  Full scan at least once per month.
Poke "Scan"
"Drive Select" dialog appears. Only "C:" drive need be scanned for most applications.
"Objects Infected:0" turns red during scan if malware is found, and counts occurances.

When scan completes log file will appear - close log file, "OK" out of info box.
[x] exit program

END OPERATION
Malwarebytes Notes

SuperAntiSpyware
 SuperAntiSpyware looks for  spyware, adware, and trojans on your computer

OPERATION:
**Coming Soon**

::UPDATE --------------------------------------------------[UPDATE]
::SCAN ----------------------------------------------------[SCAN]
END OPERATION
SuperAntiSpyware Notes

Lavasoft Adaware
Note:
Lavasoft Adaware is being phased out of my support system. I would recommend Uninstall, and the installation of either Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware.
LavaSoft's Adaware looks for spyware and adware on your machine.

OPERATION:

Start Adaware.

::UPDATE --------------------------------------------------[UPDATE]
Top, right, Choose the "World" icon.
The Integrated update manager will appear.
Choose the "Connect" button.
The update manager will connect and either say there is a new file, or that no file os available. Either way say "Ok". If a new file was available it will be downloaded and installed into Adaware. Choose "Finish" if needed.

::SCAN ----------------------------------------------------[SCAN]

Choose the "Scan now" button from the side bar.
The "Preparing System Scan" dialog will appear.
Choose the "Perform Smart System Scan" radio button for most occassions (see notes).
Poke the "Next" button.

The "Performing System Scan" dialog appears and the scan begins. A tally is kept of what it finds as it scans (numbers in red). When it finishes, if there are any critical items found a sound will play. Choose the "Next" button.

::REPAIR --------------------------------------------------[REPAIR]

(On the newest versions, the "Scanning Results" dialog defaults to "Scan Summary". If you see this, simply check both the "critical" and "non-critical"  check-boxes rather than choosing the tabs as described below.)

The "Scanning Results" dialog appears. It is important to notice the tabs along the top of this dialog.

Choose the "Critical Objects" tab.
RClick on any object in the list and choose "Select All" or check each one individually .All objects should now be checked.

Choose the "Negligible Objects" tab.
RClick on any object in the list and choose "Select All" or check each one individually .All objects should now be checked.

Poke the "Next" button.

A transitory dialog appears asking to remove the selected number of objects. Poke "Ok".

A zippy bar shows progress for a moment and the program reverts to its main (Adaware SE Status) dialog.

Process is finished. [x] to close.

END OPERATION
Notes on Adaware

Section 4:  Items in this section begin with "4" in your clean and scan menu.

Anti-virus
I cannot be precise when speaking of anti-virus as there are many different ones. I will eventually have pages for all supported products. All are fairly easy to operate however. As a general rule: Simply pull up the main interface for your particular brand and you should find a very evident "update" button somewhere in the first page.

Poke the button and watch it go. When the update is completed it will be automatically installed. It is common for the program to shut itself off and for a DOSbox or two to occur. Be patient and wait for the program to get done.

Once the program is updated, look for a prominent "Scan My Computer Now" button (or the like). Poke that button to begin the scan process. You may need to select drives to scan and hit "Ok" You may wish to do this scan last of all as anti-virus takes a long time to scan.

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