Clean and Scan

	How to Keep your Computer Clean by The F@t Guy

Clean and Scan your Machine -Using the Utilities

Coming soon:

This sidebar will have indepth How-tos for each of the programs we support, complete with screen capts!

Update: Major surgery has begun on this page If it looks a bit different, that is why. We are currently updating in order to accurately present the new versions of CCLeaner, Spybot S&D, Adaware, as well as adding long promised screen captures and support for anti-virus and anti-trojan programs . Not to worry though, this page wil remain largely the same... A simple summary of the cleanup process. Most of the new stuff will be in the new sidebar.

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:

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

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.
Top and left, Poke "Search for Updates"
When the search is completed new items appear in the large, white section toward the bottom.
RClick on any item and "Select All" (or check each one individually).
Top and center, Find the "Choose Server" button, use the pull-down to choose a USA (if available) location.
Top and right, Poke "Download Updates".

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.

::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). If the resulting dialog says "All known bad products already blocked", poke "Ok" and skip to "Check for Problems" section.

If the resulting dialog tells you that some things are blocked but others are not, and asks you to "Please Immunize",
poke the green "+" in the top left. it will temporarily gray-out. When it returns to green you are completely immunized.

::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

Adaware
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

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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