Noels Tech Tips

Disclaimer:
This article explaining how to remove spyware is to be treated as use it at your risk,
I cannot be responsible for typo’s, errors, etc. (have to put this)
Some links on this webpage go to a external address outside of Greenville County Schools.
Please check with ETS before installing these programs as we might
already have a deployment package for your location. 

So you have odd popups, a ton of internet explorer toolbars, Incredimail, Bonzi buddy, and this is just the stuff that you see…….. A lot of spyware runs in the background and can include watching what you do on the internet, capture keystrokes, etc.  Hopefully after you read this and follow my suggestions you’re PC will be running in tip top shape! 

First thing to do is “try” to download the following programs, I find myself downloading them on another computer and putting them on a USB Flash Drive or a CD. 

1. Malwarebytes – Antispyware Software
2. Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.0
3. Cleanup or CCleaner – either one will work, I prefer cleanup but CCleaner has some extra built in features
 

First step is to install Malwarebytes, after it installs it will run a update to get the latest definitions from their site so let it do this and after it is done start a “Quick Scan” (this usually finds everything without the wait of a full scan). It may take a while even for the quick scan, if you experience pop ups and stuff durning the scan try disconnecting from the internet until it finishes.  When it is finished it will show you everything you have on your computer just make sure they all have a check mark next to them and click on the remove selected.  You maybe required to reboot so do so.
Installing and using Malwarebytes: 

• 1. Download Malwarebytes from the website (click on any of the links here)
• 2. Double click on mbam-setup.exe and click OK for the language and follow the prompts.
• 3. Click Next
• 4. Click Accept on the license agreement and click Next5.Click Next
• 6. Click Next, Next, Next
• 9. Installing (Be Patient)
• 10. Click Finish
• 11. After you click Finish it will start the updates (You need to be connected to the internet for this.
• 12. Malwarebytes will launch now and click scan (on Perform quick scan)

Step 4: Install the Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.0 and you can choose to register but I just click on skip. Click on the scan and it may take a few minutes depending on some machines but when it is done Click Repair and it will remove all the invalid entries… (my average on machines is between 400-800 invalid registry entries)  Do not take it upon yourself to manually clean up the registry by going to regedit… this is a very bad way to clean it thus why I use these utilities.
Step 5: Install  Cleanup or CCleaner:  I will walk you though both installations and using of the 2 packages, I prefer cleanup myself but have used ccleaner lately to remove some stuff and it also has a built in registry cleaner but the other one mentioned above does a more intense scan 

Step 5a: Installing and using Cleanup:  Download Cleanup from their website and install it, once you run the program it will ask you if you want to do a demo mode which you can try or just skip, Click on cleanup and it will remove all temp files on your system and play the sound of a toilet flushing .  This software removes all internet temp files, temp files, and misc cleanup.  If you click on the options button you can tell it how intense of a cleanup you want.  I just choose cleanup and not change the options. 

Step 5b: Installing and using  CCleaner:   Download CCleaner from their website and install it, When installing ccleaner make sure you uncheck the install yahoo toolbar. as illustrated below:Now after it is installed launch the program and click run cleaner as illustrated below:
 

Now after you run all of this your computer should be in tip top shape. 

Disclaimer:
This article explaining how to remove spyware is to be treated as use it at your risk,
I cannot be responsible for typo’s, errors, etc. (have to put this)
Some links on this webpage go to a external address outside of Greenville County Schools.
Please check with ETS before installing these programs as we might
already have a deployment package for your location.