Should I be Using Spybot and Ad-aware ?

I have been having some problems with my PC and I just got thru doing a full system restore to get rid of the problem.

In the past, I had lots of problems with pop ups, but about 4 months I did my first full systme restore and it solved all of my problems. After that, I was real careful about what sites I went to and I also learned a little about "Spyware ", but not enough.

I have only had a computer for about 6 months and I still call myself a beginner, but I do have the interest and the "want to" to learn all I can, so I'm hoping that some of you PROs can help me thru any problems in the future and just maybe I won't have to do a restore for quite a while.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and information that I have gotten off of this site in the past.


Now if I can get some info on the Spybot and Ad-aware, telling me what it does, how it works, and especially how to use it.
I had both programs installed on my PC for the past 1 1/2 weeks, but never did understand things like: Quarantine and a couple more of the options.

Thanks again !

 

Hello Dragracer,

SpyBot is a complicated program. After reading thru the help files, go here for more info to the SSD Forum http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi for SSD Scroll down to PepiMike Software.

Ad-Aware's Forums are here http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/

It pays to "lurk" at these forums. You pick up a lot of info that way.

Regards - Charles

 

Drag Racer7272--If you surf the Internet or download files, you probably do want either Ad-Aware or Spybot or even both.
What they do is scan your hard drive and report if they detect spyware on your PC. They then offer to delete the spyware. They do this by deciding what is spyware and then setting up the necessary detection procedures. However, they both have slightly different criteria for deciding what is spyware and so, while their detection for the most part overlaps, there are also specific detections to each.
A program that prevents certain spyware from ever depositing in the first place on your HD is SpywareBlaster.
http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html
The number and type of spyware programs it detects is somewhat more limited, however, so it is best used in conjunction with the two programs mentioned earlier.
In case you want an introduction into just what spyware is, go here
http://www.spywareinfo.com/
There are many other sources, such as
http://www.cexx.org/

 

Both. A bit of setup to do initially but after that, updates with a single button click. Scans with a single button click. Delete spyware with a single button click. And another click with Spybot will "immunize" you against a fairly long list of known spyware. It will just never get to your system.

 

NEWT, Welshjim, & charlesvar,

I want to thank all three of you you for the information and suggestions that you have given me. I have found a lot of interesting things on this site. I will read over all of this info and will probably install and run both of these programs, being that is what I see most people doing.

I had installed both of these programs a couple of weeks ago, but I found them to be a little hard to understand for a beginner. I also didn't understand why these programs installed 2 or 3 iCons on my desktop. I will study the info on the sites that ya'll have given me and maybe I'll understand all of this stuff a little better.

Thanks again and I will post back and let you know how it goes.


Well I just about got thru with reading from all of the links that ya'll have posted and I have found some very interesting subjects concerning Spyware and how to get rid of it. I just got thru doownloading POW pop up killer from AnologX and just see how everything works.

If I can ever get my back problem taken care of and get back into employment, I want to send a nice donation to BBS just to show my gratitude for all of the help that I have gotten from this site.