Tip #4403 - Removing Adware From Your PC
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Removing
Adware From Your PC
We have all dealt
with adware before, but that doesn't mean we have to! Adware can clog
up your computer and even cause irreparable damage if it's not properly
taken care of. Of course, with adware, prevention is better than a
cure, but first, it’s important to remove whatever adware is
already present on your system. Below are a few simple guidelines
that should help you solve that problem. But, before you get into
it, it’s important to create a backup of your system, just in
case something goes wrong. It’s always better to be safe than
sorry! Here's how you can do it: Go to Start, All
Programs, Accessories, System Tools,
System Restore. Just follow the instructions there
and presto, your system will be restored! (Here's
some additional information on the System Restore function if you
need it as well).
Now, go ahead and try out the following tips to remove all of the
adware from your system:
Step #1
Often times, there
are programs that add themselves to your computer without your knowledge.
When that happens, the next time you restart your PC, your system
dutifully runs them and you will have pop ups coming up all over your
screen. To precisely tackle this problem, the first step is to take
care of your Windows Registry Editor. To prune down the items in your
registry, go to Start, Run and type
in "regedit." Once that's done, hit the
OK button and click your way through these folders:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run.
If there are no
items in the Run folder, great! If there are, move the columns so
that you can see the full fields of Name and Data.
If you recognize a program name you’ve always wanted to stop
from running when your computer starts, just remove it from the list
by right clicking it and choosing Delete. For the
files you don’t recognize, go to Google.com and type the filename
into the search box. If nothing comes up, you can safely delete it.
That's a sure sign it is spyware that changed its filename. If you
do get some results for it, open one that has some kind of process
information or definition. Read what it has to say about the file.
Most likely, it is a good file, but if it says it's a threat, you
can go ahead and delete it.
After going through
each file, repeat the same procedure for the following folders in
your Registry Editor:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/RunOnce
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/RunOnce
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/RunOnceEx
Step #2
Check your Startup
folder. To do so, go to Start, All Programs,
Startup. Shortcuts and files placed in that folder
will start up when Windows loads. Although programs don’t use
this folder much anymore, if you forget to check on it, you might
miss something! When you get there, simply delete the files you don’t
recognize. In the Startup folder, the shortcuts should all be for
programs you’ve installed. If you accidentally delete a file,
the only thing that will happen is it will not load when Windows starts
up. You will still be able to go to the Start menu and open the program
anyway, so don't panic if that happens.
Step #3
Now, it’s
time to prevent any future threats from affecting your system! To
begin, you should always keep the copy of your Windows operating system
updated. Go to www.windowsupdate.com
periodically and check for updates. Also, if you are on a Web site
and it asks you to download something or open something, don’t
do it! That's especially true if it asks you a number of times with
a message that reads something like this, “You need this to
view this page.” There are exceptions though, of course. If,
for example, you are on a site installing something, such as the latest
version of Windows Media Player. It specifically tells you that a
prompt will come up and it has instructions not to open it. Most people
are quick to just hit OK, because they want to get to what they're
looking for. Doing that could derail your system irreparably though,
so be careful!
Another safety
belt would be to install the Google Toolbar and use Internet Explorer
for your Web browser. Those programs rarely let a pop up go through.
Pop ups tend to have fake program alerts to trick you into downloading
something, while real antivirus programs, like Norton or McAfee, will
not require a download when they find something. Just keep your eyes
open and you'll be able to dodge any adware that comes your way!
~ Zahid H. Javali
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