Spyware is a major problem on computers that are connected to the Internet. If you want to make sure that your system is safe from spyware, I would suggest that you run anti-spyware software, like SpyBot S&D, every week at the most, or every month at the very least. Happily, you can have SpyBot run in the background while you do other work, or while leave your computer all together. Below are the instructions on how to run SpyBot S&D on a weekly basis. Remember: Updating your anti-spyware program, just like updating your anti-virus program, is critical.

1. Click “Search for updates”. (Make sure your Internet access is connected.)
2. The program will automatically connect to the website and find new updates.
3. Select all the items that SpyBot S&D lists in the update box.
4. Click “Download Updates” from the top tool bar, and SpyBot will download and and update itself. This may result in SpyBot S&D restarting. (After it updates you may disconnect from the Internet.)
5. Click “Immunize” on the left menu.
6. A dialogue box will pop-up. If the dialogue box says “Please immunize”, click “Immunize” on the top tool bar with a green “+” symbol. It will say that all the products were blocked.
7. Click “Search & Destroy” on the left menu.
8. Click “Check for problems” from the top tool bar.
9. When it is completed, select “Fix Problems” from the top tool bar. This step may take longer than a half hour on some systems.
   1. Agree to remove the selected entries.
   2. If it says you will need to restart the computer to fix the problems, agree. Then restart your computer.
   3. If you spend a lot of time waiting for the Restore Point to be saved, you may want to disable the Restore Point option.
10. Your done!