If you are like most computer users, you have heard a lot about antispyware programs along with the statement that you should have one installed on your computer. However, you might still be wondering what exactly it is that this type of program does for you.

Antispyware programs are designed to protect your computer from a number of insidious problems that can make your time on the computer quite unpleasant. In fact, I have been victim to numerous pop-ups magically appear on my screen, so I can tell you exactly how annoying they can be. Once they appear, everything else on my computer seems to stop working properly, making my life miserable.

Adware or advertising software are usually designed with the primary purpose of displaying ads typically through pop ups and banners. While harmless on the surface, they can slow down the performance of any computer. Antispyware programs are designed to keep these annoyances away from your computer.

Plus, other security threats such as spyware and malware are always lurking around the next web page, especially for those of us who do a lot of web surfing. Typical spyware collects information about an individual’s web usage and relays the information back to the owner of the spyware. Therefore, it is essential to prevent it from showing up on your computer. Antispyware programs take care of those too.

Not only does spyware affect the security of your personal information, but also, it can lead to even more problems down the line. In fact, since spyware can change the configuration of your computer without your knowledge, it is best to have it removed with an antispyware program.

Once my antispyware program eliminates pop-ups and spyware, any problems with slow performance are usually taken care of. I don’t stop there though. I need to remember to keep my antispyware program updated with the latest database in order to protect it against the newest threats. As new forms of spyware are developed, my antispyware program becomes outdated, which it must be in order for it to have access to identifying facets of the newest forms of spyware

Many of these spyware programs are difficult to remove. To someone who is just learning to navigate the Web, they can appear to be downright impossible to remove. So taking partial control with antispyware software is a great move. I can’t tell you how glad I am that someone tipped me off about antispyware programs all those years ago.

If you already have spyware on your computer, the utilization of antispyware programs should actually speed up your computer’s processing speed. In fact, it’s the presence of spyware that creates performance issues with your computer. After all, this type of software is snooping around your machine gathering all sorts of information and then transmitting it elsewhere. It is spying on everything you do and every website you visit; and in many cases, it is creating changes to your registry and/or web browser.

Like so many others, I have been the victim of spyware and I really don’t like it. Before I even get to the point of worrying about the security of my personal information, I simply get irritated and annoyed with the changes to the way my computer runs. This is the first tip off I have that something has entered my computer unbidden and unwanted. I can’t wait to get rid of it.

Since reputable antispyware applications are designed to detect and remove many different forms of malicious software in order to secure the safety of my computer system, I am more than willing to make sure that I have some on board. With my newer computer, I really don’t notice any slowing down. However, with my eleven-year old machine, there is a bit of a lag. That’s my own fault though.

How my computer operates is partially related to its outlay of resources. The older one simply needs an upgrade in resources. Still, it is worth running the antispyware program since spyware can create changes that make my computer less secure, place my personal information at risk, and slow it down.

Therefore, whether the installation of antispyware programs slows down your computer is going to be contingent upon several other factors. First of all, spyware takes up a lot of disk space, draining your computer’s resources. You need to look at the options and the system requirements you have for antispyware programs and see how many megabytes of RAM will the application need. What system resources is your new software application going to utilize?

Depending on the drain on your computer’s resources, you might not even notice any difference. Plus, if the software is designed to operate quietly in the background, then it will have little effect on the speed of your machine. Some antispyware programs might show some slowing down in your computer’s functioning. Plus, if a specific program leads to system conflict, the end result could be a slowing down of your computer’s processing capability.

Think of removing spyware as taking out the trash. Once it’s gone, the entire place is so much cleaner.

You are finally ready to take the plunge and get an antispyware program to take care of any spyware that might be on your computer. After all, you are tired of how slow your machine seems to process, of the need to close pop ups every time you turn around, and of the worrying you do about the safety of your personal information.

Now what you need to figure out is whether you should get a free antispyware program or a fee-for-use antispyware program. Perhaps the best way to determine this is to consider the pros and cons of free vs. fee-for-use antispyware programs. That is what I did. After all, even though these applications are designed to detect and dispose of spyware, they all have their own little quirks and benefits to offer. I had to find the one that could do what I wanted in the manner that I wanted.

The obvious point is that fee-for-use antispyware applications typically charge a fee for the initial subscription as well as subsequent yearly subscriptions. Plus, in some cases, updates are provided with no additional cost and in other cases, a fee is charged for the updates. With some fee-for-use programs, the featured tech support might be more in depth as well as more readily available. Before I knew anything about computers, this is the one that I would have opted to purchase, hands down.

Even though you will eventually need to pay for a full version of the program or a regular subscription, many antispyware applications offer a free trial that allows you to test them out. This is important since no two antispyware programs are made exactly alike. Therefore, you get to try it out, see what it is like, and then make your decision about whether to purchase it. Since I am a hands-on type of person, I liked being able to see exactly what was being offered.

Quite a few free antispyware programs are readily available on the Internet. They are easy to download and the price is right. However, it is important to ensure that you are actually obtaining a legitimate antispyware program and not a rogue version. Your free version is only as good as the technology that it offers. Updates are important since spyware undergoes a number of transformations over time in an effort to sneak past antispyware programs.

Although free options are useful and provide a certain level of security for your computer, programs that you pay for are usually better. Typically, they offer a higher level of protection than the ones that you can download free. Paid programs typically provide updates on a more frequent basis, a better support service, and technical resources. Their support services are usually available 24 hours a day, seven days a week unlike free programs that have limited hours for customer service.

Free versions are often designed for personal use and fee-for-use versions are often designed for either personal or commercial use.

I installed what I thought was Lavasoft Ad-aware 2007, it doesn’t show up in my programs in the control panel add and remove programs yet when I look up programs on my pc it is there and it is also on my startup list but when I chose the uninstall it won’t uninstall…how do I get rid of it? My pc is very slow and when I run my other antivirus and spyware programs they don’t find anything and when I type in the search bar “how to remove Lavasoft Ad-aware 2007 program” my browser freezes up.

It sounds alot like the program you installed is a rogue anti-adware application. There are thousands of malicious products that prey on the good name of legit apps like Lavasofts Adaware.

There are a few things you can do
1) Look through your Add/Remove Programs section and let me know if you see any suspicious programs, you can check this glossary if your uncertain if an application is a threat. http://paretologic.com/resources/glossary.aspx or just let me know your findings.

2) Download a good virus/adware/spyware scanner like this - its free to see if your infected. The scan may take an hour or more but its very thorough http://filetonic.com/scanner/ (choose download #2 on this page)

3) Contact a remote support technician who will connect to your computer over the web and actually diagnose and fix the problem for you. I recommend support.com or iyogi.net. You can see others here: http://filetonic.com/techjocks/techjock-profiles/tech-support-websites/

Hope this helps and good luck!
Don
filetonic.com

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Is antivirus the same as antispyware?

No. While antivirus and antispyware applications operate in similar ways, they are different. Each has a different target in its sights. I that it sounds simple, antivirus software detects viruses and antispyware detects spyware, but it’s a bit more involved than that.

First, let’s look at the difference between computer viruses and spyware. Two main differences exist: their purpose and the way the spread.

Purposes

Viruses are malicious sets of code designed to carry out specific missions such as damage your computer, files, or network or disrupt the Internet. Viruses come in many forms with various destructive purposes.

Spyware is a malicious program that can serve several evil purposes including recording your keystrokes and sending them to a third party where they are analyzed for passwords and financial information, monitoring your Internet usage and serving up targeted pop-up advertisements, or open up a “backdoor” for hackers to invade your system. There are dozens of broad categories of spyware including keyloggers, chat loggers, browser hijackers, Web bugs, downloaders, dialers, browser helper objects, data miners, Remote Administration Tools (RATs), and adware.

Transmission Methods

In addition to having different purposes, viruses and spyware have different ways that they arrive. Computer viruses spread through file sharing. This includes sharing files on floppy discs and CD-ROMs, over the network, and through e-mail attachments.

Spyware usually arrives as a hitchhiker bundled with other programs. For example, you might inadvertently download spyware when you download a free screensaver or game off of the Internet. Drive-by downloads are also becoming a common method of transmission. Simply by visiting a malicious website, you may be also downloading spyware!

The Effects of Viruses and Spyware

Both computer viruses can wreak havoc on your computer. Viruses can destroy files and even wipe your hard drive clean. Spyware can be either annoying or downright malicious. Popup ads are irritating while the theft of your financial data hits you where it hurts: your pocketbook. In addition, these malicious programs can make changes to your computer’s registry, Internet settings, and slow your system to a crawl. Computer errors are common.

Because viruses and spyware are different, detection methods are different. Antivirus software won’t detect spyware and antispyware software won’t detect viruses because they use different algorithms and definition databases. 

This doesn’t mean that you can’t get a program that does both. In fact, most of the major computer security software manufactures now feature “all in one” products that detect computer viruses, spyware, and other types of Internet threats. If you want complete protection against both computer viruses and spyware, you can’t go wrong by choosing one of the leading Internet security suites. You can also buy separate antivirus and antispyware tools.

Either way, in order to protect your PC from the most current threats, it’s critical to keep your security software updated with the latest virus and spyware definitions. Most of the popular applications provide you with automatic updates though you may have to go into the software and enable automatic updates. Double check your antivirus and antispyware applications to be sure.

Directives on WinFixer Removal

WinFixer, like all other spyware and adware, is a product that ”Pretends to Be” a genuine system tool.

Being a spyware, it constantly shows fake reports of supposedly found system errors, problems and threats. This will inadvertently fool the user into buying the version of WinFixer since it convinces them that it is a good tool to use. This spyware is available commercially which is why one must exert extreme caution when purchasing software, especially spyware removal programs online. You might end up trying to find other software to remove the software that you have just purchased.

To be able to remove WinFixer, or any other spyware, you should first detect and delete its processes, registry value keys, DLL files and other related dangerous files from your computer system. It is always strongly recommended that you eradicate WinFixer automatically, through downloading authentic removal software from a reputable site.  It is very tedious and dangerous to remove WinFixer manually since the risk of damaging your computer is very high.  But with the proper knowledge on these processes, you can proceed to eliminate WinFixer from your computer manually by using the following instructions carefully.  It is also recommended that you back up your computer especially sensitive applications and documents before eliminating any software from the hard drive.  Malicious parasites such as this do not have an uninstall program.  They do not appear in the panel for adding or removing programs.  This procedure is not completely effective since some malicious files or folders may have still remained in your system.  It is recommended that to prevent further infection and recurrence, you should run an automatic removal software or tool.

For computers using the Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP, click on the Windows Start button and click on the Control Panel.  Then, double-click the icon for Add/Remove Programs to start the appearance of its window.   When the “Add/Remove Programs” window has fully appeared, trace the malware program you aim to uninstall in the list of programs presently installed.  Click on the entry to select it, and then click the Add/Remove or Change/Remove button to automatically delete the entry.  To complete the removal process, just follow the next instructions given in the pop up window.  It is also recommended to restart or reboot your computer system after which to check again in the control panel for add/remove programs if WinFixer is still present.

You can also delete WinFixer from your computer by removing files and folders pertaining to it. It is still wise to exercise extreme caution in deleting files since this may cause irrevocable damage to you computer system. The following files are to be manually selected then eradicated from the computer:

Known WinFixer executable processes:

winfixerscannerinstall.exe
winfixer2005setup.exe
winfixer20.exe
uwfx5lp_0001_0803netinstaller.exe
uwfx51.exe
setup.exe
df_kme.exe
install.exe
sr.exe
updater.exe
unins000.exe
wfx5.exe

WinFixer registry values and entry files:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settings
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingsfirstrun
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingsinstalldate
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingslast_scan_high
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingslast_scan_low
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingslast_timeout_high
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingslast_timeout_low
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingslastscanerrorcount
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005\settingsoverwriteandbackupfilestopath
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunWinFixer2005
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005abbr
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005activationcode
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005euluwfx5lp_0001_0803
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005installpath
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\winsoftware\winfixer2005productcode
B8B55274-0F9A-41E5-9067-A3539BD9E860

WinFixer DLL files:

crxml.dll
pcheck.dll
compcln.dll
df_fixer.dll
df_proxy.dll
ffcom.dll
ffwraper.dll
fixcore.dll
ftrec.dll
idletrac.dll
mmfix.dll
oedrop.dll
strres.dll

Other WinFixer related files to be deleted:

winfixerscannerinstall.exe
winfixer2005setup.exe
winfixer20.exe
uwfx5lp_0001_0803netinstaller.exe
uwfx51.exe
setup.exe
df_kme.exe
install.exe
sr.exe
updater.exe
unins000.exe
wfx5.exe
crxml.dll
pcheck.dll
compcln.dll
df_fixer.dll
df_proxy.dll
ffcom.dll
ffwraper.dll
fixcore.dll
ftrec.dll
idletrac.dll
mmfix.dll
oedrop.dll
strres.dll
df_kmd.sys
flash.ini
updater.dat
activate.dat
bnlink.dat
lapv.dat
lock.dat
pv.dat
unins000.dat
up.datdatabase.sav
program.sav
license.rtf
sr.log
trace.log
update.log
support.url
wfx5.url
template.dbx

After deleting all related files, folders and programs, it is highly suggested that you reboot your computer to fully complete the removal of WinFixer and to check whether any fastidious programs remain.  To prevent damaging your computer due to accidental deletion of important files, a good and authentic spyware or malware cleaner and remover is recommended. This will also automatically find and delete other spyware, adware, trojans and viruses present in the computer.