Best FREE Anti-spyware software?

baby_frogmella

Hi

been using Microsoft Antispyware for a while but this doesn't remove 100% of the spyware applications, someone recommended Spyware doctor but this isn't free. Anyone know of any decent software out there which is free and doesn't hog up the memory?

Cheers

zacspeed_2

Spybot Search & Destroy.
Wouldn't give anything else house-room!

msdl28712

AVG is excellent in my opinion

Toxteth_OGrady

I normally recommend using:

Spybot S & D

M$ Antispyware

Lavasoft Adaware Personal SE

Spyware Blaster

All free. Best to use all of them for scans as one in isolation will not find everything.

:cool:

TOG

intel

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ Free Adware removal
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html Spybot Search and Destroy

zincoxide

The only two that you need are:

Spybot Search & Destroy (fastest)
Ad-aware (slower but more thorough)

Run spybot first then follow it up with Ad-aware. I'd also install AVG anti-virus free edition and Zone Alarm firewall (free).

I run these four on my laptop and run a full scan once a week cause I'm a heavy user. You can download them all for free at https://www.download.com

You could also use test version of:
Xoftspy (spyware catcher)
Perfectdisk (To defrag & speed up your hard drive)
Tune Up Utilities 2005 (to rid you of all registry errors & program link errors)

They all offer 30 day free trials.

pchelpman

Excellent tutorial (in plain English) to help keep your PC safe....mostly at no cost at all....written by Steamwiz, a Microsoft MVP and security expert...

http://www.help2go.com/Tutorials/Protect_Your_PC/Avoid_Web_Browser_Hijackers.html

Hope this helps.

Toxteth_OGrady

zincoxide wrote:

The only two that you need are:

Spybot Search & Destroy (fastest)
Ad-aware (slower but more thorough)

That's quite a bold assertion. Do you have any objective data to support your claim?

:cool:

TOG

intel

On a personal basis I would of said that they both do a good job
but only in their own right thats why its best to have more than one removal tool.

zincoxide

Yes - clearly I do as whenever I run these two and follow it up with any other program there is nothing left - I wouldn't post it if I didn't believe in it.

You may wish to run these two through google and/or read the reviews on download.com to ease your obviously paranoid mind.

intel

http://www.adwarereport.com/

http://www.adwarereport.com/mt/archives/000004.html

HTH