Anti-spyware and Anti-virus software

If you do a search on the internet, you will find numerous programs out there claiming to be anti-spyware. Some are actually anti-spyware but some of the programs that claim to be anti-spyware is actually spyware/viruses.

There are four types of anti-spyware programs

• Anti-spyware that is free to scan but charges a fee to fix the issues found
• Anti-spyware that is free to scan and free to fix the issues found
• Anti-spyware that has a free version and a paid version
• Anti-spyware that is actually spyware

I am not an expert on anti-spyware and going to claim to be. Below is my opinion on some of the programs that is available. Best to research the programs that is available. One note of caution, If you google the anti-spyware programs, you will get tons of sites giving you an opinion of the available anti-spyware programs and offer a program. Be careful of the information that you get. Some sites are not safe and will give you false information. Therefore check the validity of the source that you are getting the information from.

Here is the programs that I have used and they are free (The links are to external sites. They worked at time I made this page but the owner of the site may change the location at any time. If you find one that doesn't work, email me and let me know. Thanks!) (Also, as I mentioned, these programs are free at the time I posted this page. The company may have changed that since then. Because of this I cannot guarantee that they are still free)

• AVG - Has an online scan and one you can download. Never used the download version. I have only used the online scan so can't give opinion on the downloaded version. The online scan is free to scan and free to fix issues. This was Ewido
• Ad-aware Personal from Lavasoft - Free to scan. Free to fix issues.
• Malwarebytes - This to me is the best antispyware software
• Spybot from Safer Networking/a> - Free to scan. Free to fix issues.
• Trend Micro CCillian - Has an online scan and one you can download. Never used the download version. I have only used the online scan so can't give opinion on the downloaded version. The online scan is free to scan and free to fix issues. It also scans for viruses.
• SpywareGuide.com - online scan. Free to use, free to fix issues. I think they have a paid version to but never used it.
• HijackThis - Not really a scan but allows you to fix registry entries that have been entered by spyware and viruses. Use with caution. Very good tool but can cause issues if used incorrectly.

Here is programs I have heard is good but I have not used. Therefore, I cannot give an opinion on them.

• Spysweeper
• Microsoft's anti-spyware (they keep changing the name on it. At the moment it is called defender))
• Nortons - I don't know if they have a free version but the anti-virus software scans for anti-spyware as well. I have used Norton for anti-virus and it is good. I just don't know how well it works with anti-spyware.
• Mcafee - - I don't know if they have a free version but the anti-virus software scans for anti-spyware as well. I have used Mcafee for anti-virus and it is good. I just don't know how well it works with anti-spyware.
• Microsoft Essentials - This is an anti-virus program. I have just installed it on my computer but haven't used it yet. I heard it is a good program. At the time of this post, this program is free.

Click here for the Spyware Troubleshooter to assist you with troubleshooting a spyware issue.  

If you cannot get the anti-virus and anti-spyware to run because of the virus, Click here for help

Sometimes a virus or spyware will not allow a program to run. You may get the message that you have to be the administrator. Here is some information on this.