How to use SpyBot Search and Destroy on Windows

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SpyBot Search & Destroy is one of the best, free anti-malware software. In this article we are going to show you how to install SpyBot Search & Destroy, how to update it and how to perform the immunization and scanning process. In case that you're using an older version, you can download SpyBot Search & Destroy from here. Supposing that you already have or downloaded the latest application, it's now time to start the installation process, to do so, navigate to where you downloaded the program and open it, choose "Run" to open it :

Open SpyBot Search & Destroy

You will notice a small window that will ask you to select a language. The default language is "English", if you need another supported language, scroll down in the language window and select the when you need :

Select your language, the default language for SpyBot Search & Destroy is english

You will now see a welcome window, that will tell you a few details about the version of SpyBot Search & Destroy that you're installing. To continue, click on the "Next" button or hit "Cancel" to quit now the installation process.

Welcome window for SpyBot Search & Destroy

Here is the "Terms of Agreement" window, make sure to read the entire terms and if you agree with them, check the "I accept the agreement" and click on "Next" button.

Spybot Search and Destroy Terms of Agreement

Now you will be asked to choose the installation folder for this software. The default installation location is in "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy" - if you need another location folder, you can click on "Browse" and choose another location for the installation. Again, click on "Next" button.

$Select installation folder for C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy$

It's now time to choose from some components available to install. If you don't know what components to choose from, you can leave it as it is. To continue with the installation select "Next".

Select components to install

Now it's going to ask us where to place the shortcuts for this program. As you can see I selected "Don't create a Start menu folder" and I clicked on "Next" button. If you want to place the shortcuts on a different folder, choose another location from "Browse".

$Where to place shortcuts for C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy$

Click on the "Next" button and choose from any additional tasks, like any additional icons and click on the "Next" button.

Select any additional tasks

Now, Spybot - Search & Destroy is ready to be installed. If you need to make any changes you can hit the "Back" button, otherwise click on "Next" and the installation will start.

Spybot - Search & Destroy is ready to be installed

As the installation has been started, you can now notice that additional needed files are being downloaded during the installation.

Additional files are being downloaded

Installation has been completed, if you can see a similar window with the one from this picture, click on "Finish" button.

Installation has finished. Choose "Finish" button.

Now, when the program will start for the first time, is going to ask you to go through a couple of steps that will help the program to configure itself. You can choose to follow these steps as they are required by the program but I am going to skip them for now and click each time on "Next". In the end I am going to do them manually. In the first window, the program is asking me for registry backup ( you can do a registry backup now ) and I am choosing the "Next" button.

Create registry backup or skip this step

I am going to skip the update process now, but I am going to update it manually, again you can choose to update it right now.

Choose to update SpyBot Search and Destroy or skip it by using the next button

Another window, asking to "Immunize" the system, again I am going to click on the "Next" button and I am going with immunization later.

Choose to Immunize the system now or skip it

If you chosed each time like I've did, the "Next" button you will see a confirmation window telling you that "All settings have been done". Click on the "Start using the program" button and you will see the program interface for the first time.

Start using the program for the first time as the settings has been saved

You should see "SpyBot - Search and Destroy" program interface for the first time like in the picture below :

SpyBot Search and Destroy program interface

Now, if you skipped the steps that I've skipped by choosing "Next" each time, it's now time to do them again manually. The first thing that I am going to do is to update SpyBot - Search and Destroy. To do so, make sure to click on "Search for Updates" button and select a server that is closest to your location for faster download speeds and the click on the "Continue" button. You can see how a window should look when you select "Search for Updates" button like on the picture below :

Select your download location in order to update SpyBot Search and Destroy. Choose a server that is closest to your location

You will see what components are being available for download. If you have a slow Internet connection like dial-up or ISDN I would recommnend you to update ( download ) only the immunization databases. Otherwise I would recommend you to download all the updates available. If you selected the updates, you can click on the "Download" button and the program will start the update process. When the update will complete ( in a couple of seconds or minutes depending on your Internet connection speed ) the program will notify you to re-apply the immunization for your computer. This is why I chosed to skip those steps.

Update process completed

As we said, it's now time to "Immunize" our computer. To do so, click on the "Immunize" button, located on the main program interface, near the "Update" button. Locate it, click on it and you should see that the immunization process will be completed in a couple of seconds.

The immunization has been completed

We have installed, the program, update it, immunize it and now it's time to scan the computer for problems. To do so, please go back to the main program interface by clicking on the "Search & Destroy" icon and select it. You should see the window like in this picture :

SpyBot Search and Destroy - scan for problems window

As you probably noticed, if you want to scan your computer for any infections, all you need to do is to click on the "Check for problems" button and the program is going to scan your computer for known infections. Please be patient as it's going to take a couple of minutes.

SpyBot Search & Destroy scanning computer for infections

After the scanning process finishes you will see all infections found in the same window. To remove the detected infections, click on the "Fix selected problems" button and it will remove them.

Using "Fix selected problems" button, Spybot is going to remove any detected infections

And that's it, if you selected "Fix selected problems" button, the program is going to remove the infections and it's going to show you the confirmation message inside a small window.

SpyBot is telling us that the infections has been removed

Our article ends here but DON'T FORGET TO UPDATE SpyBot Search & Destroy at least once a week ( we have been informed by SpyBot Search & Destroy team "that new updates are released on Wednesday's." ) and regurarly scan your system for infections. Remember that this program cannot offer the same protection compared to a good antivirus but it can make the difference and it can help you to detect and remove infections that most antiviruses cannot detect them. This is one of the best anti-spyware software that I ever used and it's being constantly improved. You have learned how to use SpyBot Search & Destroy properly and now you know how to install it, update it, immunize your computer and how to perform a system scan.