Welcome to Mr. Quevedo's Spyware and Adware removal tutorial. Through these short steps, you should be able to understand what these two terms are, as well as be familiar with a couple of FREE tools that will help remove them from your computer.

Before we begin, I would like you to please take the Pre-Survey by clicking on the button of that name on the toolbar to your left. If you have already taken it, please continue reading. I have taken the liberty to paraphrase certain articles I've found to be quick and concise reads. Feel free to click on the links after the quotes to read the expanded version.

Spyware

"Those who do become impacted by spyware often contend with multitudes of pop-up windows, frequent (and frequently spyware-forced) browser and system crashes, and a general slowdown in Internet connectivity such that online activities slow to a crawl." (Spyware: Downpour or drizzle?)

Adware

"Has this ever happened to you? One day you're browsing the Internet as normal. The next day your browser's homepage has been changed to some off-color site and your desktop is serving up some program you don't recall installing.

Adware, generally speaking, is a program that installs an additional component that feeds advertising to you or points your browser homepage to sites feeding advertising. Worse, the mechanism that feeds the advertising can introduce system anomalies or incompatibilites that cause problems with other programs and can even disrupt the functioning of the operating system. Finally, a hijacked start page or toolbar can be difficult to reconfigure to its original settings because adware typically integrates itself in a manner that exceeds the average user's technical capabilities. Even more frustrating, the now present system anomalies can prevent even seasoned users from accessing the system areas they need to delete the offending program. When it is successfully removed, the original free program you did want may not work without the accompanying Adware component, forcing users to either abandon a program they do like or subject themselves to a constant onslaught of advertising." (Miscreant apps increase the cost of 'free')

Removal

Familiar with the terms yet? If not, please go back and review them a little bit, so the next few steps will make sense to you. If you are ready, feel free to click on the Step1 button to your left.