It is very important that you know how to remove spyware, since virtually every computer is prone to some degree or another of getting spyware installed on their system without their knowledge. Spyware is the most common form of malware, software which is programmed for a malicious reasons.   

    It is called spyware because it simply spies on your computer usage. It tracks the web sites you have visited and how long you have visited them for. It may also record e-mail addresses, Internet protocol addresses and various other personal information, some of which may even be identifiable to you. It is imperative that you get rid of this as having anything installed on your computer and collecting information without your consent is by definition bad news.   

    People use their computers for all sorts of things from Internet banking to making online purchases so it is imperative that all the information you enter into your computer is secure and safe. If you have spyware on your computer, then this is not going to be the case and others can steal your personal information and even take information as sensitive as credit card details.   

    For example, if you like to shop online, you are constantly entering sensitive details such as your credit card numbers. If you have somebody looking at this remotely, then you can have a big problem for obvious reasons. This is why making sure your computer is free of spyware is so important.   

    It is often quite easy to tell if you have spyware, but even if there are no apparent symptoms, you should still do a scan since you will be taking a big risk if you don’t. If your computer is slowing down of crashing occasionally for no apparent reason, then you can be pretty sure that there is something wrong with it and this is most likely caused by some form of malware.   

    Some are the most common symptoms of spyware or any other forms of malware, is that your computer could run very slowly. Because it has so many things running at once, and the fact that many of these spyware programs are very poorly coded, your computer will run very noticeably slowly and may experience random crashes, resets or it may not even start at all.   

    Nonetheless, having an effective anti spyware tool installed on your computer and running regularly will help to ensure the safety of your surfing. A good programme to begin with is NoAdware which is an effective and simple to use programme to get rid of spyware and stop it from coming back.   

Step 1 -  Clean the computer registry

Slow computers often have errors in their registry. One of the main functions of the registry is to connect software, hardware and computer files. For this reason the registry is often referred to as the computer’s nervous system. Over time, errors occur and this slows down computers, frequently their registry become corrupted. A simple step is to locate then repair the errors in the registry. Despite the fact that it is possible to repair the registry manually in theory, this method is not recommended. The main reason for this, is that it requires strong knowledge of the structure of the registry as well as its functions. Registry repair software are usually fast and reliable and offer overall, a better alternative to correct errors, delete unused files, poor links and deal with ActiveX components. Click on compare registry fix software for more information.

Step 2 – Delete and block adware and spyware

Another common reason leading to computers slowing-down, is the large number of spyware and adware, which are downloaded from the Internet, often without the users knowledge. This happens particularly often, when peer to peer networks are being used to download music and videos for example. An easy solution to improve the response time of any computer is to run an anti spyware or adware program which will scan, remove then block adware and spyware. In order to try out the right anti spyware or adware program, it is preferable to use a trial version which is usually free. The overall effectiveness of the software is obviously the main feature to consider, however other features are also important such as Ease of Download and Simplicity of Use, Automatic Backup, Quality of Customer Service. The best software tend to be the simplest to use and rely on a research capability that constantly updates the software for new threats. Click on best adware spyware removal for more information.

Step 3 – Eliminate viruses

Unsurprisingly many computer viruses can slow down computers and drive down response times. Computer viruses often damage files, can consume excessive amount of memory and take a large amount of space on the hard disk. Running the latest version of the best anti-virus programs will fix many of the problems which are detrimental to computer performance.

Step 4 – Simple housekeeping tasks

There are many simple housekeeping tasks which can be done to improve the speed of any computer, for example uninstalling any software that is not needed.  Stopping programs launching automatically is also useful to speed up any computer and is usually very straightforward. These simple tasks generally produce marginal improvements.

Step 5 – Optimise the Hard disk

For hard disks which are smaller than 2GB then at least 200MB of disk should be kept free and at least 500MB for larger hard disks. Computer speed also depend on the free space on the hard disk, as temporary files are placed there by computer software. This also enables the operating system to swap files using the hard disk as it runs out of RAM. In that event, unless sufficient  space is free on the hard disk, the system slows down significantly. Disk scanning programs such as Scandisk for Windows , can also help check for errors on the hard disk itself. For example, whilst the hard drive may be large enough, the problem may be that it is too fragmented or that some of its sectors have been damaged. Running a defragmentation software is another useful step which will improve computer performance.

Step 6 – Optimising the RAM

Some programs are poorly designed and do not release RAM resources after they are closed. This reduces the RAM which is available for other programs. Running out of RAM too fast is not uncommon and users who have this problem should consider upgrading the memory on their computer. Alternatively running certain programs simultaneously should also be avoided, this option is of course free.

Step 7 – Stop the computer from overheating

Faulty fans are a common cause leading to the computer overheating, slowing down then freezing as a result. To overcome this problem, replacing the fan is the most pragmatic solution. The effect should be immediate as this will increase the flow of air through the computer, thereby reducing the computer’s temperature and increasing its speed as a result.

For more information click on how to make my computer faster.