back to previous page

Introduction to Ad-Aware SE
Author: Eldon Martin
Updated: 01-05-06

Ad-Aware is an adware and spyware removal tool developed by Lavasoft.  Ad-Aware SE is the free version licensed for home use, and can be obtained from www.download.com.

For most computers users, the only two tasks you need to do with Ad-Aware are downloading updates and scanning your computer.  Generally, you should scan your computer once every week or two, depending on how heavily you use the Internet.  Each time before you run a scan, download any available updates.


Download updates

To check for updates, click the “Check for Updates” link near the bottom right-hand corner of the main Ad-Aware program window and follow the prompts.  This process is normally self-explanetory.


Scanning your computer for adware and spyware

To scan your computer for adware and spyware, click the start button in the bottom right-hand corner of the Ad-Aware window.  Select the type of scan to perform, then click the “Next” button to begin.  Generally, use the faster “Perform smart system scan” option, although choosing “Perform a full system scan” is a good idea every once in a while.

After the scan is complete, click the Next button again to see a list of detected items. Right-click on any item and then click “Select all objects”.  Click Next to remove the items