Steps for Installing Microsoft AntiSpyware

Steps to Install

1. Download the program. You can store it on your desktop or anywhere you normally store downloads. You can delete the installation program when you have installed it.
   
   
2. Double-click on the file you downloaded to start the installation process.
   
   
3. You will see a "Keep Your Computer in the Know" window when the Microsoft AntiSpyware Setup Assistant Starts. I recommend keeping the default option of "Yes, automatically keep Microsoft AntiSpyware updated (recommended)" checked. This will ensure that the software downloads the latest definitions for adware/spyware on a regular basis. Just as new viruses appear on a regular basis, so new adware and spyware is constantly appearing. And some adware/spyware purveyors update their software to try to make it harder to detect, so you must keep your antispyware software up-to-date to keep your system well protected. Click on "Next" to proceed to the next step.



4. At the "Meet Your Computer's New Bodyguards" step, keep the default value of "Yes, help keep me secure (recommended)", so that Microsoft AntiSpyware can protect you while you surf the web and download email, not just when you run a scan of the system.



5. When you click on "Next" at the step above, if you have Windows NetBIOS messenger service running, you may see a "Windows AntiSpyware Notice" appear. If the service isn't running, you won't see the notice shown below. If you do see it, you have the option of ignoring the notice or stopping the Windows NetBIOS messenger service. If you have Windows XP the service will be turned on by default, unless you have upgraded to Service Pack 2, which disables it by default. If you have several computers networked together at your location, you might use this service to send messages to someone on another computer, but for most people this is not needed. If you use Microsoft's Instant Message (IM) software, MSN Messenger, this is not the same thing, so you needn't worry about losing its functionality by stopping the service. If you don't have a firewall protecting your computer, stopping the service may free you from some types of popup messages spammers can send to you over the Internet. But it is, of course, up to you whether you want to ignore the notice and leave the service running or stop it. If you don't know what it is, I would recommend you stop it.



6. When you see the "SpyNet: The Anti-Spyware Community" window, you can choose to become a member of SpyNet. What this means is that as Microsoft AntiSpyware gleans information about potential threats from scans of your system, it can report information to the SpyNet servers, which can be used to protect others. I would recommend accepting the default option of "Yes, I want to help fight spyware (recommended)." As you benefit from the contributions of others, you can in turn benefit others. Click on the "Finish" button to proceed.



7. At the final step of the installation, you will be asked whether you wish to run a quick scan. You can choose to do so or can run one later. You also have the option of letting Microsoft AntiSpyware scan your system automatically every day. By default, it will run a scan at 2 A.M. every morning, if you leave your system turned on. I recommend leaving that option checked. You can click on "Run Quick Scan Now" to start scanning your system or you can click on "Run scan later" to postpone a scan until later.



8. If you see a message indicating your spyware signatures may be out of date, click on "Update Now" to obtain the latest updates. When you see the message "updates have completed", click on "Close".



9. If you run the scan, when it is completed you will see a "Scan Results" window. Hopefully, all of the items detected and items infected values will be 0.