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Make sure you keep your Windows OS current by visiting Windows update occasionally to download and install any critical updates and service packs. Without these you are leaving the backdoor open. If your computer is fairly new you might want to consider Microsoft Windows 7.
 Also download, install and keep updated- Antivirus Software
Free for home users:
avast! Home Edition Download (our favorite free anti-virus)
Download RogueRemover FREE from MajorGeeks
Online anti-virus from Bit Defender
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html
Many exploits are directed at Internet Explorer, you dont have to use it. Try a different browser.
Like Firefox, or Opera
Download one or two of these, install and update before using:(if these are constantly finding malware, then you need to make changes to your browser and or your habits)
CounterSpy Free trial version
Spybot Search and destroy
Ad-Aware SE Personal edition
Microsoft Security Essentials
Be careful with spyware "removers and scanners"-- there are many programs that "claim to remove" spyware but are nothing more then “Crippled Software” aimed to be Re-branded and Sold.
Other programs to consider:
SpywareBlaster add security to IE
 CCLEANER Cleans drive and registry of junk, makes your computer faster and its totally free!
Use Malwarebytes to remove almost every type of spyware, Trojans, malware and other nastys
 Malware Bytes - If this doesn’t fix it maybe you should reformat your drive and start over !
Hijack This, is a free utility that generates an in depth report of registry and file settings from your computer. HijackThis makes no separation between safe and unsafe settings in its scan results giving you the ability to selectively remove items from your machine. In addition to this scan and remove capability HijackThis comes with several tools useful in manually removing malware from a computer. Please note that Hire Intelligence and Trend Micro provides HijackThis without technical support.
Autoruns- Tells you what is running at boot up on your computer (not for the faint hearted)
Like Microsoft Office but its to expensive, try open office. Its free and almost as good !
http://www.openoffice.org/
 Paint.net Forget about Adobe Photoshop, this freebie will do almost everything you need to do with Photos, It’s better than Picassa and totally free !
Free Screen Cleaner Keep’s Your Computer Screen Clean Automatically
Switch Off , Shutdown your PC Automatically or Remotely
Avast Removal Tool Don’t like Avast, remove it with this tool
Fix Policies Repairs windows policy’s to default
Smit Fraud Fix Gets rid of curtain types of spyware
SD Fix Spyware remover
Remove arrows on vista 64
Remove arrows in vista 32
 VNC Server , If you dont know what it is, you don’t need it
Coffee Cup Direct FTP Free , Free FTP program compliments of Coffee Cup Software.
PageBreeze Free HTML Program
Net Drive- Free for non-commercial use only
Trax Cleaner, remove your surfing tracks from your computer
 File Zilla Free Ftp Program
Norton Removal Program Removes all of Norton and Symantec Programs
Watch what you download, and where you download it from. Many programs come bundled with extra software. You may be installing more than you think ! Make sure you understand what it is you will be downloading and installing to your computer. Visit the makers website, learn more about the program. Read the EULA agreement. If you search hard enough you can always find a "clean" alternative to any software. Stay away from warez and crack sites. Be Careful what you download from file sharing networks such as Limewire and Kazaa. If you are not sure, don’t download it.
Here’s a Little tip: Many download sites frequently ask for a email address. Try just making one up or set up a email account such as Hotmail or Yahoo Email just for that purpose. Let that email address get all the tons of advertisements that are sure to follow.
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