A. Before you begin

      Ad-Aware Free AE (Anniversary Edition) runs on computers Windows XP Professional and Home Editions as well as all editions of Windows Vista.

      These instructions assume that your computer has a working Internet connection.

      • If you are unable to access the Internet from your computer and you live on campus, please contact the ResNet Office for assistance. If you have a laptop computer, you may also bring it to the ResNet Office (no appointment is necessary) for assistance with these instructions. If you have a desktop computer, please fill out a ResNet Problem Report Form at http://fixit.saintmarys.edu/and ResNet will contact you to set up an appointment in your room.

      • If you are unable to access the Internet from your computer and you live off campus, please contact your internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance. If you have a laptop computer, you may also bring it to the ResNet Office (no appointment is necessary) for assistance with these instructions.

      • If you are a faculty or staff member and you would like assistance with your College-provided computer, please contact the Helpdesk at helpdesk@saintmarys.edu.

      Please move ahead to Section B.

    B. Obtain the latest Ad-Aware Free software by Lavasoft (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/)

    1. Visit http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

    2. Click on the green Download Ad-Aware Free button.

    3. Click on the Download button. (You do not want to select the "Get Ad-Aware Plus NOW FREE" option.)

    4. You will be taken to a Download.com website. Click Download Now.

    5. When prompted, click on the Save File button.

    6. You may wish to quit your web browser (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer).

    Please move ahead to Section C.

    C. Install Ad-Aware and Install Definition File Updates

    1. Double-click on the Ad-AwareAE icon (which should be on your computer's desktop unless you saved it in another location).

    2. When the installer is ready, it will ask you to select a setup language. Make sure the installer is set to English and click OK.

    3. Ad-Aware's installation program will launch on your computer. Click Next.

    4. Read the license agreement and check the box next to I accept the terms of the license agreement.

    5. Click Next.

    6. Click Install to begin the installation of Ad-Aware.

    7. When the software installation is complete, check the box next to Restart now and click Finish.

    8. The Update Manager will launch and Ad-Aware will download and install the latest definition file automatically. Your computer will then restart.

    Please move ahead to Section D.

    D. Finishing up

    You may now drag the Ad-AwareAE file from your computer's desktop to the Recycle Bin. You should not need that file again.

    Please note: The first time you launch Ad-Aware Free AE (Anniversary Edition), a Manage License window will appear. Click Close to use Ad-Aware for free.

    Please move ahead to Section E.

    E. Update Ad-Aware's Definition File

    To ensure that Ad-Aware will find the latest malware and remove malicious processes on your computer, you will need to update the definitions file every time you use Ad-Aware to scan your computer. To do so:

    1. Double-click on the Ad-Aware icon on your desktop to launch Ad-Aware.

    2. Click on the Web Update icon.

    3. The Update Manager will launch and Ad-Aware will download and install the latest definition file. As a part of the process, the Ad-Aware software will quit and be relaunched.

    Please move ahead to Section F.

    Running Ad-Aware on Your Computer for Regular Adware/Spyware Cleaning

    1. Double-click on the Ad-Aware icon on your desktop to launch Ad-Aware.

    2. Click on the System Scan icon.

    3. For your first scan with Ad-Aware Free AE (Anniversary Edition), please click on the Full Scan tab and then click on the Scan Now button.

        4. In the future, if you are doing a routine scan (you scan your computer on a weekly basis with Ad-Aware), a Smart Scan is all you will need to do. Select the Smart Scan tab and then click on the Scan Now button.

        If you do not perform routine Ad-Aware scans and only scan your computer when you think there may be spyware on your computer, please select the Full Scan tab and then click on the Scan Now button for those scans. We would also recommend running Ad-Aware in safe mode in that case - details for starting your computer in safe mode are at the end of this section.

    4. Ad-Aware will scan your computer for adware/spyware.

    5. When the scan is complete, Ad-Aware will display what it found. It will display its findings by "Family" - a family is defined by Lavasoft as a group of malicious programs that share similar code and behavior.

    6. In most cases, you can use the default "Recommended" action to delete undesirable items found by Ad-Aware. You can select "Remove all" to ensure all of the items in a family are deleted.

    7. Click Perform Actions Now.

    8. Close the window to quit Ad-Aware.

    If your computer still appears to be infected with malware and a Smart Scan did not solve the problems, you may want to try running a Full Scan with Ad-Aware in safe mode.

    1. Boot your computer into safe mode.

        2. Shut down the computer. Turn on the computer. Press F8 after restarting before the Windows screen appears. If pressing F8 does not boot your computer into Safe mode or give you an option to select safe mode, please refer to the instructions from your computer's manufacturer for assistance. Log into the computer with your normal account.

    2. Double-click on the Ad-Aware icon on your desktop to launch Ad-Aware.

    3. Click on the System Scan icon.

    4. Click on the Full Scan tab and then click on the Scan Now button.

    5. Ad-Aware will scan your computer for adware/spyware.

    6. When the scan is complete, Ad-Aware will display what it found. It will display its findings by "Family" - a family is defined by Lavasoft as a group of malicious programs that share similar code and behavior.

    7. In most cases, you can use the default "Recommended" action to delete undesirable items found by Ad-Aware. You can select "Remove all" to ensure all of the items in a family are deleted.

    8. Click Perform Actions Now.

    9. Close the window to quit Ad-Aware.

    10. Restart your computer.

    11. You may also wish to scan your computer with Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware software to see if there are additional malware and trojan programs on your machine. Unlike anti-virus programs, you may install more than one anti-spyware program on your computer without causing conflicts.

    Congratulations! You have now removed many of the pop-ups, as well as additional adware and spyware from your computer. If you would like additional adware/spyware/pop-up protection, ResNet recommends using another removal tool such as Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware or a protection tool such as Javacool Software's SpywareBlaster. These two tools are both free and work well in combination with each other to rid your computer of unwanted software.

    If you need additional assistance beyond the instructions we provide on the ResNet (http://www.saintmarys.edu/~resnet) and ResNet FAQ ( http://www.saintmarys.edu/~resnet/resnetfaq) web sites, please contact the ResNet Office for assistance. If you have a laptop computer, you may also bring it to the ResNet Office (no appointment is necessary) for assistance with these instructions. If you have a desktop computer, please fill out a ResNet Problem Report Form at http://fixit.saintmarys.edu/ and ResNet will contact you to set up an appointment in your room.

    If you are a faculty or staff member and you would like assistance with your College-provided computer, please contact the Helpdesk at helpdesk@saintmarys.edu.

Last Modified February 19, 2009