Restore your settings

Some spyware will change some of your Internet security settings, which you will now restore. Assuming you managed to remove the spyware from your system by following the guide, you will also restore the settings that you applied earlier in the guide. If you installed Windows from fresh, then you do not need to follow this section.

Go to Control Panel > Internet Options (or Tools > Internet Options in Internet Explorer) > Security tab

Set all your Security settings to the defaults. Perform the following:

1. Internet > Default Level
2. Local intranet > Default Level
3. Trusted sites > Default Level
4. Restricted sites > Default Level
5. Click Apply.

Now select the Advanced tab.

Click Restore Defaults and then Apply. This is just a precaution in case spyware changed your settings.

Hide system files

In step 3, you told Windows to show you system and operating system files, which are hidden by default.

1. Select Do not Show hidden files and folders

2. Check Hide extensions for known file types

3. Check Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)

4. Click Apply and OK

Enable System Restore

Once you are happy with your work and believe your system is now 'clean', you can turn System Restore back on.

Start > Control Panel > System > System Restore tab > uncheck Turn off system restore on all drives and click Apply and OK .

You can also create a Restore Point if using Windows XP Pro.

Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore