If you are a more experienced user you can also check various ‘autostart’ locations using the ‘Startup Tools’. Or if you want to protect your PC by immunizing your browser and hosts file, the ‘Free Edition’ is the choice for you. If all you require is to be able to scan and remove malware and rootkits from your system. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging.

If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been 'hijacked' (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications.

Microsoft spybot free download