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Windows AntiSpyware ( Beta )
Updated: January 8, 2005
On Thursday, January 6, 2005 Microsoft made
available a beta release of its
Windows AntiSpyware application. The application is
based on technology that was acquired back in December 2004
when Microsoft bought
Giant
Company Software, a provider of pop-up, spyware, and
spam prevention applications. Like many of the other spyware
prevention and removal applications already on the market,
the primary goals of AntiSpyware are to reduce the number of
spyware applications that find their way onto user systems
thereby causing serious performance issues, threats to user
privacy, and unauthorized system modifications. Microsoft
states;
"Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) is a security
technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and
other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your
PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative
effects caused by spyware including slow PC performance,
annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings,
and unauthorized use of your private information. Continuous
protection improves Internet browsing safety by guarding
over 50 ways spyware can enter your PC."
The program is designed to run on Windows
2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. Other Windows
versions are not supported. At this point in time,
AntiSpyware is a
free download. Microsoft asks that you go through a
validation process to insure you are are running an
authentic and fully-licensed copy of Windows. Right now, the
validation process is optional and can be bypassed. Whether
that remains true in the future for this and other downloads
remains to be seen. There is also a
AntiSpyware FAQ that addresses common user concerns.
Installing AntiSpyware ( Beta )
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Once the application has been
downloaded, navigate to where the executable was
saved and double click on the file
MicrosoftAntiSpywareInstall.exe to begin the
installation. The Installation Wizard will open as
shown at left. |
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As with every application
released by Microsoft, there is the License
Agreement to accept or decline, even with
Pre-Release software. Click the accept option and
you move forward. Choose not to accept and you are
free to move around your system at will looking for
other things to keep you occupied. |
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The only installation option
available at this point is the location where
AntiSpyware is installed. If you want to select an
alternate location, click the Change... button. |
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If you screwed up anything
already, which is unlikely since there was really
nothing to screw up to this point, click the <Back
button and make some changes. If not, go ahead and
click Install and let the wizard do its thing. |
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This is one of my favorite
screens. It normally tells me to wait while some
wizard is installing files. Just once I'd like to
see it say that installation could be faster than
you can blink if you have a super fast system, or
that you could be waiting an eternity if you're on
an old dog system that should have been in the
landfill years ago. Truthfully though, it makes no
difference because this is where I head off in
search of coffee. I suggest you do the same. |
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If you're lucky, by the time
you've rounded up some coffee and made it back to
your chair this screen will be waiting for you.
Decide whether or not you want to check the Launch
Microsoft AntiSpyware box and then click Finish.
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That's it. The Microsoft AntiSpyware installation is
complete. The next step is to go through the Setup Assistant
to configure program options. I'll cover that in the next
section.
>>> Go To: Welcome to the Microsoft AntiSpyware Setup
Assistant
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