You can delete spyware files two ways: manually, or with an anti-spyware program. To remove harmful files manually you must be familiar with computer technology. When you manually remove any computer file, there’s a risk that the smallest mistake may destroy your PC, so choosing to use an anti-spyware program is by far the safest and quickest way you can delete harmful files. An anti-spyware program scans your computer, displays the suspected files, and allows you to decide what should be removed.

Learn how to remove unwanted harmful files and folders from your computer, even when they’re hidden.

Delete Harmful Files Manually

Warning: Manually deleting malicious files is a difficult and risky. If you delete the wrong file, your computer may crash and important data may be lost. As a precautionary measure, please back up important files and set a System Restore point (click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore, and follow the on-screen instructions) or run a spyware check with a trusted anti-spyware program to automatically detect spyware.

Locate the harmful file

If you know the name of the parasite you want to remove or at least part of it, you should use Windows search tool to the exact file path of the parasite. To launch the Windows search tool, click the “Start” > “Search” > “All Files or Folders”. Type the file name or its part to the field and locate where you want to search for it. Click on the drive, folder, or disk you wish to perform a search. It is recommended that you select “Look in: Local Hard Drives” or “Look in: My Computer” to get better results. Click on the “Search” button to start the search.

Make hidden files visible

If you don’t know the exact spelling of a filename, but you have an idea where it can be located, you should try to find the file manually. Parasites tend to hide themselves so you will need to enable the functions that lets to display hidden and system protected files.

1. First, you should start Windows Explorer. If the version of OS that you use is Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, click on the “Tools” menu and select “Internet Options”. In the “Advanced Settings” list find the title “Show hidden files and folders” and select it. It is recommended to remove a checkmark next to the line “Hide protected operating system files”, in order not to affect the files from your OS.
   

   

2. There are cases that some files may still remain invisible. To see them, load the “Command Prompt”, press the “Start” button on your taskbar and select “Run”. In the emerged dialog, type in “cmd” and press enter or click “OK” button.
   

   

3. In the emerged window type “dir /A name_of_the_folder” in order to display all the files, including those that are hidden.
   
   

Delete the harmful file

You can delete the harmful file by using Windows Explorer or any other similar program that locates files and folders in your machine. You should also note that the Recycle Bin should be emptied before starting the removal procedure. The message may appear that the file is in use and is impossible to be removed. In this case, you should terminate the process which is associated with the file and then delete it.

In order to delete it, you should open the Windows Task Manager by pressing “CTRL + ALT + DEL” or “CTRL + SHIFT + ESCAPE”. Look at the Processes tab and select the process that corresponds with the file and click on the “End Process” button.

It is possible that some processes will start just after you terminate them. To avoid that, you will need to reboot your machine into the Windows Safe Mode. When this mode is launched, the programs do not start automatically on startup, so it means that many system services can be easily terminated and harmful files can be removed.

The harmful file can also be located and removed by using the “Command Prompt”. To find the location of the harmful file, type “cd name_of_the_folder” and invoke the command by typing “del name_of_the_file”.

If you want to delete entire folder, use the command “rmdir /S name_of_the_folder”.

If you feel that the listed removal procedures are too complicated and you still want to remove the harmful file, we recommend to download SpyHunter’s spyware scanner.

DLL (Dynamically Link Library) is an executable file that permits programs to share code to perform one or more predefined functions. A DLL file can be used by several programs at the same time. The benefit of having DLL files is that they don’t get loaded into random access memory (RAM) along with the main program, which saves up space in RAM. So instead of all the coding being built into the program, it uses a particular DLL file that, with a simple call, can execute the operation for it.

Why is it important to remove malicious DLLs?

Most DLL files are essential for the running of your programs but there are other malicious programs, such as browser hijackers and browser plugins, that are usually made up of DLL files that can alter your system settings to allow attackers gain access on your computer.

If you’re really serious about removing unwanted DLL files, make sure you use Windows Add/Remove programs first (how to use Add/Remove programs). Most applications come with an uninstall program that will remove the unwanted DLL files. But be aware the uninstall utility will assume that certain files are shared and it will have no way of knowing which other programs use them or whether these programs are present on your machine. This results in DLLs being left behind that can recreate the malicious program on reboot.

To remove a specific DLL, you should use Regsvr32 (Regsvr32.exe) to register and unregister DLL files which is already built in your Windows operation system’s package. There are plenty of other programs available that can help you identify and remove unwanted DLLs, but Regsvr32 is the most common.

Learn how to remove spyware DLL files from your computer.

Unregister Spyware DLL Files Manually

Warning: Unregistering spyware DLL files is difficult and risky. If you unregister the wrong DLL file, your computer may crash and important data may be lost. As a precautionary measure, please back up important files and set a System Restore point (click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore, and follow the on-screen instructions) or run a spyware check with a trusted anti-spyware program to automatically detect spyware.

To start unregistering DLL files, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt window
   Press the “Start” button on your taskbar and click on “Run” to start the “Run” tool. In the field, type “cmd” and press the “OK” button.

   

2. Locate the DLL file
   After opening the Command Prompt window, locate the exact DLL path as shown on the screenshot below. Type “cd” in order to change the current directory, press the “space” button, enter the full path to the DLL file and press the “enter” button on your keyboard. If you want to display the contents of the directory, use the “dir” command.
   
   

3. Unregister the unwanted DLL
   In the directory where you want to remove the DLL, type “regsvr32 /u [DLL_NAME]“ and press the “Enter” button.
   
   

4. Unregistering succeeded
   If the DLL was unregistered successfully, a confirmation message will be displayed.

If you want to undo the removal, you can perform it by typing “regsvr32″ without the /u key, just type “regsvr32 [DLL_NAME]“ to undo the changes.

The Windows registry is a central hierarchical collection of software, hardware and user settings that are present in your machine. It is used in Microsoft Windows 9x, Windows CE, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium, Windows XP and Windows Vista. Although the Registry is common to several Windows operating systems, there are some differences among them. The registry plays a very important role in your computer’s operating system, for example, by allowing Windows to start and ensuring the stability of the entire system.

When the user makes any modifications to Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies and installed software, all these changes are reflected and stocked up in the registry. The Registry replaces most of the text-based .ini files used in Windows 3.x and MS-DOS configuration files, such as the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys.

Why is it important to remove malicious registry entries?

The majority of all hazardous parasites, especially Trojans, browser hijackers, spyware and adware threats have the ability to change the Windows registry. The malicious programs usually add various registry entries, generate new keys and modify default values. That’s why it is important to learn how to remove malicious registry entries so you can quickly detect and remove deep-seated infections. Invalid registry entries may cause a serious harm, and they may be a reason of sluggish performance of your PC as well.

Remove Spyware Registry Entries Manually

Warning: Removing spyware registry entries is difficult and risky. If you delete the wrong file, your computer may crash and important data may be lost. As a precautionary measure, please back up important files and set a System Restore point (click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore, and follow the on-screen instructions) or run a spyware check with a trusted anti-spyware program to automatically detect spyware.

Follow the steps below to manually remove registry entries:

1. To open the Registry Editor, press the “Start” button and then choose the option “Run”. In the “Open” field, type “regedit” and click the “OK” button.
   
   

2. The Registry Editor has two panes. The left pane is to navigate on certain registry keys and the right pane is to see values of selected keys.
   
   

3. To edit the value, right-click on it and select the “Modify” option.
   
   

4. You can also double-click on the value with your left mouse button. Another option is to use the “Edit” menu, where you type in the chosen value in the window and click the “OK” button. You can do the same with any other value or registry key.
   
   

5. Follow the same steps as just described to delete the value or the registry key. On this step, you will have to select the “Delete” option. If you get a list of results, you may want to plug them into the Web before you delete them, just to be sure you’re erasing malware-related keys.
   
   

6. To add a new registry key or a new value, click on the “Edit” menu. Then, select option “New” and select a type for the entry.
   
   

7. To export any key or value from the registry to the defined file, right-click on the object and select “Export” from the menu.
   
   

8. Enter a file name and save the exported registry files as a .reg extension.
   
   

9. It is also possible to import a certain value or a key. Click on the “File” menu and choose “Import”. Then, select the objects that you want to import.
   
   

10. Close the registry editor and reboot your computer. If something appears wrong after you change the registry, you can restore the registry from the backup you’ve created.

Spyware can infect your computer and compromise your privacy, security and computer performance. Spyware is constanly changing and can infect your computer without you even being aware of it. Spyware can install onto your computer and gain access to sentitive information like your passwords, credi card numbers and emails. Spyware is very difficult to detect and remove so trying to uninstall it can prove to be a huge undertaking.

If you suspect that your computer is infected with spyware, the best advice is to remove the spyware IMMEDIATELY before it exposes your computer to other unwanted programs such as adware, malware, trojans and hijackers.

Windows includes an effective search tool that may help you to find spyware files and folders on your computer. Windows File Search Tool is easy to use and navigate, giving you many options to choose according to what you want to find. You are able to choose particular areas to look on your computer that will make the searching for spyware faster.

Learn how to find unwanted spyware programs from your computer with Windows File Search Tool.

Find Spyware Programs Manually

Warning: Manually searching for files of a spyware program is a difficult and risky. If you delete the wrong file, your computer may crash and important data may be lost. As precautionary measure, please back up important files and set a System Restore point (click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore, and follow the on-screen instructions) or run a spyware check with a trusted anti-spyware program to automatically detect spyware.

Follow the steps below to search for spyware files or folders.

1. Click the “Start” button and then select the “Search” option.
   
   

2. The Search window will be launched. On the left side of the “Search” window, you will see a separate section which is called the “Search Companion”.
   
   
3. If you want to perform the search for all available computer files and folders, click on “All Files or Folders”.
   
   

4. You have several preferences under “All Files or Folders”. For example, you are able to search for files or folders according to their name, a separate word or phrase in the file, the drive where the file is placed, or any combination of the three.
   
   

5. “Search Companion” is designed to look through your hard drive. If you want to search in a different location, click on the down arrow below the “Look in” section. This action will show you the variety of folders, and disks where you can perform your search. Click on the drive, folder, or disk you wish to perform a search. For better results, it is recommended that you select “Look in: Local Hard Drives” or “Look in: My Computer”.
   
   

6. If you want to perform a more sophisticated search, go to the “More Advanced Options” section.
   
   

7. If you know the exact type of file that you are looking for, click the down arrow under “Type of File”. This action will display a list of all available files. To choose the preffered type, use your scroll button and search for the type of file you are looking for and click the file type.
   
   

8. Click on the “Search” button to start the search. You will be able to see a summary of your search criteria as Windows looks for your parasite file(s).
   
   

9. When your search finishes, you will see all of the files that are related to the parasite. The results will be seen on the right side of the “Search” window.
   
   

10. Right-click on the files that you want to delete and select “Delete”. Otherwise, you can select the files and press the “Delete” button on your keyboard.
    
    

Every program has its own executable code (for example, the .exe file). A process (or task) is a program that is being executed. When you start a program, the executable code will load into the computer’s memory. This code is the process. If a process is closed or terminated, the resources used by that program will not run. To see all the processes running on your computer, you can use the Windows Task Manager, a built-in Windows utility.

The Windows Task Manager allows you to terminate almost all processes, however, there are some programs that have invisible processes running in the background and can remain on your computer without you knowing its exact location.

Why is it important to remove malicious processes?

Even though some processes are legitimate, there are other processes that come from malicious applications such as spyware, adware, trojans, malware, worms, and rootkits. It’s reported that malicious applications may run on your computer without your knowledge or consent. These malicious applications can infect your computer and compromise your privacy, security and computer performance. That’s why it is important to learn how to kill malicious processes.

The first step is to evaluate every process running on your computer to determine whether any of them is a piece of spyware. The obvious choice is to look for a process that is either out of place, does not belong to a program you remember installing or is behaving odly. In the case of an extreme malware infection, you may not be able to kill the offending program with the Task Manager and instead might get an “Access denied” error. In a case like this, an anti-spyware program might be the best approach to solve your computer’s security problem.

The instructions on how to get started depends on what Windows version you have. Learn how to remove kill spyware process from your computer.

Kill Spyware Processes Manually

Warning: Stopping system processes is a difficult and risky. If you delete the wrong file, your computer may crash and important data may be lost. As a precautionary measure, please back up important files and set a System Restore point (click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore, and follow the on-screen instructions) or run a spyware check with a trusted anti-spyware program to automatically detect spyware.

You can kill spyware proccesses in two ways:

Method A: Using the Windows Task Manager. (Recommended)

Method B: Using PsKill through the Command Prompt window.

Method A: Using Windows Task Manager to Kill a Process

Follow the steps below to manually kill a process with the Windows Task Manager:

1. Start Windows Task Manager
   To open the Windows Task Manager, use the combination of CTRL+ALT+DEL or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC. You can also press the “Start” button, select the “Run” option, type “taskmgr” in the blank field and then press the “OK” button.

   

2. Find and Kill Spyware Processes
   In the Windows Task Manager, select the “Processes” section to see all active tasks. Find the proccess by name. To make it easier, select the “Image Name” button to list tasks by name.

   Use the list of process files associated with the spyware you know or suspect your computer has been infected with. You can find a list of processes by going to our spyware database and selecting the parasite you’re interested in. If there’s a process that you don’t recognize, copy the process and search on google.

   Select the process you want to kill and click on the “End Process” button to kill it.

   

Method B: Using PsKill through the Command Prompt Window to Kill a Process

In some cases, a parasite may disable your Windows Task Manager so instead you can use “pslist” and “pskill” (a third party application by Mark Russinovich) to list and kill the unwanted proccesses.

Follow the steps below to manually search and kill the spyware processes with PsKill:

1. Open the Command Prompt window
   Press the “Start” button on your Taskbar and select the “Run” option. Type “cmd” in the field and then press the “OK” button.

   

2. Search the unwanted process
   When the Command Prompt window is opened, type the command “pslist” and press “Enter” to search processes from the list of running programs.

   

3. Kill the unwanted process
   Once you know the name of the process you want to kill, type the command “pskill [PROCESS_NAME]“ and press “Enter” to terminate the unwanted process. For example, if you wanted to kill SpyLocked (a rogue anti-spyware program), you would type pskill spy-locked.exe.

   

4. If the process was terminated successfully, a confirmation message will be displayed.