You can download a free trial version of Spyware Doctor. So, grab the trial, install and let's start the step-by-step guide!
Does Spyware Doctor conflict with other products installed on your computer?
There are no known conflicts between Spyware Doctor and other products.
We have millions of users worldwide using a broad spectrum of hardware configurations and installed software. Our quality assurance procedures and upgrade releases help to ensure that you get the best functionality out of this product.
How do I tell if my copy of Spyware Doctor has been registered?
To check the registration status of Spyware Doctor, complete the steps below:
Open Spyware Doctor.
Click on "Help" on the top-right of Spyware Doctor's screen and select "About..." from the resulting menu.
The "About" dialog box displays. If it contains information about your name and license code, then it is registered. Otherwise you will need to register to gain full functionality from your installation of Spyware Doctor.
How do I obtain the full version of Spyware Doctor and gain full functionality from the product?
After you register your trial installation of Spyware Doctor, it automatically becomes the full version, and allows you access to its full functionality.
We recommend that you immediately conduct a Live Update to obtain the latest updates for Spyware Doctor's components, thereby offering you its best protection against malware.
Please note that if you are already a registered user of Spyware Doctor when you install a new release of the program, it will be installed as the full version.
How do I manually download and install updates for Spyware Doctor?
To manually download and install updates for Spyware Doctor, complete the following:
Please ensure that your network security features are not preventing you from using Spyware Doctor's Live Update feature. You may need to temporarily disable your firewall, antivirus or other Internet monitoring software to download and install the latest updates. Your subscription will be activated from your first Live Update.
If you require manual updates for Spyware Doctor's database, click on the link below. You will need your license code in order to begin the download.
Click here to begin manually downloading the latest database.
How do I use Spyware Doctor?
To comprehensively remove malware from your computer using Spyware Doctor, first register it to obtain full functionality. Then complete the following steps:
- Open Spyware Doctor and perform a Live Update to ensure you have all the latest updates. Ensure OnGuard has been activated.
- From the Status and Summary screen, click on the Immunize Your Computer button.
- You will be taken to the Immunizer section of the OnGuard screen. Click on Immunize Now to immunize your computer, and then click on the Start Scan button on the left to display the System Scan screen.
- Select the Full System Scan radio button under the Select Scan Type section, and then click on the Start Scan button beneath this to conduct a full scan.
- If any malware infections are found, click the Check All button if you wish to remove all detected infections. Then click the Fix Checked button. If the legal notice disclaimer displays, read it and if you wish to proceed, click the Continue Removal button.
Does Spyware Doctor remove computer viruses?
Spyware Doctor has been specifically designed to detect and remove malware from your computer as well as protecting your computer against future malware infections.
While Spyware Doctor is capable of removing malware-related Trojans, it is not designed to protect your computer from the types of infections that a general anti-virus program covers.
Spyware Doctor is an excellent utility that detects and removes malware, including spyware, adware, browser hijackers, Trojans, tracking cookies, keyloggers and dialers.
How are the risk levels of infections determined in Spyware Doctor?
Individual infections in our malware database are presented with a colored bar (
), which is filled from left to right, depending on its level of risk.
Our MRC team assigns a risk level to an infection based on the following criteria:
Info (
): these have some characteristics of malware, but possess no known risks to your system. Typical characteristics could include:
- Displaying low-impact advertisements
- Partially uninstalling
Low (
): typical characteristics could include:
- Installing components without informing the user
- Returning non-sensitive data to other servers
- Displaying nuisance adverts in pop-up windows
Medium (
): these infections may cause inconvenience and may display misleading information. Typical characteristics could include:
- Presenting the user with a misleading or incomplete End User License Agreement (EULA) during installation
- Displaying aggressive advertising in multiple pop-up windows
- Pretending to uninstall
Elevated (
): these infections may interfere with the use of your system or may be capable of capturing low-risk data, for example sending web browsing habits to third-parties for targeted advertising. Typical characteristics could include:
- No EULA displayed during installation
- Displaying unsolicited advertising
- Hijacking browser search pages
High (): these infections may override user control of your system or pose high security risks such as capturing high-risk data for example, bank account details or passwords for unsolicited third-party use. Typical characteristics could include:
- Involuntary installation with no user interaction or control
- Hijacking browser home pages
- Returning sensitive data to other servers
- Automatically reinstalling itself following an uninstall
- Examples of these infections include keyloggers and dialers
How do I exclude infections from scans?
To exclude infections from detection in future scans, complete the steps below:
- Open Spyware Doctor, perform a Live Update and ensure that OnGuard has been activated.
- Run a Full Scan of your system.
- On the Infections List screen which displays upon scan completion, select the infections you want to exclude by selecting their checkboxes.
- Right-click on an infection and select "Move Checked to Ignore List" from the resulting pop-up menu.
Why does Spyware Doctor sometimes prompt me to reboot my computer when removing malware from my system?
Spyware Doctor is capable of detecting specific malware on your system, which may have actively running processes that cannot be killed without rebooting your computer.
If this occurs, Spyware Doctor will prompt you to reboot your computer.
If you have not already done so, close and save any other work that is open on your computer before clicking OK and allowing Spyware Doctor to reboot. Upon startup, Spyware Doctor will continue fully removing the malware infection from your system.
How do I restore quarantined malware infections?
To restore infections that have been quarantined, complete the following steps:
- Open Spyware Doctor.
- Click on the Status button on the left of Spyware Doctor's screen.
- Click on the "Click to View Quarantine List".
- Select the infections you want to restore in the list and then click on the Restore button.
How do I schedule a scan or Live Update in Spyware Doctor?
Spyware Doctor is capable of scheduling Full Scans, Quick Scans and Live Updates, to execute automatically at regular intervals. To schedule one of these, complete the following steps:
- Open Spyware Doctor.
- Click on the OnGuard button on the left of Spyware Doctor's screen.
- Click on Scheduler and ensure the Summary tab is in front. This tab displays information about the current schedules for the Quick Scan, Full Scan and Live Update tasks.
- To change the current schedule of a task, click on the appropriate tab at the top of the Scheduler screen, or on Settings next to the appropriate task on the Summary tab. This will take you to the relevant tab.
- The selected task's Settings tab displays. Here, you can alter the following aspects of the task's settings:
- To use a scheduled task, ensure the check box next to Activate Scheduled Full Scan/Quick Scan/Live Update is ticked.
- Under Scheduled Time, type or select the time that you wish the task to begin.
- Under Scheduled Pattern, click Daily, Weekly or Monthly to change the frequency that the task will be executed. In doing so, options on the right of this group box will change. You can alter these as follows:
- Daily -- with the Every radio button selected, you can change the daily frequency of the scheduled task. With Every weekday selected, the task will execute from Mondays through to Fridays.
- Weekly -- select the day of the week that you want the scheduled task to execute.
- Monthly -- type the date of the month that you want the scheduled task to execute.
- To unschedule a task, clear the check box next to Activate Scheduled Full Scan/Quick Scan/Live Update.
- When you have completed altering the selected task's settings, click on Apply changes.
- You are taken back to the Summary page, where you will see the updated scheduled settings for the task.
How do I switch off OnGuard activity pop-ups?
To switch off pop-ups that appear as a result of OnGuard activity, either:
- Click on the Settings button on the left of Spyware Doctor's screen, click General Settings and clear the check box next to "OnGuard tools can display popup alert window", or
- Click on any "Hide Alerts", which appears on each OnGuard pop-up notification.
Why can't I login to some web sites or pages, or remain logged in when Spyware Doctor is running?
You can set Spyware Doctor to ignore these friendly cookies, thereby allowing you to login to these sites. To do this, complete the following steps:
- Click the OnGuard button on Spyware Doctor's screen.
- Select 'Cookie Monitor' and if necessary, click the Summary tab to bring it into view.
- Click on ON next to the Auto-detection is now: to disable Cookie Monitor.
- Open your browser and access the sites which have this issue. The cookies should download and install automatically. Complete login session and close your browser.
- Run a Quick Scan in SpyWare Doctor.
- On the Scan Results screen, select the relevant cookies in the list, right-click in the list and choose 'Move to Ignore List' from the resulting pop-up menu. If you wish, you may remove other infections by clicking on Fix.
- Reactivate Cookie Monitor and ensure that OnGuard is activated to protect your system against other malicious cookies.
Does Spyware Doctor run when logged in using an account without administrator rights?
This issue only affects users of Windows 2000 and XP. It is necessary that the user be logged in with administrator rights in order to use Spyware Doctor on their Windows 2000 or XP operating system.
I am having problems with Live Update.
The problem you are experiencing is generally due to one of the following three reasons:
- No Internet connection - please ensure you are connected to the Internet when attempting to perform a Live Update.
- Firewall / Proxy Server blockage - you may need to temporarily disable your firewall or proxy server to perform Live Update, as these could interpret the Spyware Doctor's update function as a malicious process. If possible, place Spyware Doctor's 'liveupdate.exe' on your firewall or proxy server's 'Allowed Processes' list. This will allow you to run future Live Updates with your firewall or proxy server enabled.
- Virus Scanner interference - you may need to temporarily disable your virus scanner to perform a Live Update, as these could determine the download as an attempt to infect your computer with a virus. Please remember to re-enable your Virus Scanner when Live Update has completed.
How do I contact technical support for further information or to help resolve a Spyware Doctor issue?
When reporting a problem, be sure to include all supporting details so that we may better help you, such as:
- Your name and email address.
- The version of Spyware Doctor you are using. (Select "About" from the Help menu on Spyware Doctor's screen if you are not sure.)
- If you are reporting a problem, include a detailed description of the problem, including the steps taken to reproduce the problem, if possible.
- If support request it, run the Malware Detective from Tools (on the left of Spyware Doctor's screen) -> Malware Detective Wizard and follow the prompts to forward the details to support.
Norton AntiVirus? Malicious Script Detected
It has come to our attention that given certain system configurations, particular version(s) of Norton AntiVirus? may incorrectly classify the Spyware Doctor executable file (swdoctor.exe) as a "Malicious Script".
Please be assured that Spyware Doctor is NOT malicious. We have now released Live Updates that address this issue.
If you have experienced this problem, please follow the steps below:
- Open Spyware Doctor and click on "Live Update".
- Follow the prompts to allow Live Update to install Spyware Doctor updates.
Spyware Doctor will no longer be detected by Norton AntiVirus? as a Malicious Script.
McAfee VirusScan? Suspicious Script Detected or Stopped
It has come to our attention that given certain system configurations, particular version(s) of McAfee VirusScan? may incorrectly classify the Spyware Doctor executable file (swdoctor.exe) as a "Suspicious Script".
Please be assured that Spyware Doctor is NOT malicious. We have now released Live Updates that address this issue.
If you have experienced this problem, please follow the steps below:
- Open Spyware Doctor and click on "Live Update".
- Follow the prompts to allow Live Update to install Spyware Doctor updates.
Spyware Doctor will no longer be detected by McAfee VirusScan? as a Suspicious Script.
Why Spyware Doctor?
We know that among all of the technical jargon it is extremely hard to decide which application to choose in order to obtain the best Spyware protection for your personal or business computer.
If you are concerned about Spyware and other malicious threats you need to entrust your PC to a product that will protect you against threats in a real-time, with powerful Spyware scanning and timely updates so you can be always one step ahead of the latest threats.
Everyday we hear from PC users who bought an Anti-Spyware product because it was cheap, because the company promised them a "magic pill" or quite often scared them into purchase with fake Spyware warnings. Such compromise on quality can be a costly mistake, please read some of the reasons you should choose Spyware Doctor.
Key benefits of Spyware Doctor:
- Spyware Doctor has received numerous 5-star ratings from independent Windows security experts around the world.
- Spyware Doctor provides 3-way protection against spyware; real-time threat blocking, in-depth system scanning and Immunization against Spyware infections; one method by itself is not enough.
- Spyware Doctor has regularly updated scanners that are extremely fast and accurate at detecting the latest types of infections.
- Spyware Doctor provides signature database updates almost every day to capture the latest threats. You will not be waiting weeks between updates.
- Spyware Doctor will "immunize" your system against thousands of known malicious browser hijackers (BHO) and ActiveX threats.
- Spyware Doctor actively blocks threats from being installed rather than only removing them after they have installed and already caused damage.
- PC Tools and WinGuides have been recognized world leaders in Windows registry and security since 1998.
- PC Tools employs a dedicated team of security experts and malicious code researchers to update and support Spyware Doctor.
- PC Tools runs a Malware Research Center that has automated tools to constantly search the Internet for the latest threats, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Spyware Doctor protects against more than just Spyware. It takes care of Adware, Keyloggers, Malware, Trojans, Hijackers and other threats.
- Spyware Doctor does not use older out-dated anti-virus techniques. Spyware is a modern threat and requires specialized methods for detection and repair.
- Spyware Doctor can be used forever once purchased and you can renew your yearly database and upgrade subscription for 50% off the normal retail price.
- Spyware Doctor is downloaded over 500,000 per week, a testament to its popularity and recognition as a leader in Spyware protection.
- Spyware Doctor is constantly being enhanced to cater for new threats, for example it includes a Popup Blocker and phishing protection at no extra cost.
- Spyware Doctor is backed by a 30-day Money Back Guarantee from PC Tools.
Experts Opinions
CNET Networks - February 2005
"With its quick scanning and multiple tools for stopping malware before it infects your computer, Spyware Doctor is a solid spyware remover. The well-designed interface makes getting started a breeze. The program can perform a number of scans, including Quick Scan, which blazes through common trouble spots such as IE cache files. We found scan times to be faster than its competitors, with even the Full System Scan taking under five minutes on our test machine. Spyware Doctor displays scan results clearly, showing file and registry locations, threat level, and a concise description of the threat. The results seemed thorough, and Spyware Doctor had no trouble removing what it had found.
"Spyware Doctor's advanced features include real-time protection, a pop-up blocker, a browser monitor, and a scheduler ... A program such as this really needs an automatic update. We really like the spyware removal features of Spyware Doctor, and consider it one of the most effective available ..."
PC World Australia February 2005 -- Spy Infection? Call the Doc!
"Spyware Doctor is an adware and spyware removal tool more akin to a Swiss Army Knife. Yes it weeds out the likes of tracking cookies, browser hijackers, toolbar installers, key loggers and Trojans as you.d expect, but it also features real-time "On-Guard" protection. This incorporates a pop-up blocker, cookie and browser monitor, ActiveX Immunizer, Site Guard (a list of fake commerce sites) and scheduler (great for automatic scans and live definition updates). Tests on several PCs consistently had Spyware Doctor returning more results than Spybot S&D - with quicker scan times. You receive some of the best descriptions we've seen: what is found, who it's from and what it likely does to your system (ideal in deciding whether or not to delete an apparently malicious object). Navigating your way around SD couldn't be more straightforward and everything always worked as expected - although we did notice a small window size/location bug on one particular test PC with dual displays. If you're are serious about protection then yes, Spyware Doctor's speed, ease of use and extra-features are worth the nominal outlay."
Spyware Doctor freezes at 1% during scan or at "Fix Checked"
This issue is now resolved, simply carry out a Live Update to automatically download and install new versions of the database, tools and the program itself.
You can run Live Update manually by clicking "Live Update" on the top-right of Spyware Doctor's screen.
- When the Welcome to Live Update dialog appears
- Click Next > to download the list of updates
- In the list of updates select which updates to download and install and click Next >
- You will be shown the download progress with a progress bar and the update status will be displayed
- A green tick mark means the update is successfully downloaded and installed
- Make sure you restart Spyware Doctor if it does not restart automatically
If the problem persists please send an email to support@pctools.com with "Spyware Doctor Freeze Error" in the subject title.
Uninstalling Spyware Doctor
It has come to our attention that given certain system configurations, some users may have experienced difficulty in uninstalling Spyware Doctor.
If we can assist in resolving any issues or problems you are experiencing please provide us with more details and we will resolve the issue for you as quickly as possible.
If you still wish to proceed with un-installing Spyware Doctor, please see the two options available below:
Option 1:
- You will notice that Spyware Doctor places a small icon in your Task Bar (next to clock/date)
- Please right click on that icon and select Exit to ensure you have completely closed down Spyware Doctor
- Click the 'Start' button on the Task Bar, then All Programs
- Select the Spyware Doctor folder
- Click on 'Uninstall Spyware Doctor'
- Follow any prompts offered
Option 2:
- You will notice that Spyware Doctor places a small icon in your Task Bar (next to clock/date)
- Please right click on that icon and select Exit to ensure you have completely closed down Spyware Doctor
- Go to the 'Start' button on the Task Bar, then click 'Control Panel' and then 'Add/Remove Programs'
- Scroll down until you see Spyware Doctor listed, select Spyware Doctor with a single click, then click on the Remove button at the bottom right of the window
For more information about Spyware Doctor, please visit here.
