The first time you start Spybot-S&D, it will display a Wizard, a small window helping you through the first steps. It gives you the possibility to add or remove the icons you have or haven’t created during install, for example. Let’s just say you want them and proceed to the next page.

If you are using a proxy in Internet Explorer, Spybot-S&D will show you this proxy and a button will give you the opportunity to use it for Spybot-S&D, too. If the text field is blank, you don’t need to do it, but in most cases this will show an internet address, and you should import this proxy setting.

The next page deals with updates. It is very important to keep up-to-date. Using the two buttons this page offers will do the updates for you, if you want to do it at a later point, read this.

The last page of the wizard will ask you to read the help file. The help file is always a good resource if you are unsure what to do, so please do at least read the first pages of it.
After the tutorial has finished, you may find yourself on the Settings or Update page. As the default settings are ok right now, and you’ve already updated, let’s ignore them for now and do the first scan.

The left side of the program has a navigation bar that can lead you to all functions of the program. The first section there (the top-most button) is labeled Spybot-S&D and leads you to the main page. Right now, you will see only an empty list and a toolbar at the bottom. The first button in this toolbar is named Check for problems – that is the button you’ve got to press to start the scanning. Lean back and watch the scan progress.

So now you should know about everything you’ve found. It’s time to use the Fix selected problems button.

Once you start thinking about removing the usage tracks, too, you may think that ticking all the green entries is hard work. This is for a simple reason – to force you, the newbie – to look at the results. Once you know what you are dealing with, there is a hidden Select all button available for you.