Downloading and Installing Windows Defender

Windows Defender is a free program offered by Microsoft that protects against spyware. It's one of the better programs out there, particularly because it catches spyware in real time, BEFORE it gets on your computer.

If you don't have a spyware program on your computer already, I would recommend following the steps to download this one. However, if you already SpySweeper, in particular, on your system, don't download Windows Defender. The two are not compatible.

Here are the instructions for downloading Microsoft Defender:

1. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/antispyware

2. Click on the orange "Download it Here" button.

3. Click on the Continue button in the next window.

4. On the next page, scroll down to the very bottom, where it says Try the Alternate Validation Method. Click on that link.

5. Click on Continue in the next window to run the validation tool.

6. Click OK in the box that pops up.

7. You should see a box pop up with GenuineCheck.exe. Go ahead and click on Open next to it. Click OK in a box if it pops up.

8. Copy the code that shows up in blue. Paste the code into the field below where it says Enter Your Validation Code. Next click on Validate.

9. Hopefully you'll be taken to a button where you can Download the software. Go ahead and click on the download button.

(If for some reaseon you are told you don't have a genuine copy of windows, you could either 1) have a pirated copy or 2) Microsoft could have made a mistale. In any case you can't go on if your version of windows isn't validated.

10. After you click on the Download button, click on OK in the box that pops up.

11. Minimize your browser and go to your desktop.

12. Locate the Windows Defender setup icon on your screen. Double click on it.

13. Click Next in the first box.

14. Click Validate in the second box.

15. Accept the license agreement. Then click Next.

16. In the next box, be sure to choose INSTALL DEFINITION UPDATES ONLY. Click on Next again.

(You don't want to choose the recommended settings here because you'll be giving Microsoft waayyy more information than it needs to know.)

17. Choose the Complete setup and click on Next. Click on Install to begin installing Windows Defender!

18. After it installs, make sure you check the box saying it will update definitions and run a scan. Click on Finish.

19. Wait for the program to retrieve updates. Afterward, if you don't suspect you have much spyware, you can skip the scan for now. It's up to you.