Language Selection

The first step, once you’ve triggered the AVG Anti-Spyware installation, is to select the language. English is the default.

The Anti-Spyware 7.5 Wizard

Grisoft leverages the AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5 Wizard to install the application.

Software License Agreement

You must accept Grisoft’s Software License Agreement to proceed.

Startmenu Folder

As is customary, AVG creates a start menu folder for Anti-Spyware 7.5.

Completion Confirmation

Once the installation is complete, the setup wizard displays this confirmation screen. To run AVG Anti-Spyware for the first time, leave the checkbox checked and click Finish.

The AVG Anti-Spyware Status Menu

The Status menu is the main application page. From this main window administrators can trigger scans, view active status and review the number of signatures that have been downloaded, as well as the number of infections that have been detected to date.

License Validation

By default, most of AVG Anti-Spyware’s most important features only work for 30 days. You must purchase a license, and enter the license code, to continue utilizing the application.

Clicking Enter License Code from the Status page opens this dialog box. Once a valid license code is supplied, the user will receive premium support and premium updates.

Tracking Updates

Once you’ve updated AVG Anti-Spyware with the new spyware signatures, the application updates its Status page. Here you can see updates have been performed but no system scan has yet been run.

Update Menu

By default, AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5 is programmed to automatically download and install updates. You can force an update, or change the default settings, from the Update menu, shown here.

The Scanner Menu

Clicking the Scanner icon leads to the Scanner page. Four default scan settings are immediately available: a complete system scan, a fast system scan (of the memory, registry, Windows directory and cookie folder only), a Windows registry-only scan and just a memory scan. Or, administrators can elect to perform a custom scan.

Custom Scan

Among the custom scan settings that can be set are searches for adware, tracking cookies, riskware, dialer programs and more.

Scan In Progress

Here’s an AVG Anti-Spyware scan in progress. As the application scans a system, it tracks the number of scanned objects, the number of infected objects (which are listed in the Result-Preview window) and more.

Scan Results

Once a scan is complete, and the Apply All Actions button has been selected, AVG Anti-Spyware provides this confirmation screen. In addition to confirming all actions were applied, the window lists the results of actions taken for each threat.

Analysis Simplifies Troubleshooting

AVG Anti-Spyware includes an Analysis tool to help track and identify particularly problematic spyware. In addition to identifying a system’s active processes, the utility can track connections, items that load at startup, browser plug-ins and layered service providers.

AVG's Antispy Feature

AVG Anti-Spyware includes an Antispy tool that can be used to disable Microsoft and Windows error reporting, Media Player features and other components. Simple checkboxes enable an administrator to turn such features on and off easily, thereby gaining more control of the information and activity a system reports to third-parties.

Resident Shield

AVG’s active antispyware agent is called Resident Shield. Using the Shield icon found on the toolbar, administrators can access and change Resident Shield settings.

For example, in addition to turning on/off Resident Shield active protection, the page can be used to scan files on execution and search memory when applications start up.

AVG's Shredder

AVG also includes a Shredder utility, reached from the Tools menu, that can be used to securely delete files and information. Using the application’s Paranoid mode, files are overwritten 10 times to ensure the file’s data is unrecoverable.