Spyware is nothing short of a pain because of the problems it causes. Whether you have slow computer problems, your PC is crashing or freezing, you have annoying pop-ups that will not go away, or you are being directed to websites that are not exactly tasteful, these are all symptoms showing that a good XP spyware remover may help.

It is always difficult as a consumer because it is hard to know which products to trust. The good news is that there are plenty of good software programs that can do the job for you. As long as you get a couple key features in the software, you can relax and let the software do its job.

What are the Four Key Features in the Best XP Spyware Remover Products?

Feature One: Easy to Download and Use

You can purchase the best software in the world but if you need to take a college course to use it, the product is worthless. Luckily many of the best products are extremely easy to use and have a logical flow to the interface.

Make sure that the user interface has option buttons that have an explanation of what they do and why. Sometimes you have to click on that option button and it will take you to another screen that will explain the feature in detail.

Feature Two: The Features Themselves

Some features to look for are automatic or manual file backup, scheduler options for scan frequency, an ignore list for files that you do not want touched, and tons of scan options. Some scan options should include spyware, adware, malware, keyloggers, worms, pop-up generators, Trojans, and general infections. Many also do a base scan of dangerous registry files.

Feature Three: Solid Help Files and Customer Support

This could be a non-issue for you since the best XP spyware remover software programs are simple and straight-forward. Still, it is good to have at least some solid and easy to understand help files attached to the software. Most will take you to an online url to get the help needed (which is common).

If you are a stickler for solid customer support, one thing you can do is send an email to the company and see how long it takes them to get back to you. Evaluate the speed of a return message and how professional and helpful they are. I do this for high end products all the time. I am not as concerned with software as long as the help files will answer my questions, unless if I am rating the company for a review.

Feature Four: Software Effectiveness

Simply put, if the XP spyware remover does not remove spyware and other threats, the product is a complete waste. Some products out there (highly publicized) create False Positives. In other words, the products detect problems on your PC that do not exist. Be sure to do your research before committing to such a product.

The most important concern is ridding of severe level threats and not just harmless cookies. A good XP spyware remover will find and remove such threats on the first scan and repair round. It starts with the software having a large definitions database which matches threats to solutions files in the database to detect and remove spyware and other threats.

Be sure to use the free scan feature before just purchasing software. If some severe level threats are detected it may be a good idea to purchase the repair function (full version) to remove the problems. It is always good to keep good spyware, Windows registry software, and a general virus scan on your computer year round. Just like putting oil in a car, computers need maintenance too.

The best XP spyware remover tools should only take 10-15 minutes for the entire download, scan, and repair process.