If your serial number/registration key/activation code has been lost, there is a
quick and easy way to get it back.
1. Log in to the Support center: http://www.lavasoft.com/support/supportcenter/
2. In the left menu, under 'Support Center', select 'Your Licenses'.
3. Here you will find your license info. Below your license you can find a letter
icon: 'E-mail Serial Number' and clicking it will automatically send an email with
the serial number to your registered email address.
Note: the 'E-mail Serial Number' notification email
may be filtered as spam. Please, check your spambox/ junkmail
Ad-Aware 8.1 and higher supports Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit)
Ad-Aware Total Security supports Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit)
Ad-Aware Game Edition supports Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit)
Yes, but only if you have a multi-seat license or separate licenses and serial numbers
for each computer.
A license is valid for one computer only (unless you have chosen to purchase a multi-seat
license). If you would like to migrate your license from one computer to another,
please contact our Support Team.
If you follow the link below you will be able to buy a "Multipack" containing 3
or 5 licenses:
http://lavasoft.com/store/special_offers.php
THE AD-AWARE ARCHITECTURE Ad-Aware consists of two main parts, the Service and the
Graphical User Interface (GUI).
The GUI is the part of the program a user sees and needs in order to interact with
the program itself; it contains menus, buttons and other controls that are necessary
for a user to run the program. User action is passed from the GUI down to the Service,
which contains the core functionality of the program.
The Service executes the action, and then reports the results back to the GUI, where
it is presented to the user. What Is a Service? Services are Windows applications
that are launched at system startup and then run in the background, not visible
to the user.
What is the Benefit of a Service-Based Approach to Malware Removal? Malware that
emerges today is increasingly complex, displaying wildly varying behavior and operating
on many levels in the system. In order to stay a step ahead of these ever-changing
security threats, an anti-spyware tool needs to be more powerful, multi-faceted
and flexible than ever before.
The implementation of Ad-Aware as a Service facilitates this needed power and flexibility
since a service runs with elevated rights on the system. This means that the user
can work in user-mode while the Service maintains the elevated rights it needs in
order to properly detect and remove malware infections.
How Does This Affect Resource Use? During a scan, the CPU use of the Service will
vary parts of the scan are labor-intensive and require a lot of processing power,
which can make the computer's performance sluggish. Other parts require less computing
power and have little impact on the overall performance of the system. When the
service is idle, virtually no CPU power is required, making the impact on system
performance negligible.
As for memory use, the service does require a bit of memory, most of which is needed
for storing the threats in the Detection Database. It is important to note, however,
that when the Service is not in use, the lion's share of this memory is paged to
the Swap file. In non-technical terms, this means that the hard drive is used to
store data that is not currently in use, and then retrieves the data when needed,
which makes the actual working memory (RAM) available for other applications.
Lavasoft ThreatWork is a feature of Ad-Aware that allows you to submit suspicious
files for analysis via ThreatWork, an alliance of global anti-spyware security volunteers
actively fighting online threats. After a scan, you can use ThreatWork to submit
detected suspicious files directly to Lavasoft research analysts for an in-depth
evaluation of a possible threat. After scanning using behavioral "Heuristics", the
ThreatWork dialogue window will appear if an object selected for removal is not
in Lavasoft?s Detection Database.
To submit a file via ThreatWork, in the ThreatWork dialogue window, select a suspicious
file and select 'Submit'. You can also submit files via ThreatWork using drag and
drop functionality. To submit a file, open ThreatWork through:
Ad-Aware (8.1, Anniversary Edition and
later):
Ad-Aware's System Tray icon or from the Start menu / All programs / Ad-Aware / Toolbox
/ ThreatWork.
Ad-Aware 2008:
Start menu / All programs / Ad-Aware / ThreatWork.
From the ThreatWork window, you can submit files by either dragging and dropping
files for submission; or by selecting items using the 'Add' button.
TrackSweep is a privacy tool that allows you to remove traces of
your Internet browsing from your system.
Check the options of your choice (see below), and click the 'Clean' button to clean
your system.
You can choose to clean the following areas:
Cache: Clears your browser cache, or Temporary Internet Files
Cookies: Clears browser cookies, i.e. data that a website saves on your computer's
hard drive and retrieves when you revisit the site
History: Clears your full history of visited websites
Last typed URLs: Clears the list of last accessed URLs from the web browser address
bar
Browser tabs: If you use tabbed browsing, your browser tabs will be cleared.
Normally a problem updating Ad-Aware is caused by a temporary problem with your
computer or an internet connection issue that will resolve "by itself".
If the update does not work after mutiple attempts at different times or the
issue does not seem to resolve by itself, please read the following:
First of all, ensure you are using Ad-Aware version 8.1 or higher.
You can check this by clicking the "About" at the bottom right of the Ad-Aware mainscreen.
Ensure you have an active internet connection
Configure your firewall or any other security programs to allow
Ad-Aware (aawservice.exe) network access. If necessary, you can temporarily turn
off your firewall, but be sure to turn it on again after you have updated the Definitions
File.
1. Open the Ad-Aware main screen
2. Click the 'Web Update' button to connect to the update server and download the
latest software and definitions updates.
(if you're experiencing a 'connection error' when clicking web-update, click here.)
3. When the update is complete, click 'Ok'.
If you are operating behind a proxy server, you will need to have
your proxy server settings correctly configured in order to perform updates.
Go to Settings -> Updates and click proxy settings.
Tick the box beside "Enable Proxy", enter your proxy server address (in the format,
proxyname:portnumber ) your username and password and click 'Ok'.
You can also manually download and update the definitions file.
1. Download from http://download.lavasoft.com/public/core.aawdef.zip
2. Extract the file (core.aawdef) directly to the Ad-Aware folder, either:
XP:
* C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\Defs
Vista:
* C:\Program Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\Defs
(note: You can also go to, update->settings and click 'import' browse to where
you have saved (core.aawdef), select this file then click 'open' and 'ok'.)
3. Close and restart Ad-Aware from the System Tray icon.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE - Ad-Aware PRO
1. Start Ad-Aware and then open the registration window by clicking the Register
button at the bottom of the Ad-Aware main screen
2. Enter your Serial Number
3. Click 'Register'
Ad-Aware will connect to the Internet to validate your registration
"Thank you for registering Ad-Aware" will appear once successful, Click OK
5. Restart Ad-Aware to activate the Pro version of Ad-Aware. To find your license
information click on the Manage License button on the main status screen.
Note: Make sure that you have configured your firewall or any other security programs
to allow Ad-Aware network access. If necessary, you can temporarily turn off your
firewall, but be sure to turn it on again after you have completed the registration
procedure.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE- Ad-Aware Total Security
Please read the following if you did not perform a software update after initial
installation which prompts for activation ("Register with server...") or if you
are using Total Secuirty on a new computer, or if you have re-installed the software/
you are experiencing an error logging on to the update server.
To automatically get your username and password (Access Data) for the first time
you need to register Total Security using your serial number. Your access data is
then generated in the software and a copy sent to your registered e-mail address
for future use.
To register Total Security using your serial number, please complete the following:
- 1. Click the Updates button In the Total Security main interface. A window will
now appear requesting the Access Data for Internet updates.
- 2. Click the "Register
with server..." button. A new window will open
- 3. Enter your registration number (serial number) which you received with your purchase,
then fill in your customer data (name etc.).
- 4. Click the Login button to register. The Access Data will be generated on the
Lavasoft Update Server.
- 5. When the registration is successful, an information screen appears, click OK.
- The Access Data will be entered and saved for future updates automatically and the
update will start.
To stay protected you need to keep Ad-Aware Total Security up to date. To do so,
you need to connect to our update server and get the Internet updates.
Upgrading your software to the latest version
If Ad-Aware has been activated previously, you won't have to register your serial
number again when installing a newer version of Ad-Aware on the same computer.
When installing Ad-Aware, any previous version on the computer will be uninstalled
and the license will be transfered to the new software version.
The scan log file is a detailed information log about the scan.There are two ways
to create a scan log file.
From the Main Status screen click 'Statistics' and select the scan which you
require the log file for from the scan statistics drop down menu.
Click on the "Export Scan Log" and save the scan log file as a text file to your
computer.
Or-
After a scan is completed on the 'Scan Summary Screen',
Click on the "Export Scan Log" and save the scan log file as a text file to your
computer.
With Ad-Watch Live! turned on you will be notified when a change is being made to
a protected area of your computer.
You can choose to allow or block the event as required.
If you received a warning while installing a valid update or printer driver for
example (or other software) and mistakenly chose to block it, you will need to change
Ad-Watch's rules to allow the event.
To change or remove an Ad-Watch rule complete the following:
1. Click on the Ad-Watch icon in the Ad-Aware main screen
2. Under the Ad-Watch Module for Processes, Registry or Network, click Edit Rules
3. Find/ select the rule you want to change from the list and click on the drop
down menu arrow on the right, change the action as required (i.e. Allow)
4. Click save, Ad-Watch will remember the setting.
Detected objects are listed by family and are given a pre-selected SmartSet
recommendation defined by Lavasoft experts. Lavasoft SmartSet makes scanning
and cleaning as easy as possible by providing automatically configured settings
for scans, and by providing recommended actions for found objects.
When the Ad-Aware Tray icon has an exclamation mark over it, this means that an
Ad-Watch update has being downloaded but the computer has not being restarted for
Ad-Watch to be fully updated.
Restart your computer to complete the update
(Important: Please make sure to install the correct driver for the operating system
you are using!)
For a 32bit operating system.
Go to, (the default installed location)
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\drivers\32
Right click on the 'lbd.inf' file and choose install, reboot the computer.
For a 64bit operating system.
Go to, (the default installed location)
C:\Program Files(x86)\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\drivers\64
Right click on the 'lbd.inf' file and choose install, reboot the computer.
After a scan is finished the 'Scan Results' screen is shown, detected objects are
listed by family and are given a pre-selected Lavasoft 'recommended action' defined
by Lavasoft experts.
The infection type, total number of objects, their TAI rating and the action to
perform are also shown.
To change an Action click on the drop-down menu under the Action heading.
The following actions are available.
Custom: You can change the Action by clicking on "Custom Action"
or by clicking on the description menu at the end of that particular Family.
Remove all: Delete all objects for a particular family from your
system.
Quarantine all: Add all objects for a particular family to Quarantine;
isolate and back-up the object in quarantine, where it does not pose a threat to
your system.
Add To Ignore List: Add the object to the Ignore List; keep the
item on your system and make sure it is not detected in future scans.
Allow all Once: Allow the objects for a particular family to stay
on the system. During the next scan, the objects will be detected again.
Repair all: Ad-Aware will attempt to repair all objects for a particular
family.
Note: Selected action for a particular family will be applied only to objects that
selected action can be applied to.
To change an Action for single detected object from the recommended action, choose
custom and select one of the following custom actions.
Quarantine: Add the object to Quarantine; isolate and back-up the
object in quarantine, where it does not pose a threat to your system.
Remove: Delete the object from your system.
Add To Ignore: Add the object to the Ignore List; keep the item
on your system and make sure it is not detected in future scans.
Allow Once: Allow the object to stay on the system. During the
next scan, the object will be detected again.
Repair: Repair detected object (available only for specific objects).
Select the required action for each object from the drop-down menu and then click
"Perform Actions Now".
Ad-Aware will apply the required action for each detected object and present you
with the "Scan Summary? screen.
An Ad-Aware background scan is designed not to slow down your computer
during scanning.
A background scan will only use available resources while you are using other applications.
If there are a lot of applications running (less resources available), the background
scan will take longer depending on your computer's capabilities.
Once you have closed other applications, scanning will run at full speed.
The latest version of Ad-Aware is Ad-Aware, available
here
If you are online behind a proxy server, you will need to have your proxy server
settings correctly configured to update Ad-Aware.
Go to Settings -> Updates and click proxy settings.
Tick the box beside "Enable Proxy"
Enter your proxy server address (in the format, proxyaddress:portnumber ), your
username and password and click 'Ok'
You can download Ad-Aware 8.2 Free at www.download.com
If you have a valid license for
Plus/Pro versions, when you install this latest version your license will be automatically
transfered to Ad-Aware 8.2 during installation.
Simply click on the 'update now' button and download the latest Ad-Aware installation
file (Ad-AwareInstallation.exe).
The link will redirect to the Ad-Aware Free page on Download.com.
Note: The installation file for Ad-Aware Free
(Ad-AwareInstallation.exe) is the same as
for Plus and Pro.
Installation instructions:
Once downloaded double-click the Ad-AwareInstallation.exe file and follow the on-screen
instructions in the Installation Wizard to install. Ad-Aware anniversary edition
will be uninstalled during installation of Ad-Aware.
Your computer must be restarted to complete the installation. Click the option to
"Restart now." Click "Finish" to complete the installation process
The program will download any available updates.
Your computer will then restart and Latest version of Ad-Aware (Ad-Aware 8.2) will
be completely installed.
Please Note: Your license will
be transfered to this latest version on installation.
Alternative download locations:
Download the Ad-Aware Installation file: (Ad-AwareInstallation.exe) from the link
sent to you via email shortly after your purchase had been processed.
Log-in to the support center and download a new copy of Ad-Aware (click) here,
from the link in the 'My Downloads' section.
Ad-Aware Free users can download Ad-Aware at
www.download.com
If you are a Pro or Total Security license holder:
Log-in to the support center and download the latest version of Ad-Aware (click)
here, from the link in the 'My Downloads' section.
You can otherwise download the software installation file from the link sent to
you via email shortly after your purchase had been processed.
Ad-Aware 8.1 (and higher)and Game Edition have two modes, Simple and Advanced Mode.
Ad-Aware 8.1 (and higher)-
To access the settings first change from Simple to Advanced mode, by clicking the
icon at the bottom left of the screen.
In Advanced mode click the 'settings' button to customize all the settings.
In Game Edition, Advanced Mode is turned on as default
Do Not Disturb Mode is a feature of Ad-Aware Pro. It is a non-intrusive,
resource efficient mode designed to be used whenever you are using entertainment
applications (e.g. games, movies) and do not want to be disturbed by notifications.
Choose this option (In Advanced mode go to Settings > Customize > Click Do
Not Disturb ). To suppress notifications automatically. Scheduled scans
and scheduled updates will be suspended. An Ad-Aware notification window (Events
During Do Not Disturb Mode) will appear if events are detected while in Do Not Disturb
Mode.
Ad-Aware Game Edition starts in Advanced mode, whereas Ad-Aware 8.1 starts in Simple
mode as default.
Game Edition includes "Game Mode" (the same as "Do Not Disturb Mode" found in Ad-Aware
Pro) to free up system resources for other tasks such as games.
There are two unique skins in the Game edition:
"Game" skin:
"Fantasy" skin:
Ad-Aware 8.1 has a different set of skins.
The "Toolbox" features found in versions of Ad-Aware 8.1 are not included in Game
edition.
Changing the skin in Ad-Aware will not affect the functionlity of the software.
Switching to a different skin will just change the graphical features like buttons
and colours and the general appearance.
The skin setting can be accessed in "Advanced mode", via the "Settings" button and
clicking on the "Customize" tab. Select your skin from the drop down menu list.
The latest version of Ad-Aware is 9.x
It's easy to upgrade. If you have the Ad-Aware 8.x version installed, a splash screen
will be opened when you start Ad-Aware. Click "Update now" to start the process.
Once the update has started, the latest software version will be automatically downloaded
and updated. The Ad-Aware interface, tray icon and update manager will close during
the process to apply all updates and reinitiate its services. Please be patient
since this may take a few minutes. At the end of the process Ad-Aware will restart.
Other download options:
You can also download the latest version and install it directly. The installation
file is available here
or by logging in to the Lavasoft Support Center. Download and run the installation
file to upgrade Ad-Aware to the latest version.
Note: The installation file for
Ad-Aware (Ad-Aware90Install.exe) is the same for Free and
Pro.
This is the main Ad-Aware service that runs in the background, and is considered
the "central hub" of the program. It runs the Real-time Protection (RP) engine,
as well as maintaining the Definitions, Whitelists and Blacklists.
It also makes sure that all the other parts of the system are kept up-to-date with
the whole Ad-Aware application. For example, when a user changes a setting in the
Ad-Aware interface, AAWService "echoes" this change to everything else so they know
about it immediately.
AAWService.exe normally runs as a Windows Service (but can be run interactively
in a terminal for development or Support reasons). When started, it also starts
the Tray Application for Ad-Aware.
AAWTray.exe maintains that little icon that sits in the System Tray close to the
Windows Clock.
However, it does a lot more than this. It is also responsible for bringing up the
MiniMessages and shows the status of the Ad-Watch Live! system by changing what
the icon looks like.
The user can also start the Ad-Aware interface from the Tray application by double
clicking the icon.
This is the front-end for the Ad-Aware system. Ad-Aware.exe manages all the interface
features that you see when working with Ad-Aware; It provides the user interaction
with the Service.
In the background it is communicating with AAWService.exe, asking it to perform
tasks like Scan the system, change settings, etc.
In return, AAWService keeps the GUI up to date with the latest Real-time Protection
status, license information, scan progress, statistics and so forth.
Lavasoft has discontinued the Plus version of Ad-Aware. If you hold a plus
license you can upgrade from Ad-Aware Plus to the higher protection of Ad-Aware
Pro free of charge.
The Pro version of Ad-Aware has all of the features found in Plus but also offers
Ad-Watch Live! Expert, the Lavasoft Toolbox, advanced rootkit removal, Do Not Disturb
Mode, and network drive scanning.
The Plus software will be upgraded to Pro when you run an Ad-Aware web-update.
If you are experiencing a problem upgrading your Plus version to Pro, you can download
the latest installer for Ad-Aware from the Support Center from the 'My Downloads'
section and use that to install the Pro version:
http://www.lavasoft.com/support/supportcenter/
Ad-Aware Free Internet Security now includes anti-virus: complete malware protection
that now combines Lavasoft's pioneer technology for anti-spyware with traditional
anti-virus protection.
With the addition of anti-virus, Ad-Aware Free is not be just a complimentary security
tool - it can be used as a complete malware solution to protect your system from
spyware and viruses (as well as rootkits, blended malware, and other online security
threats.)
You have the option to "turn off" the anti-virus detection if necessary
There is always a chance of compatibility issues when running concurrent security
software. It is not recommended that you run more than one anti-virus product on
a computer at the same time.
Ad-Aware will disable File-Protection if you already have software installed that
is doing a similar job, this is in order to avoid conflicts.
Turning on File protection after Ad-Aware has disabled it may result in a problem
which Ad-Aware has tried to avoid by initially disabling the File-Protection module.
You can 'reset' your Ad-Aware serial number for a new computer or a new installation
as follows:
- Log-in to your Support Center account here (top left menu)
- Go to My Licenses section
- Expand your license and click the 'reset serial' button
- Please allow our server some moments to reset the serial in the background
- Once the serial is 'reset' you will be able to reactivate Ad-Aware on the new PC