Should everything that Ad-aware finds be deleted?

I've noticed that when I've done Ad-aware scans in the past that it finds things in programs such as Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player. I usually quarintine these things, not delete them, because I don't know what they are. Once when I deleted something that Ad-aware found in Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer didn't work properly after.

I understand how Ad-aware works and what it does, it's just that when it shows you the security risks it finds I don't know what to do with them. It doesn't say anything like "trojan found, delete it"or "have found files that you need to delete". It just shows what it's found and asks if you want to delete it, quarintine it or ignore it.

That's another thing. Should I ignore some things that Ad-aware finds? Are some things it finds supposed to be there? Should I always delete everything it finds or what?

 

Well... I don't know if Ad-Aware would include things that are vital to programs and their operations, but I do know that some things that Ad-Aware finds aren't of any serious threat. Such as, if you have a lot of cookies in your User profile, it would find these and consider them as privacy invasion or whatever you'd like to call it. Some cookies are somewhat dangerous, as they contain information such as passwords to your e-mail address if you have them set to be remembered. But most cookies are just to maintain personal preference, like the way you have a certain web page set up to load or hold information such as login name and things of that nature.

As far as I know, Ad-Aware shouldn't be finding files that are crutial to the operation of any programs, but that's just based on my use of Ad-Aware. I wouldn't rule out the possibility, and to be honest, I'm not sure the answer to your question. I'd look into the issue by visiting the web site, and searching for any answers they may have.

 

I've always deleted EVERYTHING found by Adaware and have never had any trouble with programs not functioning. If it shows up on the list then begone with it.

 

Same goes here. AdAware Pro6, Spybot and SpySweeper. Everything goes, nothing comes back. No problems. Never had to restore one item and why would you?

 

Ditto, I delete the lot in adaware

 

I must have done something right before or right after using Ad-aware that caused the problem. I just used Ad-aware and deleted everything that it caught and there have been no problems.

Thanks for the help everyone.