Anti-spyware software vendors are generally out for your best interests. Its when they decide what is and isn’t spyware is when your fate is sealed. Luckily, Computer Associates PestPatrol decided in favor of the customer, and
*****WARNING – THIS IS A PRODUCT PLUG (BUT IT ISN’T BULLSHIT)*****
I have generally found PestPatrol works pretty well on my Windows platform (although I use that platform less and less nowadays). It installs easily, and keeps Windows free of cookies, adware, and other web bugs in real time, from registries, the disk, and memory. It is a fairly cheap and easy way to keep your Windows box relatively spy free.