Could someone reccommend a spyware/adware removal program

[framheim]

preferably a free one.

i seem to be infested with adware.

ta

[Stu73]

preferably a free one.

i seem to be invested with adware.

ta

You could try spybot and ad-aware.

A combination of both of them might sort you out (and they're free).

[spellchecker]

for one-off spyware removals without installing anything, use hijackthis:

http://tomcoyote.org/hjt

[framheim]

thanks guys, i'm running adaware now and it's coming up with a frankly alarming amount of critical objects. what's the point in having a firewall and norton if they don't stop any of these things? *sigh* internet sucks.

[spellchecker]

thanks guys' date=' i'm running adaware now and it's coming up with a frankly alarming amount of critical objects. what's the point in having a firewall and norton if they don't stop any of these things? *sigh* internet sucks.[/quote']

spyware fits nicely in between the lines of all those things you mentioned. firewalls keep out unwanted network traffic by the rules you specify. however, you do actually want web traffic otherwise you couldn't browse sites. that is the first exception that allows spyware and adware through.

secondly, most spyware and adware is not technically a virus nor a trojan horse, and as such antivirus firms are on dubious legal grounds removing it automatically in their software - because apparently, such spyware and adware constitutes "legitimate" and "non malicious" software.

you can do yourself a favour by:

1. turning off the messenger service in Windows XP (not MSN Messenger)

2. Run an alternative browser to IE (e.g. Firefox, Opera, Mozilla)

[framheim]

which messenger service is that then? where might i find it to turn it off?

[spellchecker]

1. Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

2. Double click on the service called "Messenger"

3. Ensure the service is stopped by clicking "Stop"

4. Disable for future use by changing the "Startup Type" combo to "Disabled"

[Alkaline]

1. Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

2. Double click on the service called "Messenger"

3. Ensure the service is stopped by clicking "Stop"

4. Disable for future use by changing the "Startup Type" combo to "Disabled"

Excuse me for being ignorant, but i'm not really up on computer knowledge, but what does doing that actually do in terms of blocking adware or spyware. I wouldn't mind a detailed description...

[spellchecker]

Excuse me for being ignorant' date=' but i'm not really up on computer knowledge, but what does doing that actually do in terms of blocking adware or spyware. I wouldn't mind a detailed description...[/quote']

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/learnmore/stopspam.mspx

[framheim]

1. Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

2. Double click on the service called "Messenger"

3. Ensure the service is stopped by clicking "Stop"

4. Disable for future use by changing the "Startup Type" combo to "Disabled"

just checked and it was already disabled. hurrah.

[Alkaline]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/learnmore/stopspam.mspx

Cheers

[Asm0dai]

One of the simplest things you can do is run the windows update once a month as well, most people I know turn off the automatic updates (which isn't a bad idea, as it is slightly anoying) but then they forget to do a manual update. Microsoft release new patches to solve the latest security problems on the second Tuesday of every month (April 11th being the next one).

oh and stay off the dodgy porn sites!