How do you get rid of adware/spyware?

[tomegun]

I got some popups that are slowing down my computer. Theyre always the same. Its making my Dsl slower than dial up. Little help....
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[guppyslayer]

i have the same problem on my home pc.(at work now) i have cable at home and it's running slowing than heck. I spent about 90 minutes online the other day searching for those free scanning programs that are available...and there are quite a few. However, something has changed in my 'internet options' that keeps giving me an "activex" failure, that i have been unable to correct.
I'm guesssing one of the files that has infected my PC is attempting to have me reduce my security settings so that it can do more damage...not sure if this makes sense.
I sure wish those people who get their jollies in this world, could find something more constructive to do with their time....other than screwing up my life and the thousands/millions of other peoples lives by creating destructive programs!!

AAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!

[southernman]

heres a great free program to get started cleaning out your system:

[url "http://www.lavasoft.de"]http://www.lavasoft.de[/url]


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[One_eyed_jack]

I use SpyBot search and destroy, it to is free.

[url "http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022-10289035.html?tag=lst-0-3"]http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022-10289035.html?tag=lst-0-3[/url]

I also use the google popup blocker. You can get that from [url "http://www.google.com"]www.google.com[/url] and going to the "more" selections and it is called the google toolbar.

Spybot has a couple items to get with it, one is a registry cleanup and the other is a snapin called teatimer. teatimer is real time monitoring snap in, this will let you know when a specific web page is trying to modify any setting, ie registry, active-x, home page, installing crap.

Good luck to you. Please note, some spyware is a sob to get rid of, run spybot "at startup" for those hard to reach spots.
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[cat_man]

I use Lavasoft's Adaware from [url "http://www.lavasoft.de"]www.lavasoft.de[/url]. It works great for me. I also use the google toolbar. It blocks 95% of all popups. I'm very pleased with it.

The only drawback to adaware is that you have to manually scan your computer every so often. To get it to automatically block the stuff from the get go you have to buy the full version, although it is pretty cheap.

I'd advise everyone to get this and install and use it even if you aren't seeing problems, because you might have spyware already installed without knowing it, and some are malicious enough to log keystrokes and can get your passwords and account info if you shop online.
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[addicted2fishin]

Spybot's search and destroy can work well in some cases. Pop-up blockers don't get rid of the program that's sitting on your computer somewhere.
However, I had Spybot and it wasn't able to permanently get rid of the one I had sitting on one of my computers. I have finally resigned to backing up only the critical info on the computer, and I'm just going to reformat the hard drive, then start over.
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[tomegun]

My computer is running alot better thank you very much. I tried spybot before, but this lavasoft ad-ware 6 is doing good so far. thx again
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[southernman]

anytime

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[southernman]

most windows computers have too much crap running at startup, things you rarely use, and even if you do, you dont need them always running in the background

here's a fantastic program where you can tweak all kinds of stuff, and keep programs from running at startup, you'll be amazed at what your machine can do when you dont have media players, old antivirus you dont use anymore, messengers, icq's , ect all starting up every time

[url "http://www.x-setup.net/product/home.asp?lang=EN"]http://www.x-setup.net/product/home.asp?lang=EN[/url]

description and download link are there

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[tomegun]

I can't find the download for x-set. I might be blind.
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[southernman]

[url "http://www.x-setup.net/downloads/home.asp?lang=EN"]http://www.x-setup.net/downloads/home.asp?lang=EN[/url]

sm
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[tomegun]

I've been to majorgeeks.com, which button am i looking for?
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[southernman]

[url "http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4083.html"]http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4083.html[/url]

click next to the us flags

[font "Arial"]Download Locations:
[/font][url "http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=4083&file=9&evp=b13c1ee2420e6267eabf743e2970f5f2"][font "Arial"][#6b5300] MajorGeeks 1[/#6b5300][/font][/url][font "Arial"] - |USA|
[/font][url "http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=4083&file=3&evp=b13c1ee2420e6267eabf743e2970f5f2"][font "Arial"][#6b5300] MajorGeeks 2[/#6b5300][/font][/url][font "Arial"] - |USA|[/font]
[font "Arial"][size 1][/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 1]sm[/size][/font]
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[tomegun]

both or just one?
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[southernman]

nah, just one

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[tomegun]

My machine is faster with Lavasoft, I downloaded the x-setup. Now trying to figure out how to use it.
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[southernman]

once you download it, double click on it to install . .

then it will be in your control panel, under settings in your start menu

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[tomegun]

Its installed. Then what do you do? I can only fish. Puters are foriegn to me.lol
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[southernman]

hit the start button
go to settings
go to control panel
click
see the x setup pro icon?
double click on it
choose classic, let it load
click the + next to startup/shutdown
click the + next to startup
click the + next to the windows version you have
click the + next to windows launch
click start up group (all users)
if theres anything in there you dont want to run all the time, click the box next to it
then click start up group (current user)
if theres anything in there you dont want to run all the time, click the box next to it
click the "apply changes" button on the right middle screen
click the x on top to close
next time this junk wont open on startup

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[tomegun]

Thx, greatly appreciate you!
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