SPYWARE!!!

[Linsey]

I'm more than sure I have spyware on my new personal laptop. Ads are popping up at me from all directions, they won't close when I want them to, my computer is super slow and I have to end programs and nothing seems to respond (sometimes I can't even scroll on the page), and even when I'm not on any webpage but just sitting there I get ads, plus I get pop-ups saying I have spyware on my comp and all I really want is to curl up in a fetal position on the corner of my e-mail. MY PAGE FREEZES! And at one point I had about 50 sites of porn in my favorites. All I did was try to get to the Ethan Embry screen caps page...ALL I WANTED WAS TO GET PAST THE FIRST PAGE! Suddenly, I checked my favorites and an adult sites folder is there...plus another one, each packed with many many porn sites. I just wanna e-mail those bastards (or drop a bomb on their little hiding place) saying "LISTEN YOU FUCKHEADS! IF I WANTED TO LOOK AT PORN I'D VISIT ONE OF YOUR MANY EASY TO ACCESS SITES! BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT, SO LEAVE ME ALONE AND GO BACK TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL FUCKING OFF! Porn is a stupid profession anyway, anyone can have sex, so why the hell are you all making multimillions??? AND STOP SHOVING IT IN MY FACE YOU ASSHOLES!" How's that? Oh, they piss me off. Just like those damn pop-ups. How can they let it get so bad? It's not even like they're advertizing anymore, just trying to annoy us. How can I visit one of their stupid sites if it won't let me???

Anyway, does anyone have a recommendation for a program I can download that removes pop-ups and spyware? I don't think I can trust these sites I go to for help...I tried downloading one spyware remover, but I think they were in on it too...so, I trust you guys a lot more.


Hurdy Gur,
"In agony" Linsey


P.S. My dad might be able to help me too, but I'd like a variety of people to list some recommendations, in case it happens again in the future.

[PsychoAngel]

Go to Download.com

Get Lavasoft's Ad-Aware 6.0 or whatever version they have there. (1.61 mb)
http://www.download.com/Ad-aware/3000-8022-10214379.html?tag=lst-0-1


Also, DL a popup blocker.  I forgot what kind I used to have but here is the list.
http://www.download.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=pop-up+blocker&tg=dl-2001


-PA

[Linsey]

Luckily today I downloaded spybot. It seeks and destroys spyware for me. I also downloaded a pretty decent pop-up blocker. I'm a much happier camper now.

Thanks anyway. I appreciate it. I feel like a weight has been lifted after the trauma I went through. Ooh, it made me so angry! Those people have no shame!

[Nightmaretony]

Also, change your browser to Mozilla. Not only is it freeware, it doesnt invite in ad garbagfe like internet explorer does, and ytou can control better, PLUS it bolocks popups, plain and ismple. You CAN set which sites you do want opopups from, if needed. Plus it has super good control of cookies so you know what you are getting...

mozilla.org

[Linsey]

Hmm, is it faster than internet explorer? Do I need to uninstall Internet explorer to install the mozilla one? Also, my computer is running off of a signal from the computer downstairs and that's how I'm receiving the internet, do you think it will affect the one downstairs or anything? And if I already have a cable internet connection, will I still have one if I change my browser or would that be affected also?

My comp is running pretty slow today...don't know why. My pages sometimes freeze because it's waiting for the popups to show up so it can delete them, so they're slowing it down. Also, this popup blocker isn't stopping all popups...maybe I should change my browser. Just give me the details, nightmaretony. Please.

[PsychoAngel]

Honestly, Linsey.. Why the fuck do you ask for peoples help?  You always solve your own problem before anyone else gets a chance to offer advice.    

-PA

[Muse of Freaks]

Yeah, Ad-Aware is good, as is the Spybot. I have both on my laptop. I also have a pretty good popupstopper, called... *drumroll* Pop-Up Stopper. It's from Panicware. http://www.popupstopper.com will get you there. It's a very good one, you hardly even notice that popups should be there at all. And if you need one to appear, all you need to do is press and hold CTRL, which wil temporarily deactivate it. Alright, that's the end of this commercial break.

I have to say I'm slightly puzzled as to why you're suddenly bothered by so much spyware, I've had my laptop for years withouth ever doing any checking and nothing's ever bothered me.

Hey, what do you have for antivirus stuff, by the way?

[Nightmaretony]

Windows will absolutely bnot allow you to uninstall internet exploder. But thats ok. You can have both browswers on the desktop. I find Mozilla to be faster, even with mine being the full version. There is a leaner sleeker version which is browswer only called Firefox, also on the same website.

Its still pretty speedy, and I am on dialup.

I cant think of any reason it would affect your other  computers downstairs.

[Linsey]

You're right, I don't think it will affect my comp downstairs. It's a bit confusing though, the thought of having two browsers.

I still get popups for some reason, like this morning. I turned on my laptop and went online, and it was SLOW and popups were appearing, and when I tried getting rid of them they didn't disappear and everything was so delayed. It stopped after a while. I tried my antivirus thing and then my spybot. Maybe the spybot made it stop.
Anyway, this popup blocker ain't so great. I wish there was one where it would not let ANY popups through (one just got through right now, with a delay of the popup stopper reacting and yet no disappearing popup). ANOTHER GOT THROUGH! They must know I'm talking about them....Okay, that's the third one...4th...Muse, which one is yours? Mine has too much evidence that a popup is happening AND doesn't stop them all...one popup really seems to want to get through now. I got mine from panicware.com too. I actually have 2 downloaded and don't know how to uninstall them. Just delete them?

PA, my dad always thinks it's something *I* did when something goes wrong with my personal stuff. I didn't know when he'd be home so I thought I'd ask you guys if there were any good suggestions.

THESE POPUPS ARE GETTING WORSE!!! DAMN THEM ALL!!!!

Anyway, sorry, PA. Hehe. I just thought it would be good to check from two sources.

I think I might just download that mozilla thing. Why not? Maybe tomorrow...or the next day...

Muse, I have norton antivirus...suspicious question. Why do you ask? Muhuhahahaha!

I think the spybot people are listening...no more popups...they must be reading this. I swear they're gonna make me paranoid.

[Muse of Freaks]

My popupstopper is from Panicware too, as I said, I think it's the free edition, although I don't remember there being so many different ones. Maybe it's an idea to keep the popupstop notifications to a minimum, just a flashing tray icon or something, that might help things run a bit faster.

Norton is very good. The reason I asked is that all that junk is stuff that might also come from viral activity. Do a full system scan and see if you find anything. Don't forget to run LiveUpdate first though to make sure you've got all the latest info!

And do you get email on your laptop? Make sure that is scanned too!

Don't you just hate the people that come up with all that junk?  :-/

[Linsey]

Muse, I hate them with a passion. When all these popups start hitting me the moment I turn on my comp, it makes me feel as angry as if I just saw that bitch Britney Spears on the screen.

And now for a little ad of my own: GO SEE SPIDERMAN 2!

[J]

Porn is a stupid profession anyway, anyone can have sex, so why the hell are you all making multimillions

Porn isn't a stupid profession. If only I were able to be in the porn biz... Getting the ladys... getting payed thousands a day... What better job could a dude want?  

[Linsey]

It just goes to show how simple-minded a human can be.

I don't wanna get into any talk of porn, I am against it, but I really hate getting into arguements over it because I become kind of depressed....

Anyway, don't know if you were serious or not, J...although a lot of guys would like the idea of that...meh, I think you were serious, hehe.

I downloaded Mozilla. Not bad...a little different. I wish I could get rid of the "Find as you Type" thing easily. I haven't figured out how yet though. I just don't like the idea of it recording what I've previously typed and then everytime I write a letter (a,b,c type of letter)  in a search box everything that I've typed before that started with that same letter shows up underneath. It gets annoying. I don't understand the instructions on getting rid of it. I do enjoy the non popups though. Very nice.

Thank you Mozilla!

[PsychoAngel]

you become depressed because of a porn discussion? lol

[Nightmaretony]

Linsey, go into preferences,  under navigaotr, smart browsing,. and merely uncheck the 3 choices, of autocomplete, domain guessing and  internet keywords. That should put a stop to that.

One thing I find VERY useful is th trabbed browing. under file, new, then open new tab, it gives oyu a new brwoswer windo w as a tab, much faster to switch between tabs trathern than compelete windows....