If you are having trouble with spyware,(common symptoms: pc running slowly, lots of unwanted popup ads, computer is restarting itself frequently, etc...)go to: www.lavasoftusa.com (http://www.lavasoftusa.com) and downoload ad-aware SE personal. If you've never done this before, it would be a good idea even if you don't notice any of the "symptoms". Something like four out of five computers are infected with spyware(also known as ad-ware)! Install the program and run a full system scan , rather than the default smart system scan . When the scan finishes, be sure and delete all the items that come up(you can right click and click select all, instead of having to check every box)! Then, immediately after finishing the scan and deleting the items, restart your computer. You might even want to run the program again in safe mode with the same procedure.

And don't forget, always use Mozilla FIrefox.

I also heard Bonzi Buddy is a good program to prevent Spyware from infesting your computer.

I ran that Ad Aware. Man, it came up with SO much stuff - it was a wonder I had any room left on my drive at all. Spyware and other indisious malware is a huge problem. Declare war on it.

No offense to Lavasoft, but I've seen Norton 2004 catch spywares that were passing right by Ad-Aware...

It's a good program, but I wouldn't use it exclusively. Though the Norton/Ad-Aware combination seems to work wonders, especially if both are kept up to date. And if you don't use IE (hint hint :) )

Ad-Aware is nice, but there are always adware and spyware that reinstal themselves on a reboot. If you combine Ad-Aware with SpySweeper then nothing will be passed up, and it won't be able to get back on your computer if you have the Zone Alarm and a virus scanner like McAfee.

I know it sounds like a lot, but if you don't want to use Mozilla, or Opera, then the 4 programs above (3 of which always run in the background) are a must! :rolling:

Hmm. I've read from many sources that Bonzi Buddy is actually spyware. You might wanna double check that before you download it.

Haven't used it myself. Forget the bonzi buddy then.

another good free spyware program is spybot or spydoctor. I am a net admin and I use it at my work and it works great. Free of charge.

I have broadband and I recently purchased a router with firewall. I also have ZoneAlarms free firewall, Norton AntiVirus, ad-aware and spybot. Since I installed the router, the amount of spyware on my computer has been almost nothing when I do my weekly scans.

I also, Norton AntiVirus, ad-aware and spybot. It seems to get rid of most of them.

Though I think I was better off before I knew they were there. Maybe not better off, but saner.

You guys keep forgetting that the best way to keep your computer spyware, adware, and virus free is to keep them from getting there in the first place! Get a good firewall and most of it won't be able to get by it and on to your computer. :rolling:

Well then, what is a really good, free, firewall?

Zonealarm is free and I haven't had any problems with it.

@Jaguar, try black ice, I knew they use to have one.
@Kitrax, I have a firewall myself, but some websites actually have issues with firewalls, ex. banking websites, University websites etc. I agree with you but some people would have to constantly re configure their firewall depending on where they were going

What sort of firewall does look 'n' stop have.
My cousin got it and now she says she has to format and reinstall Windows becoz of it.
Ofcourse she was stupid and was not using ZoneAlarm, AdAware, SpySweeper and Firefox.
Still I cant believe that a firewall itself was malicious.

Hmm... i've been fighting with spyware quite a lot.

I use Ad-Aware and Spybot (http://www.spybot.info) to get rid of spyware (Spybot's 'immunize' function is very useful) and Mozilla Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/) as my browser.

Bonzi buddy _IS_ spyware.

And for a firewall, ZoneAlarm isn't bad.
Personally i use F-Secure Internet Security 2004.

To prevent (not cure) spyware and Virus, hacking, buffer overload etc I would recommend a program called Prevx. This program monitors unusual behavious(Generic Host Prevention) and it not 'signature based' like Norton.

You can go to www.prevx.com (http://www.prevx.com) or www.download.com (http://www.download.com)

I'm not sure how old this is, but if you are dead set toward using IE, download this program

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

It prevents spyware, meaning that it will not remove any, but properly updated, should prevent you from getting a ton of them.

P.S, It destroyes active x control, meaning that some pages (www.rollingstone.com) will not display properly.

However they are few and far between and you wouldn't want to go to most of them anyway.

Great just the links for me at the right time, thanks :)

I have broadband and no firewall, no antivirus, no anti-spyware, nothing. When i do notice something blocking my comp, i get a random antivirus app to cleanse the whole thing. Dont bother with it often, though.
Just yesterday i got a few new spyware apps, so i'm running your ad-aware right now.

But normaly i dont have a problem with viruses&spyware&... despite the lack of protection against them. I do use Mozilla Firefox and have a few bookmarked pages i visit every day, but other than that, i'm not a common visitor of any 'suspicious' pages, so i guess this helps the whole matter.

I have SpyBot, SpyBlaster, RegScrub and Norton. I am firewalled. I added Ad-Aware and it came up with 96 critical items.
Alas the trials of Internet life. Mayhap I shall return to the pastoral life of my youth. Oh, just remembered I hated it.

When buying a new computer NEVER connect to the internet until you have your antivirus, firewall etc installed and active.