My computer is so bad!!!! I get a million pop ups. My husband used to go onto casino sites...does this effect?

Question

Please help, everyone who comes over says how bad it is. Well we dont know how to fix it. Yea we took there advice and now he no longer goes into thing that are bad for your computer, but its not getting better. Somebody please tell me how to fix this problem. Prefferably free, something from download.com or something.

(i have tried pop up blockers that doesnt help, does this mean that the pop ups are "deeper" then the blockers can get to??))
Clearly i dont have the knowledge to fix this, but i do know 6 months ago our computer ran great. Now its freakin rediculous. (btw we have highspeed comcast and we have to wait for things to load...completely not what its suppose to be like. we are paying for highspped, but have to wait like dial up users do. PLEASE PLEASE.
Only real help too please, cause this is last resort.

Answer 1

Well....my first suggestion would be lots of popup blockers but...if that doesn't work, try erasing all cookies and temporary files. you could try formatting (completely erasing your hard drive. you will lose EVERYTHING including OS.) Or, and i have no idea if this would work, go to one of the websites that changes the computers IP address....something like www.pimpmyip.com...its something like that...

Answer 2

Hi I am a PC Technician. I would make the following suggestions:
1. Download a free anti spyware program like Ad Aware or Spybot.
2. If this fails then your windows is very badly infected with spyware and the only thing you can do, is to backup all your important work,documents/email etc and do a clean install of Windows.

PS make sure that you also download and install a free antivirus program like AVG and a free firewall program Zonealarm ...these can be found on download.com

Regards
Steve

Answer 3

Your PC is infected with adware/spyware.

All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.
Try this scan, its free, it removes
I-Worm/Stration · BackDoor.Generic3.GBB and .GBC · Worm/Generic.FX · Exploit.WMF
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://superantispyware.com/
SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough scanner on the market. Our Multi-Dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones!
Easily remove over 100,000 pests such as SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins and thousands more!

Answer 4

I feel you are a relatively new user..... there are a couple of things you can do....

First thing is go to Tools/Internet Options (in internet explorer) and delete the on-line fies and cookies there. That will help - but will solve only part of the problem.

There are many anti-spy utilities you can download.... You don't need them ALL - I have used Ad-aware for years - it's free and it works just great. If you belong to Roadrunner, they give you a free one (go to Support at Roadrunner). Once you load the problem, just run it and let it do it's thing......

Answer 5

lets get that out of ur pc ur anti virus will miss key keylogger and trojans . frist of all you need to download avg antispyware this is verry good in getting all kinda bad files . then you need to download
a-squared< is verry good in picking up traking software files that is on the pc and it will find them . then download antispyware blocker that will find any type of virus . trojans files with antispyware blocker when you run that at the top of the box ur see
C:\ WINDOWS
remove the word windows and just leave in

C:\

then hit scan it will search all of the pc every file for virus or trojans and this will not have any problem with ur antivirus you have i have this my self .

then download spyware doctor that will seartch the pc for even more spyware adaware . just having 1 or 2 antispyware dont cut any ice at all you neeed what i said to download . when you have them run ur pc in safemode and scan the pc with then 1 at a time . this way from safemode the trojan and keylogger cant hide them self coz there is not internet access on in safe mode all the software i said to download will get the trojans and keylogger

if they say some are in the registry you watch what path there in and get in the registry and right hit on that folder and hit remove dont worry when the pc restart up win xp will creat a new clean folder for you .donw load .ADAWARE as well

Answer 6

download ad-aware personal se adware/spyware remover. run this atleat once a week. to keep your hard drive free of adware and spyware.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/


★★ FIREWALLS ★★

◙ What is a firewall? This is a program that protects you from the dangers of the internet. It helps to stop adware, back doors, cookies, dialers, hijackers, key loggers, spyware, thiefware, trojan horses, viruses, worms, and zombie pcs and a host of other nasties getting into your computer. There are two types of firewalls. There are one-way and two-way firewalls. The one-way type stops most things from getting in. The two-way type stops things from getting in and stops the few that slipped through from reporting back to their owners.

◙ The firewall that comes with Windows XP is a one-way. But it's better than nothing at all. To turn it on click the Start Menu > Control Panel > Windows Firewall. But I suggest that you don't use it. Instead do the following.

◙ Every computer that is connected to the internet should be behind two firewalls. You should have both a hardware firewall (a router with a firewall built into it) and a software firewall.

◙ Even if you never plan to network your home PC you should still use a router. The most common way for hackers to get into your computer is by using a port scanner program. It sends packets of data to your ip number and reports back to the owner if there are any vulnerable ports in your computer. Look for a router with a firewall with both SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) and NAT (Network Address Translation). Most modern routers have this but be sure when you buy it. This type of router will slam the door on port scanners.

◙ A really good two-way software firewall is Zonealarm http://www.zonelabs.com/ . The problem is that it will drive you insane for awhile until it figures out what programs are supposed to automatically "phone home" over the internet and which ones aren't. Let's say it asks you if it's ok to allow AcroRD32.exe to communicate over the internet. Unless you know that AcroRD32.exe is Adobe's Acrobat Reader looking to update itself over the net you will be left unsure of what to do. But with everything you have to start somewhere. You'll catch on after awhile. BE SURE TO READ THE HELP PAGES AT ZONELABS' SITE.

◙ Another thing about Zonealarm to is that if you install any new software that updates itself you'll have to put up with this all over again. But only for that one program. Not all of the others all over again. :)

◙ Every firewall has an "Exceptions" section. This is where you allow certain programs to be ignored by the firewall. One such program would be Yahoo Messenger etc. The more "Exceptions" you select the more vulnerable your system will become. You have to decide between lots of cool programs that update themselves or TIGHT SECURITY!

◙ Here are two cool security places on Yahoo to checkout. These areas are good for more than just being safe at Yahoo. They will show you tricks that will work everywhere on the internet.

☞ http://family.yahoo.com/
☞ http://security.yahoo.com/

★★ TEST YOUR FIREWALL ★★

◙ Firewalls just sit there on your hard drive in the background doing what they do. It's hard to know if they are really doing their job. Below are some sites that will check it for you.

◙ DO NOT TRY THIS ON A NETWORKED COMPUTER! THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR MIGHT SEE IT AS AN ATTACK AND PULL THE PLUG! THEN THEY WILL COME POUNDING ON YOUR DOOR ASKING WHAT KIND OF AN IDIOT ARE YOU! YOU DON"T WANT THIS KIND OF VISIT! ONLY DO THIS ON YOUR OWN HOME COMPUTER! I'm sorry for the caps but you can't bold text in Yahoo Answers. So this was the next best thing.

◙ Here are some sites that will send zillions of packets of info to your computer's ip address to see if your firewall is working. They will then list whatever vulerablities exist if any. Try them all to see which one works the best for you.

☞ http://www.grc.com/
☞ http://scan.sygate.com/
☞ http://www.hackercheck.com/
☞ http://www.planet-security.net/

◙ The source of this information was "PCs, The Missing Manual". If you have Windows XP you really need to buy this wonderful book. It is worth every penny they are charging for it.

☞ http://www.missingmanuals.com/

Answer 7

as u told popup blockers dont help u, u may try to scan ur computer using some antivirus and antispyware softwares and fix. if it still dont work, try to wipe out ur hardrive and reinstall windows again. install the updated antivirus and antispyware softwares after that connect to internet. so that it'll be better.
fyi, virus, spyware and popups can't be avoided 100% bcoz no one can do that.

Answer 8

Install Yahoo Toolbar. It has a good pop-up blocker:

Yahoo Toolbar:
http://toolbar.yahoo.com/


Try these. They work and they are free:

Run the tool and then download the free spyware and virus protection programs:

Malicious virus removal tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Ad-Aware Free download:
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/...

AVG Download free
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Good Luck

Answer 9

yea those casino sites cause alot of viruses and spam/pop ups........... a good blocker is microtrend antivirus and spy sweeper. but u have to pay for service

Answer 10

I had the same problem even with avg and spybot. then I downloaded Mozilla and set it as my primary browser. http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/