Is there a spyware program that's safe for me to download?

Question

Does it stop those ANNOYING pop ups?

Answer 1

Are you talking about regular popups that come across during browsing? or it happend too much that you suspect spyware infected your computer?

A) to stop popup during regular browsing, turn on the poup blocker of IE7(if you are using IE). I highly recommend Opera browser(www.opera.com) which has the best popup blocker included and has best track record of security(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_browsers#Vulnerabilities ).

B) To protect against spyware infection do the following steps:

1. Install antispyware programs adaware se personal edition and spybot search& destroy. Also install ccleaner(www.ccleaner.com) which will do junk cleaning in later steps. Install firewall like zonealarm free version.
2. Disconnect completely internet connection. Just unplug wire, modem etc.
3. Scan computer for spyware using those two antispyware. For best result, start windows in safe mode and then run those antispywares. Clean whatever infection found. Restart pc.
4. Run ccleaner to clean all junk files, invalid registry entries. Also check startup programs list in ccleaner and delete unwanted items(except those of system programs).
5. Run antivirus program(whatever you have). if you don't have one get any free ones like AVG antivirus or AVAST or AVIRA antivirus. All three are equally good.
6. Right click internet explorer icon on desktop>properties> advanced> reset websettings to default. Also, set al others to default.
7.Go to start>program>accessories>system tools> disk clean up>advanced option>clean all but last system restore point. Then just run disk cleaner.

Now, restart your pc. Connect internet cable. I hope things will improve.

As I said earlier, i highly recommend using alternate browser liek Opera instead of IE.
thanks.

Answer 2

All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.

AVG 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!
Make sure after you download any of these, that you update them.

*Be sure to come back to Yahoo Q&A and vote for one of the answers as best answer!

Answer 3

I suggest that you take a look at AdAware:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

and Spybot:

http://www.safer-networking.org/

I suggest using them together. Each one catches things that the other misses.

Also, if your pop-ups continue, you might be able to find more specific instructions for removal by searching for the problem on something like Google.

Answer 4

i recomended u to use spyware doctor, spyware blaster or xoftspy but i prefer to use xoftspy and spyware doctor