Spyware: How do I remove and avoid spyware?

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I have seen PCs running interminably slow. After doing all the updating of software, running anti-virus software, running anti-spyware, they still run slowly.

The latest one ran fine until Internet Explorer started - then it slowed to a crawl. Running Firefox was a stop-gap solution.

Aside from doing a clean reinstallation of Windows and all the other software, what other options are there? Does this mean that spyware still exists but cannot be found?

dear mr. leo,
a few days ago i downloaded some free software off the internet and am having problems now. there is this spyware called FreshDownload that is causing me a lot of unnecessary waste of time. every time i try to down load something it prevents it and gives me the following message: "FreshDownload could not handle this download" etc. i don't know much about computers and neither have the cash to invest in expensive software. i, therefore, fervently request you to please help me out with this matter. please tell me in detail how i can remove this from my computer. NOTE:you will have to be very specific as i am not good at computers. i hope u will treat this urgent and reply me soon. thank you.

beat regards,
Stanis Bard
30/11/2008

I have the same problem as J, Lori, Pieter, and Yvonne. Someone is monitoring all phone calls, in or out, mines and my wife. J, Lori, Pieter, and/or Yvonne have/has anyone found a solution to our problem.

You may also be interested in this comparison table found here: http://www.2-spyware.com/compare.php
Major anti-spyware compared by different feature.

Are you familiar with TTY accessory software? It has been downloaded on my cell phone. Also, are you familiar with the type of spyware that travels from phone to phone like a computer virus?

Off late I am finding lot of blogs giving spyware removal information. Some of them like http://webtoolsandtips.com are nice. I do not know how far they are useful, but still they give some food for thought.

I am have trouble big times I have run Ad ware Spy bolt and Eusing register cleaner. My computer slow and the page of death happen often. I was looking in the register and there are lots of porn. I deleted even in safe mode with restore turn off but they come back soon as I deleted them. I did not every go to a porn site but my teenage grandson was on my computer and I expect he did. Please give me some much need advice how to remove it Thank you for any advice or help BJ

Hello
I have already installed purchased copy of pctools 'spyware doctor and antivirus' .in spite of this recently i discovered i am not able to log into my 'TASK ADMINISTOR' and get error msg 'TASK ADMINISTRATOR' has been disabled. i am not able to use 'regedit' command also in Run program in my Windows XP prof OS.
pl offer ur comment on these 2 problems
thanks

As I am reading these previous comments, I see a pattern here. Most of these people, don't have the computer knowledge to solve their issues. At least they are trying to learn more and ask questions, that in itself is very good.

When the situation becomes so bad, that using regular programs like Ad-Aware, Search & Destroy Spybot, CCleaner, WindowWasher so on and so forth, aren't solving the issue, the ONLY solution is to completely re-format your hard drive and do a 'clean' install of your computer operating system.

The problem is, most of these people haven't a clue about how to do this. They know very little about their computers. So, I highly recommend that they find a 'computer geek' friend, and ask for their help or take your computer to a computer shop and let them do it. Of course, this will cost you money, but, what else can you do? Many 'computer geek' friends will charge you a lot less than computer stores or they may not charge you at all, it all depends on the issues. Buying a new computer will cost you MORE money in the long run.

All I am saying, is this is what 'computer geeks' do, re-format the hard drive. Plus, they usually have lots of 'back-ups' or use an external hard drive for 'backing up', so it is easier to install your basic files, like financial, emails, documents, so on and so forth. External hard drives are the way to go, in my humble opinion. They are not as expensive as they were when they first came out and you can get a LOT of storage space for a very reasonable cost.

I like to recommend Malwarebytes from http://www.malwarebytes.org/ I'm tempted to tell people to skip the antivirus and just use this. To bad the free version doesn't have a real time scanner.

From one of your older comments about 'FreshDownload' - it's a download manager. Or it seems like it. I use to use it when I had dial-up.

Download managers are almost a required tool if your stuck with dial-up but a waste of computer resources on a high-speed connection.

http://hitanykey.webs.com/

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