Bad Spyware Issues
 

I am having some really bad spyware stuff happening on my computer. I have Spybot and Adaware and run them every day and I even formatted my computer about a month and a half ago. I have the google toolbar and it used to keep away all pop ups but I still get them every once and a while. I am also getting this thing where key words make links going to some stupid site that sells crap. I am not picking up much at all on Spybot and Adaware. Please help me out with getting rid of this crap. It's SOOO annoying, I can't stand it.

Not to ask a stupid question, but you are updating Spybot and Adaware regularly? A buddy of mine couldn't understand why Adaware wasn't keeping more stuff off his computer and his reference file was 3 months old.

Was that before or after you started having the problems? If your problems started after, you still have that option.

As a next-to-last resort, try HijackThis. It does something like lists every process running and allows you to nuke it. Problem is, it allows you to nuke the really important stuff. So post the HT output here and someone with more knowledge than me can explain what's going on.

I know how ya feel man. I've encountered some really bad spyware in my time. A few months ago I had Ad-Aware, Spybot, HiJack This, CWShredder, and Symantec Anti-Virus all fully updated and running on a regular basis. I still got one adware issue that I never resolved...I had to format because of it. Now I run Spybot's real-time protection as well as Symantec in real-time. I haven't got ANY spyware since.

-Lasereth

Download the free trial of SpySweeper from www.webroot.com and run that. You get one free update with the trial, but it should help you out more so then ad-aware and spybot can do in my experiences.

Not sure what's causing your specific problem, BUT when you figure it out and get rid of the offending sypware, I have one suggestion that will help most people out ALOT:

Go to Mozzilla.org and download the latest version of the Mozzilla browser, dump Internet Exploiter (or just don't use it since Mr. Gates won't let you uninstall it), and use Mozzilla for all of your browsing. Its got a built in pop up blocker that works so well, I haven't had a single pop up since I installed it. It doesn't let any spyware or viruses through, period. Case in point, when I used IE, I ran spybot once a month or so, and wound up cleaning up like 30-50 things each month. Now with Mozilla, I run spybot, get nothing. What drove me over the edge is when I visited some website with IE, and got some virus that totally screwed up my machine to the point of having to reinstall windows. Mozzilla is practically bulletproof and doesn't let any of that shit through. Now why can't Microsoft figure that out? My only regret is not going to it sooner...

Seems you have an unwanted plugin thats attached itself to your browser. Do a google for BHODemon (freeware) and check what you have there.

It doesnt scan for viruses or adware, simply lists and allows you to disable browser plugins which might be feeding you adverts and crap.