Vox

Are you still using Internet Explorer? I had the same problem and switched to Firefox: no more problem.

Oh, yeah, and stop surfing the pr0n sites.

Yeah, I'll tell him to stay away from those ;-)

Yep, still IE - don't know that they are up for learning a new browser at this point (I know they are fairly similar) and the problems are affecting operations even when no browser is being used. It throws up a dialog box ("server busy, try again") even when just checking email or doing word processing. And, most times, it won't go away without a restart. Argh!

Install firefox, set it as default browser and then run through a couple of spyware scans and cleans and you should be good to go. Additionally if you see any search toolbars installed, uninstall them.

All the toolbars I have found I have tried to uninstall - unfortunately, websearch and huntbar won't go away even though they run through the uninstall routine and say they are gone.

argh!!!!!

I will give it a try with Firefox - I am trying just about everything at this point. If someone told me to run in circles and cluck like a chicken to ensure a successful removal, I just might do it.

Don't buy that crap about "use firefox, no more problems". It's a lie. IE is certainly not entirely secure, but apparently neither is firefox;
http://www.securiteam.com/windowsntfocus/5JP0G0ADFY.html

Plus, firefox being relatively new, less code has been written to hit it as IE. Give it time, it will be as bad...

Perhaps you can try HijackThis;
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Additionally, while learning a new browser does add a level of difficulty, Maxthon (http://maxthon.com/) uses IE's engine (backend processing) and has many features available in firefox (ad-blocking, popup-blocking, etc.)

I don't think you need to switch, because firefox is not free of problems. However, should you decide to switch, there are alternatives to the less-compatible (with a LOT of sites, not just Microsoft) firefox...

I agree about Firefox (or my preference, the full Mozilla Suite).

Another tool to try is Spyware Blaster . It deactivates ActiveX spyware applications by disabling them in the registry.

The URL was stripped from my comment, so I will try again: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Well, I don't really have a dog in the browser fight, but I had the same situation, and now I don't. Your mileage may vary. I do know that when you start up IE it invokes the toolbars which in turn activate the pop-ups/spyware. Anyway, I hope it works out for you.

Vox, see if you can comment on my site now. Sorry you couldn't.

Try reinstalling your operating system after backing up only the programs and files that you want to keep. This will wipe out everything else on your hard drive. The first time you start your computer up, go to zonealarm.com and download their free software and follow the instructions. Zonealarm will make your computer virtually invisible to everyone else on the internet. (unless you choose them to be otherwise.) I have done this a couple of times on differant computers and OS's, and have had no problem. Happy Surfing! :-)