Is panora in the add/remove programs list, you may consider a system restore to a time before you dowloaded all this junk.

Start>programs>accessories>system tools>system restore..

I'm assuming this is windows xp.

downsouth,

Just wondering where you came up with the name 'Panora PC'. Is it a desktop icon? Was it indicated in a scan by one of your 'anti-virus' or 'anti-spyware' programs?
You mentioned-------"There's a little red box that says "activity is being recorded" and I didn't have any problems until this showed up." Where is this 'little red box', down in the 'system tray' by the clock? Is it always present?
I Googled 'Panora PC' and found this: PC Pandora.
How many others have access to the computer that may have downloaded something? Like 'zep' said, see if it's listed in 'Add/Remove programs' in 'Control Panel'.
Hope I didn't blow someone's legitimate monitoring cover here.

Witz

PC Pandora, has removal instructions...

Here is a link that might be useful: PC Pandora install/uninstall

The problem I see from the links Witz and Mikie provided seems whoever placed it there has physical access to your computer. The uninstall instructions say the password is required so you may not be able to remove the program that way.

Zep's System Restore might do the trick for you. If you can restore to a point before the program was installed. You might then want to create another Restore Point. Linked below is a system restore script you might use. As the article says though, you do need Administrator privileges.

Here is a link that might be useful: System Restore script

DS,

It is indeed unfortunate that you have this concern and I am quite sure following the suggestions of the others will lead to resolving it. I thought I would take the opportunity to focus on your thought of it covertly "piggy-backing" in on some other software you down loaded.

We as users must research any application albeit free or not before downloading and installing it on our systems. All too frequently they come with additions or toolbars that are not mentioned up front. And of course, there is always the opportunity for malware to be secretly installed. This is often true for shareware applications.

We users must know about the offered application, know about the author, and know about the site we are downloading from. A little research can be a great time saver in the long run.

Again I wish you a speedy recovery.

DA

It's not in the Control Panel under Add/Remove. I have already tried a System Restore, to no avail but I only went back to the first of this year. We have had this "red box" for about a year and it disappeared for months. It reappeared AFTER I did the system restore.

Witz, my son is a computer person and he ran Spybot last night and deleted some registry files. He is the one that said it was Pandora PC. I don't know how he knew. The little red box is next to the date/time (in the right corner.)

DA, no one uses this computer except my husband and I and we are both old and retired, so no need to spy on each other, LOL. The reason I said it "piggybacked" in on something we may have downloaded is because of what I read on the internet, that being..."downloading freeware or shareware can be bundled with spyware, adware or programs like PC Pandora. Sometimes it's attached to the free software to "pay" developers for the cost of creating software and more often spyware is secretly and maliciously attached to free software to harm your computer and steal your personal & financial information." Maybe we have downloaded some freeware that might be our problem?

I hope we can get rid of this too, as it's really slowing our computer down.

I did find some instructions (see link below), I'll wait until my son has a chance to come back to our house, for fear I might do something to damage our computer.

Dee

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Detect & Remove PC Pandora

Dee,

You will not physically damage your system. It is your personal security and the operation of your system that could be at risk.

DA

downsouth,

Before you buy anything check out some of the Antispyware programs and free scans at 'SywareWarrior':
Spyware Warrior
I would suggest starting with this one:
Superantispyware Free Version

If you can't get rid of it and your son is computer knowledgeable I would have him back up anything you need to save and re-install the Operating System, assuming you have the CD or Recovery Partition to do so.

Good Luck,

Witz