I have installed, used and recommended the following programs. Uninstall all other Anti-virus programs, spyware hunters etc. Download and install the following (all free, by the way) 1. AVG Free Antivirus 2. Lavasoft Adaware (Personal edition-free) 3. Spybot Search and Destroy 4. Spyware Blaster (that name only..no variations) 5. Crap Cleaner 6. A-squared 7. System Security Suite (that name only..no variations) 8. Index.dat suite Use these..you will have no problems. Hope this helps.. txKen

Goldy, SpywareBlaster does not remove anything from your computer. Instead, it helps protect your computer from bad stuff. When you download it, be sure to click on "enable all protection". Then it should tell you that it has protected all the browsers that you use. The number of items listed in the database is just showing you how many things it is protecting. Mine shows 15770 items in the database. Yours will probably have a different number. You do not run scans with this program. All you do is keep it updated by opening it every few weeks or once a month and click on "Update", and after it updates, then click on "enable all protection". That's it. It just helps protect your computer and does not remove anything. Again, I would urge you to install WOT. With that, you don't do anything but pay attention to the ratings it gives different sites and stay away from anything that is not shown with a green circle.

I read this forum quite regularly, but rarely post here...But sometimes.... I just gotta say it..... You people are nuts...... I am quite used to people telling me I am nuts and have no idea what I am talking about when it comes to such matters, BUT since I am never, make that NEVER the one who has neither virus/malware issues and problems and NEVER have spent even a dime nor any time on such matters, the reality of the situation is that I and the few other Linux users here are really the only ones who have any idea what they are talking about when it comes to PC Operating Systems and PC "security".... A whole forum of "what should I get","what's wrong" "I bought/installed and/but" "what should I do". Soon many reading this will be thinking "Oh he's just one of those Linux nutscases" But, ask yourself, does he "Buy this", "get this", "do this"......Oh yeah, and then ask yourself if your system can match mine on safety, security, performance. I have yet to have either of these boxes contract a virus or a worm or a root-kit nor any other form of malware, not bad for systems running zero AV/security software..... I very rarely ever disconnect from the W3 and rarely ever even turn either of these things off. I have 4 browsers running right now and my email account has been open for days. Other than an outgoing firewall, I am currently running absolutely zero "security" software of any kind. And no reformatting, no scans, no defrags, no registry anythings. I watch videos, play music, redo photo's, make phone calls and do all sorts of other sometimes fun stuff with neither and never a worry nor a care. And my total investment in Operating Systems and software on both boxes equals zero dollars and zero cents. And all my upgrades/dates are free too..... Do yourselves a big favor and go to distrowatch.com, read about the different flavors of Linux and pick yourself out a few LiveCD versions to trial. Or you can always just wait for MSWin7 to be released and start buying all sorts of new software to go along with your already penetrated and compromised, outdated and obsolete brand new high dollar Operating System. Some of the new Linus distro's are so simple to install and use that my best friends 59 y.o.wife has installed several different versions on the same hard-drive and has figured out how to use them all with little more than dang near no assistance from any body. She has even figured out how to use Knoppix6 full time and save everything she does/wants to a persistant image. Oh yeah, she is really good at kids and cooking and sewing and fishing and growing things and all sorts of DIY stuff, but, when it comes to computers, she has the techno-savvy and training of your average box of rocks..... Dang folks....even my daughter, whose "technotude" is somewhat close to absolutely zero has installed and has everything running and learned the ins and outs of both SimplyMepis and VectorLinux on her PC all by her little ol' self. And while her friends are having regular issues after frequenting such mandatory malware magnet sites as YouTube, and MySpace she has nothing of the sort, ever.... But, if you wanna believe that you must MUST have MSWin-something, feel free to spend way too much for way too little, and want to keep spending and installing/scanning/removing/etc for no other reason than you insist on running something as shaky and insecure as Vista1, hurry up and buy the fix for Vista1, Vista2, otherwise known as MSWin7, that's certainly your right.... Well, let's see...I may have exaggerated things a bit by stating the "free" thing........Getting Linux will cost you somewhere around $.125 for a blank CD-R, or the current cost of a blank DVD-R.... HAGD Here is a link that might be useful: better than MSWindows, IMHO it is anyway

Download.com is a safe place - provided you pay attention. It is very easy to get caught, you clicked on an advertisement not a recommendation from download.com, big difference. The advert says "Search and Destroy - free", the word Spybot does not appear and they will catch thousands with that sneaky approach so do not feel bad. Having removed the program I would most definitely go online for a free scan from Housecall, BitDefender or Symantec or your own favourite online scan to be sure you are clean. I would also run Crap Cleaner just to satisfy my mind.