There are some host file edits that have been posted in the past...this has always been an issue with GardenWeb. I no longer have a link to the post, but this is the Hosts file fix from GardenWebber Frattelli: Here is the part from Fratelli's post that I thought feldon meant. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Universal Solution. This will work on Windows systems for all browsers; IE, FireFox and Netscape. The Windows operating system provides a system-level method to block specific IP addresses before they even get to the browser. To effect this solution you need to edit a Windows system file called hosts. This file is located in the directory: Windows XP: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 2K: C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 98: C:\WINDOWS Open the file in Notepad. Cut the following from this post and paste it to the end of the file. 127.0.0.1 amch.questionmarket.com 127.0.0.1 a820.g.akamai.net 127.0.0.1 iv.doubleclick.net 127.0.0.1 i.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 m.2mdn.net 127.0.0.1 tste.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 img-cdn.mediaplex.com 127.0.0.1 ads.vmirror.com 127.0.0.1 cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com 127.0.0.1 ads.pointroll.com Edit each entry so that there is a tab between the IP address 127.0.0.1 and the URLs. Save the file and you're finished. Close and re-open your browser and all the ads will be gone. Unfortunately, iVillage may in the future buy ads from a new source. In this event the new ad source will have to be added to the list. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I did this but had trouble trying to save it, so I had to change the properties of the file from read only. To do that just go to the appropriate folder and right click, select properties and uncheck the read only box. This should work for anyone having trouble saving it, I am using XP, so it might vary a bit if you have another version of Windows. Oh, and so far no more 'wiggle' ads. Thanks God, and thank you feldon and all...glad I was not the only one bugged by this. And here is a very concise fix (similar to the above) that I copied...I did not note the author on this one: This will work on Windows systems for all browsers; IE, FireFox and Netscape. The Windows operating system provides a system-level method to block specific IP addresses before they even get to the browser. To effect this solution you need to edit a Windows system file called hosts. This file is located in the directory: Windows XP: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 2K: C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 98: C:\WINDOWS Open the file in Notepad. Cut the following from this post and paste it to the end of the file. 127.0.0.1 amch.questionmarket.com 127.0.0.1 a820.g.akamai.net 127.0.0.1 iv.doubleclick.net 127.0.0.1 i.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 m.2mdn.net 127.0.0.1 tste.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 img-cdn.mediaplex.com 127.0.0.1 ads.vmirror.com 127.0.0.1 cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com 127.0.0.1 ads.pointroll.com Edit each entry so that there is a tab between the IP address 127.0.0.1 and the URLs. Save the file and you're finished. Close and re-open your browser and all the ads will be gone. Unfortunately, iVillage may in the future buy ads from a new source. In this event the new ad source will have to be added to the list. The IE solution. Most of the ads are placed using Java$cript. You can remove the more offensive ads in IE with the browser settings. You can't however remove them all. To improve GW using IE do the following: From the menu select Tools -> Internet Options -> Security and click on Custom Level. Scroll down to the end of the list and you'll see an entry for Scripting. Disable all the sub-entries. Now select the tab labeled Privacy. In the bottom of the box that appears check on the option to block pop-ups. I recommend you also click on the button Advanced and select the option to block Third-party Cookies. NOTE: By disabling Scripting you will also effect the way other websites behave. You may need to get used to switching scripting on and off as desired. That's why this is the least desirable of these various options. The FireFox solution This is an excellent choice -- it's the fastest performing of the options listed here: FireFox is superior to IE in every possible way. FireFox provides the added advantage of blocking all Spyware, an evil that IE brought into this world. * download and install Firefox 1.5 * in the FireFox address bar type about:config * scroll down the list to the entry xpinstall.enabled * right click on the entry and select toggle from the menu * toggle as needed to set the value to true * go to the Firefox website and follow links to extensions * find the extension adblock and install it * remember to toggle xpinstall.enabled back to false * in Firefox select Tools -> Adblock -> Preferences * use the New Filter field to add the following items: http://amch.questionmarket.com http://a820.g.akamai.net http://iv.doubleclick.net http://i.ivillage.com http://m.2mdn.net http://tste.ivillage.com http://img-cdn.mediaplex.com http://ads.vmirror.com http://cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com http://ads.pointroll.com * enable Adblock The trick with Adblock is to block the domain rather than the specific ad. If you click on Adblock to disable an ad. Select Tools -> Adblock -> Preferences from the menu and then edit the new entry; remove anything that follows after .com or .net. This will block everyting from that source. The Netscape solution. With Netscape you can shut down all the iVillage ads using the browser preference settings. From the menu select: Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy and Security -> Cookies Allow cookies for the originating website only Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy and Security -> Images Accept Images that come from the originating server only Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy and Security -> Images Block unrequested popup windows -- turn this on Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced Enable native object scripting -- turn this off Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Scripts & Plug-ins Enable Java$cript for Navigator -- turn this off NOTE: GW will now be ad free, however disabling Java$cript will effect how other websites behave. You may have to get used to switching this setting back and forth. Therefore I suggest the Universal option above is more appropriate. NOTE: You MAC users out there: Sorry I don't have more info for you except to say that FireFox and adblock are available for the MAC. There's no sense in further complaing, iVillage IS an ad. We need to let them be who they are and stop them on our end. Take care all.

tomh_ga, Something to keep in mind when dealing with infected systems and using System Restore. System Restore will not infect a system unless a 'restore point' is activated. When trying to clean an infected computer wait till the system is clean of whatever it is you're trying to get rid of before purging system restore points. In the case that you should do damage to your system - 'an infected system restore point is better than none at all'. http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=15265&sid=f99fc4aceedff192a5242516fe78cd83 http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2005/09/17/66724.aspx Witz

If you wish to delete the cookies daily please do, but that could be recognized as over-kill. Please do not confuse cookies, particularly tracking cookies, with spyware. In fact, many "cleaning" applications that will detect them identify them as low priority/risk. Cookies in themselves are small bits of data used for various legitimate purposes. They actually can make your surfing faster and more convenient. That being said, yes there have been past incidents where cookies have been malicious. However, they were rare and to my recollection it has been some time since a critter was in the wild. Apparently those with malicious intent have focused on other horizons. DA

I would really consider un-installing Limewire p2p file share is a problem a lot of infections come from here. damccoy is right your best Virus protection is between your ears. SuperAntispyware is more of an on demand scanner when you think you need to run do so by redownloading it and updating it.. Here is what is recommend by the folks that work with stuff. 1. antivirus Avg or Avast these can be you choice, Norton/Macfee frowned upon although these programs work well for some but you have to pay and they don't offer any more protection, the word is if you have strange problems on a pc that can not be explained un-install these products. 2. A software firewall and a hardware firewall like a router is great. Zone Alarm is free and is most recommend 3.Spywareblaster. 4.spywareguard 5. Spybotsearch&destroy, This tool can be used as an on demand scanner and should be run once a week, by using the Teatimer function you can set spybot to run at startup. 6. ccleaner install and use it once a week cleans temp files history. 7. This comes from the professionals and is a suprise to many Do not run registry cleaners on xp including the one built into ccleaner called the Issues button. Windows xp/2000 is not performance degraded by a clogged registry like 98, 95 were. Better to leave the registry alone. Now to get some of these programs go to the link above (help2go) enter the spyware forum no need to sign up, now look for any post by Steamwiz in his signature you will see a link "Ways to keep your computer safe" click it--Steamwiz is Microsoft certified security spyware remover and well known in the Malware removal community.