Sapphires you might consider changing from Zonealarm in the near future because it no longer supports your Windows 98. This does not have the same urgency as changing your anti virus but should be done at some point. Comodo, linked below, is very similar to Zonealarm in that it pops up near the clock when looking for permission or denial. There are other free firewalls just as good of course. I use this on my main computer along with their anti virus. A word of caution though if you use the Comodo anti virus, for some reason Windows XP refuses to recognise it and tells me I am exposed. I am not, it is working just great. Here is a link that might be useful: Comodo firewall

That is not accurated. Spywareblaster is and has been for a long time recommended highly by the tech forums that aid in removal of malware. It is a trusted program and the program writers at javacool are highly regarded. He may have had it confused with some other program with a similar name perhaps? this is a rogue company that tries to trick people into using their product instead of the real and good program from javacool. spyware-b1aster-software.com no trial version locatable online; inadequate info about company & app (1); exploits name SpywareBlaster (note: should not be confused with the JavaCool app of the same name) [A: 3-25-05 / U: 3-25-05] when you have questions please refer to Erics great site which list all rogue software and which are the good ones. http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm Always make sure you get the right spywareblaster by getting it directly from the javacool site. on this page at Eric's spywarewarrior page you can scroll on down and he will tell you products you can use you will see Spywareblaster and Spywareguard both listed there. Both of those are by javacool http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html Here is a link that might be useful: Where to look: spywarewarrior

usually what has been said is that you can shut everything but explorer and systray. The reason many times it tells you to install in safe mode is because in safe mode all those "running Processes" are not yet running like they are in normal start up mode so therefore you do not have to do all the shut down of the running stuff. I generally just make sure there are no obvious programs running, I shut my browsers, close all email applications, if it says to shut down specific programs I do that, if it says disconnect from internet I do that. The rest I leave alone. I would guess everyone has their own method.

from AVG faq: How to install AVG without LinkScanner If you wish to install AVG 8.0 Free Edition without the LinkScanner component, or uninstall this component from your program, please proceed as follows: * Download the AVG 8.0 Free Edition installation package from our website. * Run the installation with the parameters /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSurf /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSearch. One way to achieve this is to: o save the AVG Free installation file directly to disk C:\ o open menu Start -> Run o type c:\avg_free_stf_*.exe /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSurf /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSearch * The installation will be started, and AVG will be installed without the LinkScanner component. To add or remove some AVG Free components, such as e-mail scanner plugins, please proceed as follows: * please download the latest AVG installation installation file from the Download section of our website * When you are prompted, please do not open this file directly from the Internet, but click the "Save" button and choose a location where the installation file should be stored. We recommend saving the file to the Desktop. * Locate the downloaded AVG installation file (it has a four color square icon and its name starts with AVG...) and launch the installation by double-clicking on it. * The installation process recognizes the existence of installed AVG and the Add/Remove Components option is offered. Reinstalling and using the Add/Remove Components option is necessary for example in the case that there is a new supported e-mail client (MS Outlook/The Bat!) installed on the PC after the first installation of AVG Free. And be sure you go to your browser add-on area and disabled the AVG 8.0 Web toolbar and anything else related to AVG. Go to this faq for more info AVG faq