GETTING RID OF POPUPS

I am getting a ton of pop-up windows, sometimes even when I am not browsing. Also my computer is running much slower than when I first got it - it is becoming virtually unusable. How do I fix this, and how do I prevent it from happening again?

Answer:

Most likely, your computer has become infested with what is popularly known as "adware" or "spyware." These types of programs run in the background and cause pop-up browser windows to appear constantly. You need to remove all of these, and your computer will be back to normal.

Cause:

Most likely, you or someone who uses your computer has installed these accidentally. It is easy, especially if you are a novice computer user, to confuse genuine system messages with fraudulent pop-up browser windows which invite you to "scan your computer memory," "check for viruses," etc. If you have clicked yes to one of these pop-up messages, and subsequently confirmed with Windows to install one of these programs, you have allowed them to become part of your system, and, like a stealthy agent, they have been subverting your experience with their own agenda.

Solution:

Currently, our favorite adware/spyware removal tool is Adaware Personal Edition. This is a free tool that can be downloaded from Download.com. Here is a direct link to the Adaware program download page, but in case it no longer works, just go to the parent site (www.download.com) and enter "adaware" in the search field.

After you download the program and install it, make sure you click on "Check for Updates Now" to install the latest adware definitions. Then, perform the default scan, called the "Smart System Scan" and remove all instances of adware found.

If this does not solve the problem, run the adware scan in Safe Mode (a special startup mode where Windows only loads minimal drivers and programs). To enter Windows Safe Mode, hit the F8 key just after the BIOS post screen (black screen with DOS-type text that appears after you turn on your machine) and before Windows loads. You will get a DOS-type menu screen, where you can choose Safe Mode. If you are unable to load Windows in Safe mode, this article at Symantec's site has great instructions on how to do it.

Also, instead of the Smart System Scan, you can choose the Full System Scan option.

If you feel that even after this, you are still infested with adware, call a professional computer technician to service your machine.

Lastly, bear in mind that some websites are programmed to launch pop-up browser ads at frequent intervals. To avoid these types of ads, either stop browsing these sites or install an pop-up blocker like the Google Toolbar or install Windows XP Service Pack 2 or use a different browser, like Mozilla Firefox, that has a popup blocker built in.

Prevention:

Be judicious in what you install on your computer. Be hesitant to install any kind of free Internet plug-in or game or utility without first doing a Google or a Google Groups search on the product and seeing what user reviews are like. Also, we recommend that if you do run Windows XP, you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, which has great warning messages, like the one below, which tell you when you are about to install a program.

Also, if you have Windows XP, it is a great idea to use the computer as a Limited User, rather than a system administrator. This is an especially good idea for children. To create a Limited User account in Windows XP, go to Start, Control Panel, User Accounts. When you create a user, be sure to choose the Limited User button, rather than Administrator.

If you have already been using your computer for some time, you may not want to create a new account for yourself, because your personal settings, such as Internet Favorites, desktop shortcuts, email, etc. would not be set up. In this case, just create a new Administrator account and change your own account to Limited User. Be sure to create a new Admin account first, otherwise you may lock yourself out of your own system.

As a limited user, you should be able to run most programs already installed on your system, but you will not be able to install anything new. If you purposely want to install a new program or piece of hardware, log out and log in as the Admin user.

Author:
Dimitri Karhu
10/1/2004