Is there a free one I can download??

By Texannie on Monday, May 5, 2008 - 12:42 pm:

adaware is great. www.lavasoft.com

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, May 5, 2008 - 12:57 pm:

I would use both AdAware (and be careful - there is something out there called AdWare or something similar, which is spyware), and I would also use SpyBot. Both are free downloads. AdAware has a paid service also, but the freebie works just fine. Spybot is "shareware" and they ask that if you like the program that you considering making a donation, but it isn't required.

I would download both of them from PCWorld, because that's a safe site: PCWorld

After you download them you have to finish the loading process, and then you'll have to update each, as the PCWorld version may not have the latest updates. Once you've updated, run each one. They often pick up different pieces of spyware, so it is really worth having both programs.

SpyBot also has an immunize program so you can immunize your computer from loads of spyware. It isn't tricky, but you have to remember to click the yellow cross in the top menu to finish the immunization process.

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, May 5, 2008 - 09:30 pm:

One way to cut down on the number of cookies (usually spyware) on your computer is to change your cookie setting. If you are using Internet Explorer, go to Tools, Internet Options, Privacy, Advanced. In the Advanced Window, click Override Automatic Settings. In first and third party cookies, click "prompt". Be sure to click "Always allow session cookies" - that's what will remember your username and password when you come to Momsview, and save you from havig to enter them every time you post. What will happen for the first month or two is every time you go to a new site you will get a popup window telling you the site wants to put a cookie on your computer, and asking you to accept or reject, with a click square to always use this choice at this site. For most sites, you can comfortably click "reject", and the "always" box. Be aware that if you go to a site where you want to make a purchase or to post, you have to allow cookies. If you make a mistake, go back to Internet Options, Privacy, and click on the Sites button. Type in the name of the site in the blank window at the top and when the name of the site comes up, you can change the setting from block to allow, or vice-versa. For some sites where you decided you do want to allow cookies but you first clicked reject, after you change the setting from block to allow in the Sites list, you may have to sign off the internet and sign back on before going back to that site, and you can then use the site's services.

As for AdAware and Spybot, when I first downloaded them, got the updates, and then ran them, each of them found a few hundred pieces of spyware on my computer. After that, I got into the habit of updating each program and running each program monthly. But, since I started blockig most cookies, I get very little Spyware.

You might also want to download ZoneAlarm's free firewall. This will block most sites that try to access your computer and if you do have some hidden cookies it will block them from talking from your computer to the site that set the cookie. Again, for the first month or two you'll get a lot of popup windows telling you that thus-and-so site wants to access your computer, or thus-and-so program on your computer wants to access the internet, and you have to make decisions (for example, you do want IE explorer to be able to access the internet, you do want your anti-virus program to access the internet, and so on). But once you've made the decisions in the first few weeks, you won't get asked very often. ZoneAlarm can also be downloaded from the PCWorld download site. It is free, very highly rated, and very reliable.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, May 5, 2008 - 11:13 pm:

Zone Alarm and Ad Aware help keep our computers running well, with little interference, from spyware. You do need to run Ad Aware occasionally, though.