I hate the internet. (Spyware)

[Cid]

Okay, so I've discovered a new way that spyware is screwing me. When I go to google and type in a search like "what is cpm define", I get a list of results. They're all unique results. No matter what link I click, I get the same page, forwarding me to some other search engine (coolwebsearch.com or some ip address) that uses the same keywords I used in the google search. I've never heard of it going this far, so I'm pissed.

Example: I type in "basketball". The first choice is Yahoo! Sports- so I click. Instead, it brings me to coolwebsearch.com searching for keyword "basketball".

I've used adaware, but it always recognizes a billion processes and whatnot, I quarentine them, and they're there when I start the computer back up. Any other programs that'll do the trick?

[Erdrick Holmes]

Try Spybot search and destroy, it's way better then Adaware IMO.

[Dr Unne]

It should not only quarantine the processes, but delete the program files themselves from your HD. Spybot does this, not sure if Adaware does. Barring that, use <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/products/firebird">MozillaFirebird</a> anyways, since it's generally superior to IE anyways and little / no spyware / viruses / whatever affect it, along with built-in ad-blocking and popup-stopping, etc. etc. etc.

[Cid]

Thanks Unne and Joel. Spybot got rid of the ones that were causing problems in IE.

And now I'm officially a Mozilla user. Horray for tabbed windows.

[Erdrick Holmes]

I'd also reccomend never using Adaware again. Because my computer had it, my high schools computers had it, and my friend Chris's compter had it, when you boot up your system Adaware runs by itself before loading your desktop completly, then it messes with system files and interferes with network packet transfers and connecting to the interent will be impossible unless you format your main HD partition. This happened on my computer, Chris's system, and my high school systems. But when we recovered and got Spybot S&D it never happened again.

[crono_logical]

Either AdAware's changed a lot since I got it months ago, or you've had it configured wrong, Akumaou :p In any case, I prefer SpyBot S&D anyway after having tried both.

[Rainecloud]

SpyBot has certainly worked for me, but it removed lots of little programs which I liked, too. :(

Perhaps my 'desktop shortcuts' were infected with spyware. xD

[Dr Unne]

Yay Firebird. Firebird makes me happy. I sneakily replaced IE with Firebird on my parents' computer and they never even noticed. No reason whatsoever to use IE.

<i>SpyBot has certainly worked for me, but it removed lots of little programs which I liked, too. </i> --Rainecloud

Nothing says spyware can't be fun. They have to get you to want to use programs if they want you to be subject to the spyware that comes with it after all. But almost always, there's a non-spyware alternative which is just as good.