# Adware I cannot get rid of **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740 "2004-01-09T23:44:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/1 "2004-01-09T23:44:11Z")
I have adware on my system. Apparently it is invincible adware. I have, at least, been infected by: n-Case Warnet Something about a “Swimsuit network” I run Ad-Aware again and again and it still deson’t kill them. Ad-Aware is version 5.83, incidentally. What do I do to get rid of the goddamn stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/2 "2004-01-09T23:48:24Z")
[N-case Removal Instructions.](http://www.pchell.com/support/ncase.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/3 "2004-01-09T23:55:24Z")
6.181 is the current version, upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/4 "2004-01-10T02:32:07Z")
**Q.E.D.** , I installed the WeatherBug about a month ago and now have evil beings lurking inside my laptop. I’ve deleted WeatherBug - but I still get massive pop-ups, unwanted toolbars, and your run-of-the-mill adult links lurking on my screen. I could very easily ask the IT dept. at my company to remedy the situation, but I fear it would call their attention to my tendency to surf during business hours. 😃 Is there a truly “free” way to get rid of this crap? I ran a “spyware” program which identified tons of files/cookies that I recognized, but it required money to delete… Help!! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/5 "2004-01-10T02:37:58Z")
Both [Adaware](http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button) and [Spybot](http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10194058.html) are free and will detect and remove nearly all spyware between the two of them. I do recommend people use both as they seem to compliment each other nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/6 "2004-01-10T03:20:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blonde \* > \*\*\*\*Q.E.D.\*\*, I installed the WeatherBug about a month ago and now have evil beings lurking inside my laptop. I’ve deleted WeatherBug - but I still get massive pop-ups, unwanted toolbars, and your run-of-the-mill adult links lurking on my screen.Help!! \*\* Don’t know a cure, but I can verify that WeatherBug is a royal PITA. I don’t know the identity of the diabolical fiend behind it, but it’s harder to get rid of than barnacles. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/7 "2004-01-10T03:50:30Z")
I have to deal with this stuff for a living and would highly recommend using both Adaware and Spybot (they each have some unique features and will probably catch a few things that the other misses). Make sure to update all the detection patterns before running. In Spybot, go to the Immunize screen and make sure to block known parasites and block known bad downloads. You can also use the Google toolbar to stop many popups, or use a different browser (I really like Opera) which doesn’t have a lot of the MS IE problems to begin with. Also remember to check the following locations for nasty stuff after you have run those tools (assuming we’re talking a Windows box here): 1. c:\program files - look for directories of known bad stuff and delete them. 2. c:\winnt\downloaded program files - check the properties of any plugins by right-clicking and choosing Properties. You’ll see an indicator of where the plugin was downloaded from, if it’s associated with any adware or parasites, delete it. 3. c:\documents and settings - check the various user profiles for anything in \start menu\programs\startup. You’ll often find links to the scummy stuff in there which is why it keeps launching when you logon. 4. Check your system Registry (Start-Run-Regedit) and look under hkey\_local\_machine\software\microsoft\windows\current version\run. You’ll find all the stuff that runs automatically at startup, if there are any entries that launch whatever nastiness is in question, delete them. Tread lightly, you can make a real mess of things if you goof up your Registry. The best defense is to block the stuff from the get-go. Spybot, Google toolbar and alternate web browsers are your best bets. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/8 "2004-01-10T04:15:33Z")
After you use AdAware & Spybot, use [SpywareBlaster](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) to block over 1000 different flavors of spyware from ever installing themselves on your computer. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adware-i-cannot-get-rid-of/223740/9 "2004-01-10T04:18:41Z")
AdAware and SpyBot gave my computer all sorts of trouble. I had to delete them and they didn’t do anything while I did have them. SpyBot especially gave me fits. It would start scanning and just stop, always in the same place and never finished.