# Help me get rid of spyware **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347 "2003-11-04T15:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/1 "2003-11-04T15:03:38Z")
As soon as I started up my computer and started up my Web browser this morning, I got a popup asking me to install some kind of task bar (WeatherCast). Since I had not yet surfed to any Web pages yet, I suspect that this popup is the result of the installation of some kind of spyware. Can anyone tell me how I can go about uninstalling it? ---
**Author:** ![brainchild876](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@brainchild876](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainchild876)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/2 "2003-11-04T15:24:02Z")
There is an excellent program put out by Lavasoft called Ad-aware 6.0. It scans your registry and files for any kind of spyware/malware. I highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/3 "2003-11-04T15:31:52Z")
I second the recommendation of Ad-aware. Another program out there is SpyCatcher. Both work well at removing that kind of invasive little programs you didn’t know you had. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/4 "2003-11-04T15:36:24Z")
Zounds! A nefarious development. I opened my Add/Remove programs control panel and found WeatherCast there. But when I hit the change/remove button, a WeatherCast dialogue box pops up trying to persuade me to keep it. It does ask “Do you want to keep your existing WeatherCast for Free?” with yes/no buttons? Should I hit “no”? ---
**Author:** ![brainchild876](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@brainchild876](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainchild876)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/5 "2003-11-04T15:40:58Z")
Most definitely hit “no”. After the program “uninstalls” you should still go into your program files and see if there are any files named “weathercast” left over. A lot of times they leave their junk sitting around on your hard drive. I still recommend that you get ad-aware. you can pick up spyware from simply surfing the internet these days and it’s good to run if every few days. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/6 "2003-11-04T16:36:38Z")
In addition, to Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy, there’s a great tool called [Spyware Blaster](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html), which stops spyware from installing itself. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-rid-of-spyware/211347/7 "2003-11-04T17:16:06Z")
That Weather Caster program is bad. It should definetly go. I will second the vote for SpyWare Blaster. I installed it on the kids computers and they are pretty free of any new stuff.