# What The Fuck Is Wrong With My Computer??? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 9, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808 "2003-12-09T00:54:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/1 "2003-12-09T00:54:37Z")
I signed on this morning, expecting to see the opening page that I normally have. But no, it doesn’t show that, it shows something else, without the content of my usual opening page. Then, while I’m using this computer, I get various pop-ups, of a dubious nature (to put it gently). I didn’t do anything to my computer, so what the fuck happened? Did someone break into it, causing these problems? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/2 "2003-12-09T00:58:11Z")
[http://lavasoft.de](http://lavasoft.de) Go there and download adaware…it will get rid of the bugs that some site you went to planted on your computer. Good program and it’s free. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/3 "2003-12-09T00:59:35Z")
Geez…this link will work. [http://www.lavasoft.de/](http://www.lavasoft.de/) ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/4 "2003-12-09T01:04:54Z")
Thank you. Now, I’d like to find out who the bastards were that did this. The problem is, it appears not to be any sites that I go to on a regular basis (basically, this one and a few political sites). ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/5 "2003-12-09T01:21:22Z")
Which version of adaware should I use? ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/6 "2003-12-09T01:27:23Z")
You might also want to do a google search for spybot search and destroy. I run BOTH lavasoft and spybot, because between the two of them they tend to catch most spyware, more than either running on its own. Spyware installs itself on your computer and opens browser windows at random. If yours is like mine, you will get lots of ads for dubious products: natural male enhancement, weight loss gimmicks, etc. And you are right, the people who make that crap are bastards from hell and deserve to be sent to live on some island with no Internet access. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/7 "2003-12-09T01:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*Which version of adaware should I use? \*\* The basic, freebies version should fill the bill. In other words, just “AdAware,” not the Plus or Professional versions. Just make sure that, at least once a week, you click the link in the application that checks for updated signature files. And remember that basic AdAware, unlike a virus-checker, doesn’t _actively_ protect your system - it just removes adware and spyware when you run the program. So run it every day! I’ll second the recommendation to get Spybot, as well. Each has its own strengths, and they don’t interfere with each other. It, too, must be launched in order for it to do its thing. Get it [here](http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?lang=en&page=download). ---
**Author:** ![Oat1957](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Oat1957](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oat1957)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/8 "2003-12-09T02:40:09Z")
[http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?lang=en&page=download](http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?lang=en&page=download)[/url ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/9 "2003-12-09T03:01:13Z")
Preview is your friend, **Oat1957.** > **[Home - Spybot Anti-Malware and Antivirus](https://www.safer-networking.org/?lang=en&page=download)** > > Spybot offers a unique technology for your security. Far beyond antivirus Spybot searches and destroys unwanted software and protects your privacy. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/10 "2003-12-09T03:02:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*I didn’t do anything to my computer, so what the fuck happened? Did someone break into it, causing these problems? \*\* You sure you didn’t [accidently download anything](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=225380)? ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/11 "2003-12-09T03:43:08Z")
Um, **Oat1957** and **Musicat** , that’s precisely the link I already posted. So, not only is preview your friend, but actually reading prior posts helps, too! ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-my-computer/217808/12 "2003-12-09T12:50:42Z")
Well, I’ve managed to get it on the correct opening page, and I’ve gotten rid of the pop-ups, so all is right with the world again.