Pop up plague

[:FI:Nellip]

For the past week or so my PC has been plagued by "pop ups" - new IE windows opening up whenever anyone using the PC is using IE. Usually sales pitches - adult friend finder, pay off all your debts etc

I have Norton Internet Security running, the pop-up blocker within IE running (which usually does a pretty good job), plus a seperate pop-up blocker as well, but still getting plagued with these d**n things. I figure something has infected the machine and these windows are being triggered by the PC (hence why pop-up blockers are not working), and whatever it is has not been picked up by Norton.

Any ideas guys?

[:FI:Mikester]

tried a good malware program?

http://malwarebytes.org/

Download the free version and get it up-to-date.

[:FI:Macca]

and stop using IE. It is for browsing web from your puter and the other way around.

[:FI:Nellip]

tried a good malware program?

http://malwarebytes.org/

Download the free version and get it up-to-date.

Thanks Mike - tried it, but no effect - still plagued by the damn things

Not sure what else to try - maybe Macca's idea of dumping IE is the answer?

[:FI:Airway]

Whatever IE is - I use Firefox for online experience.

Not only the internal popup blocker, but the free additional Adblock Plus and Flashblock left me issue free with unwanted ads, popups and flashbanners.

So, my recommendation:

Firefox Browser :

http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/

[:FI:Sacktime]

Nellip

If you have any of those convenient tool bars installed with your IE, GET RID OF THEM!, my wife (Jen) had some installed on her laptop and within a week she was plagued by pop ups. Ad-Aware, spybot, removed the malicious cookie tracking stuff but the pop ups kept coming back. I uninstalled her tool bars and ran Ad-Aware and Sypbot and BAM no more pop ups.

By installing the toolbars on your IE, you are secretly, with out your knowledge, agreeing to be plagued by these things.

Firefox has a pop up blocker or Ad-blocker as a add on that is so aggressive I had to disable it (couldn't track the Hockey stats).

Like Airway mentioned, give Firefox a try if you haven't already.

[:FI:Heloego]

Neill,

Can't recommend Firefox enough! Latest version is so far beyond IE it's shameless!

Visit

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html

Click on PRoducts, then Firefox to get started. Take time to check out the Extensions and add-ons, as you will find a plethora of goodies to integrate into your browser.

Been using it for years and rarely have had any real issues.

While you're at it Check out Thunderbird foor your e-mail client instead of Outlook. I prefer T-Bird any day!

[:FI:Mefisto]

If I would be religious at all I would say something like - Amen Helo! May the Dog save us from IE.

As for the FF, the adblock plugin is quite handy.
This theme make it classic
http://borrd.blogspot.com/search?q=firefox

[:FI:Heloego]

Even the company's server is screwed.

They just completely re-vamped their intranet, but didn't bother to optimize it for anything later than IE 6.

Admin made sure all our workstations do regular updates, so as soon as it upped to IE8 everything stoped working!

Had to re-install IE 6 on all workstations!

[:FI:Nellip]

Thanks guys - I did get it sorted in the end (think it may have had something to do with my wifes face book addiction).

There were a couple of new programs on the machine - something called "Internet Optimiser" and another I can't recall the name of - neither of which I had installed. The seemed to be resetting the home page to ad sites. I got rid of the programs and reset the home page and problem solved.

I also installed Firefox and have to say it's a much better experience than IE - more stable, loads pages quicker etc. Recommended it to my father in law and he is using it as well now!

Thanks again

[:FI:Heloego]

You're a good man, Neil!!!!!

Now if we could just find a way to easily migrate to Linux!