#1 Download the following Ad-aware, & Spy-Bot. I put the links at the bottom of this post.
* Updating Ad-aware:
Double-Click the Desktop Icon > Click 'Check For Updates Now' > Click 'Connect'
* Updating Spybot:
Double-Click the Desktop Icon > Click Update > Drop-Down Box UniDo(Europe) > Select Pure-Elite(USA) or EON (AU) > Click 'Search for Updates' > Click 'Download Updates'
#2 Please make sure that you can view all hidden files.
Windows XP
To enable the viewing of Hidden files follow these steps:
Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
Double-click on the My Computer icon.
Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
After the new window appears select the View tab.
Put a checkmark in the checkbox labeled Display the contents of system folders.
Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide file extensions for known file types.
Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
Press the Apply button and then the OK button and shutdown My Computer.
Now your computer is configured to show all hidden files.
#3 Now rebooot into safe mode (press f8 during reboot, select safe mode) and DON'T reconnect to the net.
#4 - First click start --> run --> type cleanmgr hit enter > Click OK > Select All > Click OK > Close the program
#5 - Now Open Ad-aware and make the following changes to the settings in Ad-aware.
* Under Ad-aware 6 > Settings (Gear at the top) > Tweak > Scanning Engine:
check: "Unload recognized processes during scanning."
* Under Ad-aware 6 > Settings (Gear at the top) > Tweak > Cleaning Engine:
Check: "Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot."
Press 'Proceed'
Press 'Start'
* Select option 'Use Custom scanning options'
* Click 'Activate in-depth scan'
* Press 'Select drives\folders to scan' Select the active partition which is usually C:
Click 'Customize'
* Make sure the following are all are Checked:
o 'Scan Within Archives'
o 'Scan Active Processes'
o 'Scan Registry'
o 'Deep Scan Registry'
o 'Scan My IE Favorites For Banned URL'S
o 'Scan My Hosts File'
Click 'Proceed'
Now press "Next" to let Ad-aware scan your drives...Allow Ad-aware to fix what it finds and Close out Ad-aware.
#6 Open Spybot.
* Click 'Search & Destroy'
* Click 'Check for problems' (the program will now search your HDD)
* Make sure all finding are checked and click 'Fix Selected Problems'
Close Spybot.
Reboot your computer and see if that helps. If you still get the pop ups I can walk you through the (Hijack this) program.
spyware programs
Ad Aware
SpyBot S&D
Hijack this