If your spy ware removal program wants you to pay then pay or download some other program and remove that. Then there are that sort of viruses that you remove, shut down your computer, then turn it back on and the virus is back. I had a virus like that called Trojan . I used spy ware doctor to remove it and spy bot removed it too. But it kept coming back and I removed it over and over until it was gone. And if you want to keep your private data secure, then I recommend to clean your browser cookies at least once a week. And if your computers back ventilator is too full of dust to work then I recommend you clean it or it will start to make laud noises if it moves and it will will broke.

And if your computer box top is hot then something is wrong cause it should not be. Never ever ever hit your computer when its slow.

What was the solution?

Before installing Internet again, I installed AVG Antivirus. I used to buy computer magazines so it was easy to install it without Internet access. I installed Zone Alarm firewall as well as Spybot Search and Destroy.

Zone Alarm stops more than 1000 attacks a day. As soon as I turn off Zone Alarm and I surf the Internet, I see the lights flashing even if I am not using the Internet anymore. I turn on Zone Alarm and I see the insane amounts of programs that are trying to access the Internet and were not supposed too.

It's very difficult to keep XP secure and running properly without spending so much money on extra software. It's more profitable to buy Vista instead.

When I bought my laptop with Vista I saw the diference. Vista already has firewall and anti spyware integrated. It was built on security and a free anti virus such as AVG is more than good enough for it.

If you can afford I really recomend you to upgrade your operating system immediately. The only problem is you need at least 2.5 GB of RAM for it to run properly. Even with that amount of RAM I press CTRL+ALT+DEL and I see that there is less than 32 MB of Free RAM left...

Here is how to protect al your computer with passwords so you are the ONLY person that can see whats inside your personal files.

1. Make a strong password for Windows Log On Screen

   Make it with letters and number and at least 14 characters long. Think of some dates and makes and mix them so you will remember it easily. A large array o computers trying to break it by inserting 1 milllion combinations per second will take at least 100 million years to break such password. This is official information from a software called Steganos Safe.

2. Encrypt your hard disk so you will know all your files will be much harder to be cracked by an hacker

   Windows already has this feature so use it! If you don't like this Windows feature you can always get

3. Word Documents can be saved with a password

   This ensures you are the only one reading it even if someone steals the file.

4. Winzip all the files you don't use so often and put a password on the zip file

   Use only a professsional desktop search program that supports passwords and secure encryption or you risk having your entire life read on the Internet!

5. Use a master password in your Firefox browser so you will have to insert that password before logging to any website

   This way if someone touches your browser while you are away he or she cannot access any private website!

If you use your computer or laptop without any kind of password do you know what can happen? Here is a real scenario. You go to a cafe and you leave your computer on to pay the coffee. When you return you see that someone just stole your computer. Since you don't have any kind of password the thief can easily see what kind of work you do, he can see who you are since you saved all your photos inside your computer. It can see where you live because you have your personal info in some .doc file, he can access your bank accout because have the password number on a file and finally he has full control over you!

Think twice if you are still using your computer with no passwords.

Bug Me Not

Bugmenot.com alleviates the need for pointless registrations to sites that only wish to collect your data. You can search bugmenot.com for login information on thousands of sites. Any application that can save you from putting your info out there is a good one in my book. They have even developed an extension for Firefox.

PeerGuardian 2

PeerGuardian 2 is Phoenix Labs' premier IP blocker for Windows. PeerGuardian monitors your internet traffic and stops your computer from establishing connections with unwanted computer systems. You can create your own “block” list or choose list to block that include P2P, spyware, or government systems. The list can be configured to update daily. PeerGuardian's features make it the safest and easiest way to protect your privacy on P2P networks.

McAfee SiteAdvisor

McAfee SiteAdvisor warns you before you interact with a dangerous Web site. Traditional security products focus on trying to clean up problems after they occur.

It also complements and enhances your existing security software by detecting threats which traditional security products often miss, including spyware attacks, online scams, and sites that spam you.

File Shredder 2

File Shredder deletes the unwanted files on your computer past the point of recovery. The Windows delete function merely removes bits from the file that allow the OS to see those files and allow it to overwrite them when needed. Until they are actually overwritten those files remain on your computer ready to be found.

ProxyWay anonymous surfing 2.6

This is a free web proxy server agent which you use together with web applications such as web browsers, Instant Messengersand Internet Relay Chat (IRC), etc.) to ensure your anonymity.

TrueCrypt 4.3

Truecrypt is one of my favorite programs. It allows you to create an encrypted volume that can be stored on your HDD or USB drive. The volume can be mounted and files dragged into the volume are encrypted on the fly. If you store any kind of financial or personal information on your computer you should have it stored in a TrueCrypt volume.

SpyBot

Spybot has been trusted by home users and professionals alike for many years. It has features that will immunize your computer from known spyware programs and trojans. It will also scan for current infections and work o correct any infections it finds.

KeePass Password Safe

KeePass is a free/open-source password manager or safe which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way. You can put all your passwords in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key-disk. So you only have to remember one single master password or insert the key-disk to unlock the whole database. The databases are encrypted using the best and most secure encryption algorithms currently known (AES and Twofish).

Ccleaner

This program has made a few of my different list. Its just so darn handy. Ccleaner is a freeware optimization and privacy tool. It is lightweight and a great tool for cleaning up all those unused temp files. It also features a great registry cleaning tool. The one thing I live about this tool is that it's such a small install, and its super fast.

ZoneAlarm Firewall

ZoneAlarm Firewall is a free firewall application and one of the most reliable firewalls for your DSL or cable connected computer. It controls all traffic to and from your computer, alerting you when an unknown or untrusted application is trying to connect to an outside source.

Adaware free

With the ability to scan your RAM, Registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking components, Ad-Aware 2007 easily can clean your system, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy while you surf the Web.

Mailinator

When you just have to sign up for a website and you don't want to use or abuse your real email address Mailinator comes to your rescue. No sign-up, free to use, Mailinator allows you to obtain a temporary email address and even check it for the confirmations that come in after you sign up.

I hope this list helps you keep your most private information safe. If you like this list you can also check out “10 Free Tools Every IT Pro Needs”

It is very important that you keep updated virus and spyware scanning software on your PC at all times. There are so many viruses, spyware, and adware going around the Internet that chances are, your PC has some form of unwanted program if it is connected to the Internet. You may think that there is nothing wrong, but one look at your process list will show differently. Windows XP Users can access this list using Ctrl + Alt + Delete to summon the Windows Task Manager, then clicking the Processes tab.

What should be done?

The first step you should take in safeguarding your computer is purchasing some Virus Scanning software. Notice that I said purchase. Software is only good if it is clean. By that I mean if you download a “free” virus scanner, it may end up having some viruses or Trojan horses included. By contrast, however, paid software is guaranteed to work well, with no viruses in sight. Most paid software also comes with a CD, so if something happens to your computer, you can always install the software again. Support is often included in these software packages, and are usually paid on a yearly basis.

Recommended Software

I have purchased the following software, and I can tell you that they work great against the fight with viruses and other unwanted programs.

•  Webroot's Spy Sweeper - http://www.webroot.com/consumer/products/spysweeperwithantivirus/

•  Trend Micro Antivirus - http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/pc-cillin/evaluate/overview.htm

Conclusion

The software packages listed above are extremely effective, and I highly recommend you try them out. However, there are other solutions out on the Internet, and you might have to shop around to find the appropriate solution that fits your needs.