There are two programs on my computer that I can't find a way to delete. Pop up Killer and search the the web...search the web takes ocver as my default browser and also puts a bar at the bottom of my screen. I go to unistall programs but can't see them there. I beleive these two programs are the source of alot of pop ups and hate and discontent for me...thank you
This question was answered on October 23, 2004. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.
Install a popup blocker
The Pop-up Blocker is a new feature in Internet Explorer This feature blocks most unwanted pop-up windows from appearing By default, the Pop-up Blocker is turned on When the Pop-up Blocker is turned on, the automatic and background pop-up windows are blocked, but the pop-up windows that are opened by a user will still open in the usual manner
MORE INFORMATION
How to turn on the Pop-up Blocker
Note By default, the Pop-up Blocker is turned on You may only have to turn it on if it is turned off.
The Pop-up Blocker may be turned on in the following ways:
• When you are prompted
• On the Tools menu
• From Internet Options
When you are prompted
You can turn on the Pop-up Blocker when you are prompted to do this before the first pop-up window appears.
On the Tools menu
To turn on the Pop-up Blocker on the Tools menu, follow these steps:
1 Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Internet Explorer
2 On the Tools menu, point to Pop-up Blocker, and then click Turn On Pop-up Blocker
From Internet Options
To turn on the Pop-up Blocker from Internet Options, follow these steps:
1 Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Internet Explorer
2 On the Tools menu, click Internet Options
3 Click the Privacy tab, and then select the Block pop-ups check box
4 Click Apply, and then click OK
To clear your computer of adware, spyware, and many other pesky programs, use a free
anti-spyware utility like PepiMK Software's Spybot Search & Destroy or Lavasoft's
Ad-aware 6.0 In fact, you may have the best results if you use both, since neither is
likely to catch every malicious application installed on your PC Neither program detects
or removes viruses, so you'll still need to use a good antivirus program, such as
Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2003 ($50; $15 annual renewal fee)
You can avoid installing unwanted software by being choosy about the free programs you
download, and by understanding your browser's security settings Removing adware and
spyware can be tricky, but several free utilities detect and remove hundreds of known
nasties
Once you've cleansed your PC of unwanted programs, you can keep it clean by avoiding
spyware-laden downloads and by upping your browser's security settings to avoid
"drive-by" installations Internet Explorer is the main target of most of these, and its
default setting (Medium) will prevent automatic installations of most Web-based adware
and spyware
To check your browser's settings in IE, select Tools, Internet Options, click the
Security tab, and choose the Internet zone Make sure that the security level setting is
at Medium or higher In AOL 8.0, which uses IE to display pages, choose Settings,
Preferences, click the Internet Properties (WWW) link, then select the Security tab, and
choose the Internet zone to access the same settings options as IE
Also install a firewall, like ZoneAlarm to control what goes in and out from your
computer!
------------------------------AND--------------------------
Update your system files using Windows Update
In Windows XP Home Edition, you must be logged on as a computer administrator to install
components or modify Automatic Updates settings In Windows XP Professional, you must be
logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group If your computer
is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing
this procedure.
Windows Update is a catalog of items such as drivers, security fixes, critical updates,
the latest Help files, and Internet products that you can download to keep your computer
up-to-date.
Open Windows Update in Help and Support Center
On the Windows Update home page, click Scan for updates
Click Yes when prompted to install any required software or device drivers
Note
Windows Update scans your computer for outdated system files and lets you replace them
with the most recent versions
About the author
Posted by gilbert of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on October 23, 2004
Need Help with this Issue?
We help people with technology! It's what we do.
Contact or Schedule an Appointment with a location for help!