During my usual word search on YA, I have been getting linked to porn sites/pages ?

Actually, it's not spyware, it's adware. Spyware spies on you (recording your keystrokes and sending them to its master). Adware pops up ads and dire warnings about gazillions of viruses on your machine.

My advice: If you have an anti-virus, make sure it has the latest virus definitions and run it. If you don’t have one, many people here swear by AVG (it’s free).

I also suggest you download Ad-Aware SE and Spybot S&D (they’re free), install them, update them and run them. If any of the above doesn’t seem to be able to get rid of everything it reports finding, try running it again, this time in Safe Mode. Safe Mode often prevents the malware from running and protecting itself.

Also, turn off System Restore to evict any copies of bad stuff that might be lurking there.

To get into Safe Mode:

1. Log out and reboot your machine.

2. When the machine starts the reboot sequence, press the F8 key repeatedly.

3. Select Safe Mode from the resulting menu.

4. The machine will continue booting, but the Windows desktop will look different. You won't be able to see the Internet, for instance. Log in as Administrator. Administrator often has no password.

5. When you're finished, log out and reboot back into normal mode.

Update and run them all regularly.

Good luck.

2

could be spyware.

Download the programs linked below. Install them. Update them. Scan your pc with them, and do so weekly.

If you have System Restore turned on, the Restore files may be infected, and trying to reinfect your pc. I turn off that feature, reboot to delete the files, then turn it on after a full system scan with AVG.

Turning off System Restore.

(right-click My Computer, Properties, System Restore tab, check the box to turn off System Restore on all drives.)

Restart your PC, and hold down the F8 key.

When you see the Boot Menu appear (black screen white letters), choose SAFE MODE.

Run a FULL SYSTEM SCAN with AVG.

You can heal or quarentine anything found.

Run CCleaner to delete all your Temp and Temporary Internet Files.

You can also run Spybot and AdAware while in Safe Mode. I suggest you do a full system scan. Get rid of anything they find.

To exit Safe Mode, just restart your PC normally.

AVG Antivirus - Free Antivirus Software

(CNET: "AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is the most popular free solution available at no cost to home users and provides the high level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers.")

Ad-Aware - Free Antispyware Software

(CNET: "One of the first applications built to find and remove adware and spyware, Ad-Aware 2007's excellent reputation is well-justified.")

Spybot Search&Destroy - Free Antispyware/Antitrojan Software

Some REALLY great features of Spybot Search&Destroy: Its ability to help your PC block known spyware/hijacker sites with Immunize feature, a Secure Shredder for truly removing files from your PC, and Startup, which allows you to view the files starting with Windows.

SuperAntiSpyware

SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition is 100% Free and will detect and remove thousands of Spyware, Adware, Malware, Trojans, KeyLoggers, Dialers, Hi-Jackers, and Worms. SUPERAntiSpyware features many unique and powerful technologies and removes spyware threats that other applications fail to remove.

CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware! :)

what a loser.. the guy above you just copy and pasted it from a site on google search.. i recognize thatfrom googling: how to make your computer run fast"....