Spyware/adware Purchase

I am really getting tired of all this spam.
If I change my e-mail address will
spyware/adware already on my computer
find it and start adding spam to my new
e-mail address.

I have been sent many "free" spyware/
adware removal programs. Most of them
just scan your computer and want you
to purchase a full download.

Does Norton make a decent removal
progam and does it require updates
that have to be paid for?

Can anyone recommed a good removal
program and where to get it.

After I remove spyware/adware can I
safely make a new e-mail address and
be safe from spam? I would close my
my old e-mail address. How can I make
sure spam does not get to my new
e-mail address.

Thanks, Jerry

 

Sorry to say but there is no single 'magic bullet' that will clean all and then stop all for the future.

There are quite a few good spyware/adware/malware removal apps available but I think most of us on here rely on a combination of 3 free ones that can keep things pretty clear if updated regularly and run regularly. Links to download all are in quicklinks in my signature.

• Ad-aware SE - download, update, run, and let it remove all items it finds.
• Spybot Search & Destroy - download, update, run, and it will pre-check the baddies it finds. Let it remove all of them. Other items are normal history things and fine to remove but harmless and will start building new lists. After running for removal, also click on the immunize icon and then on the green cross to complete the immunization. A large number of known baddies will now be blocked and not bother you again.
• Spywareblaster - unlike the first two, not a cleaner but a passive blocker. When updated and run, it blocks well over 3000 known baddies. Some overlap with stuff Spybot blocks but the two apps run well together.

If you'd like and on an 'as needed' basis, get the current version of Hijackthis, save it to a folder of it's own (I like c:\hjt) and run a scan then create a log file and post that to a thread here. We can take a look and give specifics for removal of any problem items. DO NOT use it to clean without advice since unlike the above listed products, Hijackthis makes no attempt to sort out good from bad but simply lists everything it finds running.

A new email address after cleaning things up will certainly cut way back on the spam but the only way to completely stop it would be to never use email. There are various anti-spam filters available but so far I haven't found any that are anywhere near 100% so if you simply let them block all they see as spam, you will miss some perfectly innocent emails.