Please, is there anyone who can put me out of my misery?? I have got an icon in the bottom right of my screen (red dot with white cross) which tells me I have a virus and that it will now download the latest software to combat this. There is also a yellow triangle that pops up every now and then with much the same message. If I leave the red dot Spy falcon is downloaded onto my computer and if I click on the triangle I go to the Spy guard or spy falcon web page. Also dodgy web pages pop up even though these are meant to be blocked. I can't seem to get rid of any of these without buying their software first. Please can anyone help as I can't leave my daughter on the with these "adds" popping up:confused:

Sounds like time for some serious maintenance.

(I'm going to assume that you are using XP even tho' you didn't mention.
Most of these steps will work with any Operating System)

Here's some simple steps for you to take.
1/ Remove temp files and other rubbish form your system, either with inbuilt Disc Clean up or CCleaner.
(Disc clean up; open my computer > right click your C: drive > properties > Disc clean up button on general tab. Let it run and select everything)
2/ Defrag; open my computer > right click your C: drive > properties > Tools tab > Defragament now button.
3/ Error checking; open my computer > right click your C: drive > properties > Tools tab > Tope button > check now. Check BOTH boxes, OK the error message and reboot.
4/ Page file; Right click 'my computer' > properties > advanced tab > Performance settings button > advanced tab > Virtual memory (near the bottom). To make things easier for you select System managed size > click set > then OK's all the way out again. (I suggest 'system managed' as there is no consensus on min and max sizes to set)
5/ To make sure everything is running fine also run both anti virus and anti spyware apps (make sure that they are updated first ;)) (AVG is good and free AV)
(A couple of good removal tools are Spybot and Adaware)

ALso an on line virus and spyware scanner is Trend Housecall

Hope all this lot helps;)

Yes, that screams "SPYWARE" to me. Skip to Ben's last step first - the Trend Housecall link.

After that it might be worth downloading, installing and running Ad-Aware and Spybot: S&D. Microsoft Anti-spyware might also be worth installing too. Links in my signature below. Try running the scans if safe mode if you now how to get into that.

Many thanks... worked a treat. Spybot was the one after 3 searches and a final scan before everything booted up that dug out the last remaining pest. Just one other thing, when I try to de-frag, I keep getting the message (roughly) - Chkdsk is due to run... can't perform taste... run chkdsk... I ran check-disk, but still can't defrag?

Again many thanks for your help
Kevin

Hmmm...

Might be an idea to boot into safe mode and try defragging from there. It might also be worth running Ad-Adware/Spybot while you are there too.

Let us know if you don't know how to get into safe mode.

HI,
Running Defrag in Safe Mode is the best way; will run faster.
Here are steps to run it, if as another said, you don't know how to get into Safe Mode:
Re-boot the computer, and immediately after starting up, Press and hold down (or press and release, press and release,) F8, at top of keypad.
When the options show on the screen, use the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard to select
"Safe Mode".
Press Enter
Then, after running Defrag, reboot the computer, and it will come back up to the normal desktop screen.
Best of luck.

A tip I got a while back while chasing those damned trojans -

After a Spybot/Adaware check but before fixing the problems found, go to

My Computer> Properties> System Restore and switch it off

But remember to switch back on again after doing the "Fix" :D I was told that some of the spyware etc can hide itself and if you do a Restore some time they pop back onto your system from there.

(Way - Hey - I ain't as dumb as I thought)