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Dear
CNET members:
Thanks to you all, this week we reached a record number of members who submitted an answer to last week's question on spyware/adware. So check out Chris's winning submission beloq followed by this week's long list of honorable mentions, which also includes members' recommendations on spyware, adware, and pop-up-stopping utilities. With all of this outstanding advice, we can give these parasites a good whack on the head.
 All
of a sudden, my PC is running slower and I'm getting a ton of
advertising pop-ups when I go online. Someone told me it might
be spyware or adware. What are they and how do I get rid of them?
--Submitted
by Douglas A. of Paradise Valley, AZ
 Spyware and adware are programs that are installed on your computer surreptitiously. They get onto your computer when you install various software programs, such as Kazaa, or by visiting some Web sites. Then they send information about you, such as your surfing habits, from your computer through the Internet or deliver pop-up ads. Since these programs run in the background, they eat up system resources and slow your computer down. To remove these programs you can do the following:
1) Run a virus scan with an up-to-date antivirus software package such as Norton's or McAfee's to make sure that the spyware is the only problem slowing your computer down.
2)
Download a copy of either Spybot Search and Destroy or Ad-aware, which will identify and eliminate most of the spyware and adware programs.
3)
Download a pop-up stopper/blocker. Google offers a free toolbar that has a built in pop-up blocker that works about 95 percent of the time.
--Submitted by member: Chris D. from Cheektowaga,
NY
Please click
here to check out Chris’ full response and this week's
honorable mentions.
For his efforts, we’re sending his choice of any Help.com
Learning CD.
Check out next week's question:
I have a collection of hard to find vinyl records and I'd like to create an archive of songs on CD-ROM. Is this possible using my PC?
--Submitted by: Marilyn D. of Maplewood, MN
We feature a new question every Friday. If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a free Help.com CD. Click
here for Q&A submission guidelines
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Microsoft Excel
Do
you leave your computer on all the time? 
