The comment about the Check Time Zones is just plain dumb, and setting your system to a time server is very anal.
A lot of spyware can be disguised as simple utilities such as a clock syncronizer. If it hasn't become clear by now, the pop-ups that ask to install software on your system while surfing the net should always be answered with a NO.
Good advice is always know what is in your RUN Registry Branch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
AND
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
These are programs that automatically execute when your system starts.
Windows XP, and 2000 and 98 will run fine if there are NO entries under these keys. I suggest never deleting them, but simply placing a * as the first character in the Data Field of the Key. This will stop the application from executing, and if you discover any applications failing, and take the Star out. Some are obvious, but these spybot writers know that, and will make some programs "look" like they belong.
After that, always check your StartUp folder - I seem to always forget the simplest things. Some apps are so clever as to install in both places - registry and startup, so as if one gets removed, the second one will still execute the application, which then reinserts whichever link is missing.
All this for a clock problem? In most cases, the Registry Entries above are the culprit. I am looking at my RUN tree right now, and I have 24 entries, only 4 are active. My system runs fine.
