unwanted downloads

[trishi]

I'm not that computer oriented, but do know that I have
had mysterious downloads from popup ads on my computer.
I've been trying to delete as much as possible without
deleting something I may need. My question is, I've seen
several things listed as Windows XP Hotfix with a series
of numbers and letters after it usually starting with a Q
or K. Does anyone know what this is and should I remove
it? Another general question. Does anyone know of a good
popup and spam blocker? Thanks for your help.

 

[Phil]

Those are files are just as they say -- Windows XP fixes. Do not uninstall
them.

1 - enable a firewall
2 - always run a current and updated anti-virus program
3 -
You've got spyware, adware, a trojan, a search engine hijacker, or a home
page hijacker.

Run these tools weekly
Spybot -- http://www.safer-networking.org/
Ad-aware -- http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

CWShredder: http://209.133.47.200/~merijn/files/CWShredder.exe

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition
http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

My question is, I've seen
several things listed as Windows XP Hotfix with a series
of numbers and letters after it usually starting with a Q
or K. Does anyone know what this is and should I remove
it?

These are the critical updates (mostly security-oriented) that
you've been downloading all along. Do not remove these, or you
will put back the security exposures they were designed to fix.
You can however delete their backup
files. See http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm

Another general question. Does anyone know of a good
popup and spam blocker?

The Google Toolbar contains a good popup stopper.

 

[Alex Nichol]

My question is, I've seen
several things listed as Windows XP Hotfix with a series
of numbers and letters after it usually starting with a Q
or K. Does anyone know what this is and should I remove
it?

Those are there so you could *uninstall* the patches you have downloaded
through Windows Update. Each Qnnnnnn (or KB number) corresponds to a
folder of files needed for the purpose - Windows\$NTUninstallQnnnnnn$
for the fix described at
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;nnnnnn

If you decide you will not want to uninstall a fix (and if all is
running smoothly you probably won't) then delete the folder. If you
then try in Add/remove, to Remove that one, it will fail, and you will
be offered the option of removing the entry there

Another general question. Does anyone know of a good
popup and spam blocker?

Free version of PopUp stopper, at
http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree_download.html

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I take that back!!!

http://www.pestpatrol.com/PestInfo/p/panicware_popup_stopper.asp