eating up hard drive space

[daydreamer110761]

funky question here - but i'm not very good with the spyware stuff - about 3 weeks ago - not sure where it came from - but ended up removing 700+ deposits of spyware, malware, etc.  along with the help of HJT logs, adaware, spybot, and avg - but they're back!

when running adaware, it comes up with about 70+ still in the puter - adaware seems to freeze while deleting these.  last night i noticed something eating up my hard drive space, i got a pop-up in the middle of a scan telling me to clean up the c drive - however nothiing was in them, and it still was full.  

I will continue on, and get it off - but in the meantime - is there some sort of freeware out there tht runs in the background and stops the malware stuff from its attack?

[justin]

http://www.noadware.net/?hop=diginfo

[Raptor]

Scan for viruses, trojan horses and spyware in Safe mode.

Download the latest Microsoft (security) updates.

And never trust Justin. That program looks awfully dodgy.

[daydreamer110761]

thanx to both of you - haven't checked out justin's idea yet - and will work on this at home tonight - just figured i would ask the questions now to have something to work with later - you guys are fast!  

just one question with the microsoft updates - i really do use them - and it seems wierd - but when i take them up on the downloads is most often when it happens.

truthfully - i'm not on the puter much anymore at home (on one all day at work) except to fix it after my daughter has been somewhere -  

[Raptor]

You should make use of a different Internet browser.

Mozilla Firefox Look into configuring it properly. Can't help but loving it, that way.

Assuming this is Windows XP: Disable System Restore

[daydreamer110761]

i have used mozilla in the past - on a different puter - mine - lol! it was great - and no - not xp - i'm a 98 lover.  I have xp here at work - and for some reason just can't stand it.  

i have a habit of putting together puters and putting 98 in all of them - the one i'm running right now is an old compaq (was here asking questions about it a while ago).  but since i have a complete dislike of IE - maybe i should do just that - thanx for the thought!  

[Raptor]

Windows XP can be set to look like Windows 98. Other than not being able to use older MS-DOS based programs it is a very good operating system. (No matter what some people say.. Not naming any names, Merlin)

[daydreamer110761]

i imagine that as time goes on and i get used to it - xp will sooner or later end up at home also -  

[Computer_Commando]

Windows XP can be set to look like Windows 98. ...

Here's how to do it:  http://www.amherst.edu/it/software/xp/classic.html

[Raptor]

Beats the teletubby colours and layouts.

[daydreamer110761]

Thanx guys - i did it all - and all is gone - even got rid of IE (from the desk top anyway so i don't confuse the kid) and loaded firefox.  going to play around with it for a while and see if that helps.  and probably add a bigger hard drive in this comp.  i never even checked what's inside this thing - just played with it and got it running.

raptor - you spend all day here!  lol!

[Raptor]

That's one of Firefox's miracles, tabbed browsing. I keep it under a tab and occasionally check back.