I found the cure to Spy/Adware!
 

Stop installing Adware / Spyware / Antivirus software.

A few months ago I removed all antivirus / adware / spyware removers / monitors from my system, and have been running squeaky clean ever since.

No Norton, No HJT, No AdAware, No S&D... No problems.

Prior to this test, I installed a fresh copy of windows on a formatted drive and put on all of my "defenses". Within a week I had 96 files that were considered a "threat", so I removed them. I then found even more after running each program to remove them.

Has anyone else done this test? If so, please post your results here. I'd be interested in seeing if I'm just being Overly careful now, or if there is something more to this.

:glugglug

it wont turn my norton off

they consider cookies "threats"
maybe that's what they were

No, I took that into consideration.

My theory is that the "adware/spyware" creators are competing over your box. One "Remover" installs it's own spyware, and removes it's competitors'. But, I cannot verify this at all. So, I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this test with similar results.

yes, install 1 and run it now
alot of spyware is silent, so you might be loaded with it and not know
just because you dnt have an antivirus and an adware scanner doesnt mean you arent infected by either.

Thanks for the info it is working for me so far.
:thumbsup :thumbsup

Yeah, it's kind of a catch 22. If I install an adware/remover, in my theory, I will actually "GET" infected. The only way I can really judge it is by the speed of my system. When I was loaded down with assware, my system was very slow. It runs perfectly fine now.

I noticed this a while back also, I had an old 400MHZ machine that never had Norton, or any other assware remover on it, and it was fine for years (minus the occasional bluescreen). But once I installed Norton, and started being paranoid about assware, my system slowed down to a halt, and for the following year+, I have been constantly battling that B.S. So, I decided to go back to my roots, and have been sailing along nicely for a while now.

:)

I'm on a fresh install (for over a month now), so far I haven't run any adaware or anything. Thanks to Opera I have no need to.