Originally Posted by ozstamps
I am not very tech savvy and hope others can bear with the newbie level query.
I just downloaded something called "Spyware Doctor" for $40 or whatever.
Gave me the impressive first system scan that said I had 100s of useless things on my system, and suggested I deleted them. So far so good.
And since that time the whole system is just crawwwwwwling.
Even when I type this message into FT the what I am typing "lags" well after the keystrokes are made .. often a full sentence behind.
I removed Norton Pro for the same kind of reasons that it slowed things down too much. Is this common reaction from Spyware removal programs does anyone know?
Is there a less invasive, but effective one out there you savvy folks can recommend?
Glen
Oz....try this freewarware Spybot - Search & Destroy
Overview [link]
Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
To see a list of threats Spybot-S&D can remove, in the navigation bar at the left click on Support --> Threats. For an introduction to Spybot-S&D, please read the tutorial. If you fear incompatibility with other software you are now using, although we can assure you that there is no dangeryou can review our compatibility overview which lists some software whose compatibility has been analyzed.
Spybot-S&D can also clean usage tracks, an interesting function if you share your computer with other users and don't want them to see what you have been working on. And for professional users, Spybot-S&D allows you to fix some registry inconsistencies and extended reports. A list of all the apllication's features is also available.
ScottC is on the money!
Alternatively, try some of the other scanning apps, my personal pick would be Windows Defender; a free application from Microsoft that gets the job done.