annoying popups (no i dont want a green card)

LovelyHurling

Anyone know how a technophobe like myself could solve this problem in a few easy steps, if possible?? I keep getting these popups on my screen offering me a US greencard and a chance to win money in online casinos and the like, its really annoying and happens almost every time i go online, just wondering if its possible to block this sorta stuff, thanks!

Endurance Man

Firefox TBH! .

Karoma

http://www.getFireFox.com/
Download and use FireFox in place of Internet Explorer.

That should help a great deal.
Then Tools -> Extensions -> get More Extensions and add in adblock and NoScript = happy happy days.

X-SL

*cough*opera is better.

although the OP didn't say in his browser. Could be adware. Download an adware/spyware remover. AdAware is a good one. As is spybot. MS's Antispyware one is good too but i think it costs money now

falipo

the google toolbar and the msn 1's are good for blocking pop ups

Ste-

X-SL wrote:

MS's Antispyware one is good too but i think it costs money now

Nope still in "beta"
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

zuma

Would people stop trying to push Firefox/Opera down people throats here??

A popup/adblocker blocker will help.

I honestly dont know any myself except for adblock in Firefox.

ai ing

Spybot Search and Destroy is another good one

BopNiblets

zuma wrote:

Would people stop trying to push Firefox/Opera down people throats here??

A popup/adblocker blocker will help.

I honestly dont know any myself except for adblock in Firefox.

Not pushing, more like helping to swallow...
Firefox and Opera have one built in, why waste space and memory when you can have it ALL!

Endurance Man

zuma wrote:

Would people stop trying to push Firefox/Opera down people throats here??

A popup/adblocker blocker will help.

I honestly dont know any myself except for adblock in Firefox.

What? Its a great program that gives you the best of all worlds, why would we not recommend it?

Sully

Anti-Spyware scanners block pop-ups now?

Firefox/Opera are equally as good, and I wouldnt recommend using IE. But its up to you, and if you want support/advise while still being an IE users - thats fine to

zuma

Endurance Man wrote:

What? Its a great program that gives you the best of all worlds, why would we not recommend it?

Mabye because some people are not comfortable switching browsers???

Im not sure if I read it in this forum or another, but it was against the rules to blatantly answer questions by saying the problem will be solved using FF/Opera.

Before I get any crap about me being anti FF/Opera...dont evern try as Im typing this message using my highly tweaked v1.5 which is a LOT faster than it was before I started playing around with about:config!!!

On a sidenot...BopNiblets/Endurance Man as wannabe gurus in Firefox do you know how to make a backup of the about:config changes?
if so then I would love to know how as I have zero intention of modding it all over again on other computers.

Karoma

OK,it's not a silver bullet - but from the original post i got the impression that it was only when online and certain sites. All of the alternatives have greater drawbacks than installing and using FireFox which will help solve the issue.

Endurance Man

zuma wrote:

On a sidenot...BopNiblets/Endurance Man as wannabe gurus in Firefox do you know how to make a backup of the about:config changes?
if so then I would love to know how as I have zero intention of modding it all over again on other computers.

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

Click on your profile dir (it's random letters) and save the "prefs.js" file.

That should do the trick .

PS: Since when am i FF guru? hehe

hobie

I use a great Anti Pop-Up prog. but if I mention it I'll get blown out of the water so I'm going to say .....

Nothing!!!! ....

.... I know it's not an Airbus .....:)

astrofool

just install and then update and then run and immunise etc. spybot (http://security.kolla.de) or ad-aware (google it ) and providing its not too nasty a form of spyware, the pop ups should stop. (both programs are very simple to use).

AFAIK, firefox, while not being susceptible to as many of these type of attacks as IE, does not have a method for removing them.

Spyware can be as bad as a Virus, and you should completely remove any and all spyware from a computer. They can even be memory resident at startup, even when not browsing the net, or can hijack various OS functions.

If you use windows XP, ensure its using service pack 2 (right click on "my computer" and select properties), and that all the updates are installed from http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Install an anti-virus as well, if you haven't already, a good free one is AVG (http://free.grisoft.com), but there are many others (google them )

mp3guy

firefox + tabbed browser preferences extension = no pop ups what so ever, go on, try it.

zuma

Endurance Man wrote:

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

Click on your profile dir (it's random letters) and save the "prefs.js" file.

That should do the trick .

PS: Since when am i FF guru? hehe

Very nice.

Thanks.

PS:
Well I dont go around signing its praises to everyone:cool:

aidan_walsh

zuma wrote:

Well I dont go around signing its praises to everyone

A guru, a fanboy is most certainly not.

ai ing

@zuma Another way is to create a file called user.js in your profile directory and put in it all the tweaks. Any settings in the user.js overrides the prefs.js