Expert: Carolyn Meinel - 2/12/2007

Question
Dear Carolyn,
I have AVG installed plus Adaware and spybot. I do weekly updates and scans. A fortnight ago while scanning with spybot
it only got about 10% into the scan and more or less froze.
I have had this programme installed for about 12 months without any trouble but decided to uninstall this spybot and then download and install the latest spybot thinking this may fix it, but the exact same error is occurring and that is freezing only a little way into the scan. Any ideas..??
Thanks Pamela

Answer
You did exactly what I would have done when you uninstalled Spybot and installed the latest version.

The problem is that AVG and Spybot together used to be enough to protect a computer. However, the rise of big money organized Internet crime is changing this. Just in case your computer has been invaded by a dangerous crime program that may have disabled Spybot, it could be a good idea to turn off AVG and instead install and run the free trial version of F-secure Internet Security from http://www.f-secure.com/home_user/support_and_downloads/evaluations/

This program includes a firewall, antivirus and antispyware.

If F-Secure doesn't find any lurking harmful programs, your problem might be a bug in your operating system. If so, and if you have Windows ME or XP, you might be able to fix things with System Restore. In XP, click Start --> Help and choose System Restore.

If none of these works, you almost certainly can fix your computer with Norton System Works. Besides including antivirus, antispyware, and a firewall, it also does automatic repairs to your operating system. It even installs a better version of system restore. You can get it at www.symantec.com.