Please HELP! I need help removing an ad from my desktop!

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Nicole wrote:

> I went to a free ecard site and through a site there was a program or
> spyware or something installed on my computer. I was able to remove it
> the program from my add/remove section, but now I can't remove an ad
> from my desktop that says Warning: Spyware and links me to this
> website: http://www.smart-security.info/?affid=27! When I went to go
> customize my desktop, it won't let me change the wallpaper! Won't let
> me get rid of this ad on my desktop! Please help me!

Here's how to get rid of the desktop warning being displayed by malware.
Go to the Display applet in Control Panel and look on the Desktop tab.
Click on Customize Desktop, and then click on the Web tab. You will see
that there are checkmarks next to "My Current Home Page" and probably
"Lock Desktop Items". Uncheck these. By highlighting the "My Current
Home Page" and clicking on the Properties button, you will be able to
determine the name of the file that is the message. It might be called
something like "security.html" or the like.

Of course you want to click Apply and OK out when you've made your
changes. Then you want to find the *.html malware file and delete it.

It would also be wise to scan for malware with the free programs Spybot
Search & Destroy and Ad-aware. Get the programs, install them, update
them, and do scans in Safe Mode.

http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
www.elephantboycomputers.com
In Memoriam - MVP Alex Nichol
The world is diminished without him.