A friend's son was on my computer a couple of days ago and since then I've been getting pop up ads all the time. I've got McAfee installed and it says I'm protected. I've run a full scan. I've even been on to the McAfee Virtual Technician and they suggested a scan for viruses in DOS. This took hours to run, report was fine but as soon as I logged back onto the internet the pop up ads started again. Most of them start with CiD: . Not sure what to do next - it's driving me mad. Also programs keep freezing and everything seems much slower than normal. I would be VERY grateful for any help.

Ta.

can you check for a list of trusted sites?

Several things you can do. Install AdAware and SpyBot to search for spyware, as opposed to full blown viri. SP will look at Windows' registry and see if something you've picked up's been rewriting scriptlets. They also ought to spot memory hogging things :)

Check taskman and see what processes are running, what's hogging memory, how large the pagefile is...

get spyware doctor http://www.download.com/Spyware-Doctor-Starter-Edition/3000-8022_4-10704508.html

Even if a spyware and or virus remover fixes these visible problems, are you going to trust this installation with your credit card again?

Format c: tbh.

Thanks for all the advice. Never thought about the credit card use - thanks for that, will make sure I don't use it on internet till I know everything's safe again.

Have checked task manager and there is something called iexplore.exe which is clocking up memory usage really quickly. Not sure what it is or whether or not I can just click end process to delete it.

Just found out that means internet explorer - what a plonker!

Do you get the same popups if you start the PC in 'safe mode with networking'?

Pressing F8 repeatedly during boot will normally bring up the option to do this.

Note your resolution will be different and the appearance of your system will be a whole lot different but it's good for testing purposes.

If no pop ups in this mode, it's almost certainly a process running somewhere in the background causing your problems.

As already suggested, install AdAware and Spybot, run both of them one after the other.

If that doesn't clear up the problem then go to the Task Manager, look at processes and if you don't know what each task does then google them one by one. If there is something dodgy there then find out what the filename is and delete it. In my experience you may have to do this through the MS Dos Prompt as sometimes these pop-up spyware files reinstall themselves if you try to delete them in Windows.

Once you've got rid of it, install Firefox. Spyware/pop-ups etc just aren't a problem with it.

A friend's son was on my computer a couple of days ago and since then I've been getting pop up ads all the time. I've got McAfee installed and it says I'm protected. I've run a full scan. I've even been on to the McAfee Virtual Technician and they suggested a scan for viruses in DOS. This took hours to run, report was fine but as soon as I logged back onto the internet the pop up ads started again. Most of them start with CiD: . Not sure what to do next - it's driving me mad. Also programs keep freezing and everything seems much slower than normal. I would be VERY grateful for any help.

Ta.

The simplest and quickest solution is to use the "System Restore" feature on Windows and restore your system to a date BEFORE you had the pop up trouble.

To do this go to Start menu, select "Control Panel",select "Performance and Maintenance", then select "System Restore" (this will appear on left hand corner).
Then simply follow the simple instructions on screen.
(You want the System restore option not "create a restore point," when you get to the relevant screen)

It looks like it was something that came with Yahoo Messenger Plus as when I deleted that it said something like Yahoo Messenger Plus with CiD sponsor. It looks like the YMP has gone but I'm still getting the CiD sponsor ads. I've run a virus scan and installed spyware but they are still coming up. By the way, what's Firefox?

Thanks everybody for all help and suggestions so far:)

The simplest and quickest solution is to use the "System Restore" feature on Windows and restore your system to a date BEFORE you had the pop up trouble.

To do this go to Start menu, select Control Panel,select Performance and Maintenance, then select "System Restore" (this will appear on left hand corner).
Then simply follow the simple instructions on screen.
(You want the System restore option not "create a restore point," when you get to the relevant screen)

When I go to Control Panel I can't see a Performance and Maintenance option. Is this within one of the other icons, or could it be named something different on my computer?

It looks like it was something that came with Yahoo Messenger Plus as when I deleted that it said something like Yahoo Messenger Plus with CiD sponsor. It looks like the YMP has gone but I'm still getting the CiD sponsor ads. I've run a virus scan and installed spyware but they are still coming up. By the way, what's Firefox?

Thanks everybody for all help and suggestions so far:)

System restore would cure this.

When I go to Control Panel I can't see a Performance and Maintenance option. Is this within one of the other icons, or could it be named something different on my computer?

In the top left hand corner click on "Switch to category view"

Thanks, found it now - will give it a try.

Unfortunately, the only restore point available is today, which wouldn't be any good to me.

Unfortunately, the only restore point available is today, which wouldn't be any good to me.

Have you tried going back a month?

The dates in bold on the calender are the available restore points, are you sure there were no more dates in bold?

Do you get the same popups if you start the PC in 'safe mode with networking'?

Pressing F8 repeatedly during boot will normally bring up the option to do this.

Note your resolution will be different and the appearance of your system will be a whole lot different but it's good for testing purposes.

If no pop ups in this mode, it's almost certainly a process running somewhere in the background causing your problems.

I'll give this a try, thanks.

Have you tried going back a month?

Yes, but it wouldn't let me. Just stayed on July when I pressed the back arrow for the month.

Yes, but it wouldn't let me. Just stayed on July when I pressed the back arrow for the month.

If you have no other restore dates that suggests you have "system restore" switched off.
It might be an idea to switch it on for future problem solving.

For you current problem
Try using "Add and Remove Programs"
From the Control Panel select this option then find "Yahoo" in the list and then select Change/Remove.

When I ran the scan for viruses in dos yesterday I had to switch off system restore via Computer / System Info / System restore, but I switched it straight back on after - not sure if doing that deleted all restore points or not. I've also deleted everything to do with Yahoo / Messenger apart from the only thing appearing in Add or Remove Programs now is Yahoo Search Protection. Do you think I should remove this?

When I ran the scan for viruses in dos yesterday I had to switch off system restore via Computer / System Info / System restore, but I switched it straight back on after - not sure if doing that deleted all restore points or not. I've also deleted everything to do with Yahoo / Messenger apart from the only thing appearing in Add or Remove Programs now is Yahoo Search Protection. Do you think I should remove this?

Ahh that would explain why you didn't have any other Restore Point dates!

Everytime you switch System Restore off you actually delete all previous restore point dates.

It's probably better to try the "System Restore" option first rather than scan for viruses in Dos, as "System Restore" will usually cure most problems more often than not.

Yes Remove Yahoo Search Protection.

It looks like it was something that came with Yahoo Messenger Plus as when I deleted that it said something like Yahoo Messenger Plus with CiD sponsor. It looks like the YMP has gone but I'm still getting the CiD sponsor ads. I've run a virus scan and installed spyware but they are still coming up. By the way, what's Firefox?

Thanks everybody for all help and suggestions so far:)

CiD sponsor ads are a ******* to remove. Has anyone installed MSN or LIVE on it? There's an option on one of them for sponsored ads.
You MUST deselect it or in they come!

Ahh that would explain why you didn't have any other Restore Point dates!Everytime you switch System Restore off you actually delete all previous restore point dates.It's probably better to try the "System Restore" option first rather than scan for viruses in Dos as "System Restore" will usually cure most problems more often than not.Yes Remove Yahoo Search Protection.I wish I'd posted on here yesterday before I got in touch with McAfee.* I thought having McAfee on stopped problems like this.* I've removed the YSP now but still getting CiD ads.* Thanks for all suggestions though.

CiD sponsor ads are a ******* to remove. Has anyone installed MSN or LIVE on it? There's an option on one of them for sponsored ads.
You MUST deselect it or in they come!

Someone installed Yahoo Messenger Plus and that seems to have been the problem.

I wish I'd posted on here yesterday before I got in touch with McAfee.* I thought having McAfee on stopped problems like this.* I've removed the YSP now but still getting CiD ads.* Thanks for all suggestions though.

Okay, try this.

Go to My Computer, select C drive then double click Program files.
Look for the Yahoo folder then delete the Yahoo folder.

Okay, try this.

Go to My Computer, select C drive then double click Program files.
Look for the Yahoo folder then delete the Yahoo folder.

Scrub my last comment!

I've just done a Google and found out that CID is NOT a Yahoo program even though it may have been caught from using Yahoo.

Go back to Add and Remove Programs and look for "CID Help", and then click remove or "Windows Live! Plus! and then select "remove Sponsor (CID).

If you can see either program listed select Change/Remove.

CID is included in MSN PLUS :thumbsup:

Scrub my last comment!

I've just done a Google and found out that CID is NOT a Yahoo program even though it may have been caught from using Yahoo.

Go back to Add and Remove Programs and look for "CID Help", and then click remove or "Windows Live! Plus! and then select "remove Sponsor (CID).

If you can see either program listed select Change/Remove.

Can't see "CiD Help" or "Windos Live! Plus!". I've just logged back on after removing the Yahoo thing I mentioned before and so far, touch wood, no pop-ups have appeared. Hopefully it is sorted, but I'm not holding my breath. So grateful for help so far :D Maybe I needed to restart for it to take effect?

Whoops! Spoke too soon - one's just appeared.

Whoops! Spoke too soon - one's just appeared.

Try going to My Computer, then C drive, double click Programs and look for

Yahoo folder, MSN folder, Cid folder and delete them.

Other than that, If use a better browser like Opera it won't show Cid adverts, it's much much more secure from these types of threats than Internet Explorer is.
Download the browser to your desktop and then install it by double clicking the new set up icon on your desktop.

http://www.opera.com/products/

Scrub my last comment!

I've just done a Google and found out that CID is NOT a Yahoo program even though it may have been caught from using Yahoo.

Go back to Add and Remove Programs and look for "CID Help", and then click remove or "Windows Live! Plus! and then select "remove Sponsor (CID).

If you can see either program listed select Change/Remove.


I never thought about googling it. Have just done so and found a link to remove CiD through this link http://cidhelp.com/privacy.html I think it has finally gone hurray!!!!! Thanks everybody - particularly Kingmaker2

I never thought about googling it. Have just done so and found a link to remove CiD through this link http://cidhelp.com/privacy.html I think it has finally gone hurray!!!!! Thanks everybody.

Glad you finally sorted it out.
You still should consider using a better browser than Internet Explorer, it's the least secure browser against threats like Spyware and Trojans and Viruses.

This is quite an interesting read on the subject of browser security.

http://www.crossroads-webdesign.com/articles/articles.php?mod=op-ff-ie

I've taken your advice and downloaded Opera. Seems good - far quicker than Internet Explorer. Thanks.

I've taken your advice and downloaded Opera. Seems good - far quicker than Internet Explorer. Thanks.

I'm glad you've discovered Opera, I been a happy user for about 5 years now.

Speed and security are just 2 obvious advantages it holds over Internet Explorer, when you get more aquainted with it try using some of it's other advanced feautres like Voice, where you can have webpages read to you.
The Speed dial is a very nice feature where you can have your favorite websites as visual bookmarks, try it.
Don't forget the excellent magnifying glass feature which makes reading the all too common tiny text on webpages effortless!

You can also change the layout and colour of your browser, and you can add icons to your tool bars (named buttons).
Just select "tools" then "appearance" and have a play around and you'll see what I mean!

Because Internet Explorer is a Microsoft product that comes with nearly every PC that is sold, Internet Explorer is still widely used, this means that most website designers will design their site specifically to work with Internet Explorer.
What this means is that very occasionally Opera may not be able to display a page properly or work as well as it should, this is not so much a fault of the Opera browser but more the fault of the web page designer.
As I said, this only happens very occasionally, but when this does happen you can quickly revert temporarily back to Internet Explorer for that certain web page.
There is however a little trick that Opera does have up it's sleeve when it comes across a troublesome website and that is to "mask itself as I.E"
Whilst on the still on the troublesome web page,Select tools, then "Quick Preferences" then "Edit Site Preferences", then select "network" and then select "Mask as Internet Explorer" from the drop down box, then select Okay and refresh the webage.
This seems to do the trick about 70% of the time.
Anyway have fun exploring Opera!

Here's a site that might be useful to you, it's from 2006, but most of the information still applies:
http://www.techjunkeez.com/archive/windows_tips/opera%20browser%20tips.htm

I can't believe the difference. Love the speed dial. Will have to try some of the other features when I get the time. I'm not very techy so will probably only use the basic features but much better than IE so far.