This could be useful - [link]

So, a friend of mine has a computer that's apparently overrun with adware and spyware and whatever else, to the point where she can't really do anything on the computer because of all the popups. She's got a couple of programs to help, AdAware and Spybot and some other thing she paid for, but they aren't doing the trick. She's run them in safe mode and all. Is there anything she can do other than just reformat the hard drive and start over?

As much as I hate it, MacAfee is great for getting rid of a heavily infested computer. And if it is that heavly infested it probably has viruses as well as spyware and trojans. I have heard of cases where people end having to just reboot from CD and reformat their hard drives, but I have not run into one that bad yet.

t on edit

The reason I prefer McAfee to Norton in this case is that McAfee has fairly decent anti-spyware besides the anti-virus. Norton is actually a better anti-virus prevention program (though I have my own reasons for disliking them too), but McAfee seems to work better as a cure.

Serial: Also a blog I frequent recommends these two freeware programs:

Freeware from McAfee: [link]

Trend Micros damage cleanup engine Make sure to download the template and engine to the same directory [link]

I have not tried these myself.

Is there anything she can do other than just reformat the hard drive and start over?

There's a group that does a free service, where they basically scan everything you're running (well, you run a program and post the log of it) and they tell you, step by step, what to do to clean it. It's called Geeks To Go. You sign up for the forum, download a program called HiJackThis, and post a log in a new thread. Make sure she reads this thread before doing anything.

So, in the capper to the "No, really, you can't watch something tonight" evening that started with a cracked Netflix DVD, the sound on our secondary DVD player went out (we have it hooked up in the bedroom, and I find it's easier to deal with the baby that way). Which means we're looking at replacing it. As I have a fair number of out of area DVDs, I'm wondering what all the cool kids are buying these days in terms of region-freeable DVD players for the least amount of money spent.

Plei, we picked up a Cyberhome mini dvd player with progressive scan for $49.95 at Best Buy. It plays dvd, cd, mp3, jpg, and vcd, "multi", NTSC and PAL.

It's the CH-DVD-300. It's also teeny, and takes up very little room. It has better picture quality than several others we looked at, and for the price is a good deal, I think. It does not, however, play Region 2 dvds, so I have to watch the Sharpes on the old Daewoo Region-free player.

When I asked, I was recommended the Philips DVP642. It's pretty, cheap, and regionfreeable. I picked mine up at Circuit City, and one for my dad at Best Buy. Plays just about anything you throw at it.

Thanks, y'all.

It does not, however, play Region 2 dvds, so I have to watch the Sharpes on the old Daewoo Region-free player.

I've actually heard... somewhere... that most Cyberhome DVDs can be very easily region-freed. That said, the Phillips DVP642 is the one that can play Divx/Xvid files, I think right? That can be pretty darn useful if you want to watch a downloaded episode on your TV.