To relieve yourself of most spyware, using an internet browser other than Internet Explorer will help quite a bit. In my opinion, Internet Explorer is too tightly integrated to the operating system and it does things without your permission (mainly due to ActiveX controls). My suggestion, use either Mozilla Firefox or Opera Web Browser. They're both free and pretty stable browsers. Also, get anti-spyware software. These programs will hopefully detect and eliminate spyware from your system, although you must remember to update your spyware definitions consistently. Microsoft Anti-Spyware and Spybot are probably the two most popular and overall best solutions for the normal user.
For viruses, I go the cheap route and mainly use AVG Anti Virus. It's free and I run it maybe every month or so just in case something I downloaded unto my system is infected. Remember to update your virus definitions as well!
There are also services that run in the background that you really don't need in my opinion. To see what services you are running, go to Start > Run. In the command line type "services.msc" and hit OK. Chances are you have a multitude of services that are running in Windows that are hogging up precious resources on your system. There are web sites that can help you address this problem. I myself have used two:
The Elder Geek
and
Black Viper
Both are pretty thorough in identifying which services you need or don't need. I've seen so much bloat running on so many people's computers it makes me want to vomit. Here is what is running on my system, just to give you an idea. This is only to give you an idea. Please be careful when adjusting certain services as you can potentially turn off a vital system service.
One last thing, if you are running Windows XP, be sure to have a router connected in between your cable/dsl modem and your main computer so worms and other nastiness don't creep in.
So in conclusion, to really secure yourself and have a decent running system:
- Use an internet browser other than Internet Explorer
- Run some sort of anti virus software on a regular basis
- Turn off unnecessary fluff (services, visuals, etc.)
- Protect from Spyware and adware using two programs and run them regularly:
1) Microsoft Anti-Spyware
2) Spybot - Search & Destroy
- Use a firewall or router of some kind
