Olham 164 Posted July 1, 2011 Today I was beginning to wonder about the info going in from and out to the internet from my PC. This is what happened: I had searched for a mini compact stereo system. I searched at AMAZON and then at CONRAD (German electronics dealer). When I came to the forum later, I saw an advertising stripe below the posts. And this stripe was from the German dealer CONRAD, and the advert showed ONLY exactly those mini stereo systems, which I had clicked before. Not just any similar choice of them - no, exactly those. Now I am worried, if I'm getting paranoid (which would be only normal, cause everyone in this whole galaxy has it, according to Douglas Adams) - but I find that quite strange... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted July 1, 2011 . Not strange at all Olham. Any time you are online shopping, viewing websites, whatever, there are any number of adware gizmos keeping track of everywhere you go so that the pop-ups will be better tailored to you. They can keep tabs on you in a variety of ways, and the only hope of getting rid of them is to completely clean out your cache and registry on a regular basis. They will however be back and start over the next time you go online. Welcome to 1984 Olham. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Polovski 460 Posted July 1, 2011 Install http://noscript.net/ for Firefox for a start, then you chose which scripts to allow on websites (so blocks many advertising ones). Bit annoying on some but mostly you can allow temporarily or permanently (or block of course) on favourite websites. Use Spybot and clean your system, and use a decent Anti Virus. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted July 1, 2011 Ever since I started using Adblock Plus in my Firefox, I haven't been troubled by ads. It's a free add-on to the browser and works really well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted July 1, 2011 They will however be back and start over the next time you go online. Welcome to 1984 Olham. I thought you would say it's normal. Thank you guys for your tips - I don't yet regard it as any dangerous. Perhaps I should. But I will care for what you suggested, Pol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted July 1, 2011 Install http://noscript.net/ for Firefox for a start, then you chose which scripts to allow on websites (so blocks many advertising ones). Bit annoying on some but mostly you can allow temporarily or permanently (or block of course) on favourite websites. Use Spybot and clean your system, and use a decent Anti Virus. + Ever since I started using Adblock Plus in my Firefox, I haven't been troubled by ads. It's a free add-on to the browser and works really well. = better spyware control Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parky 8 Posted July 1, 2011 Paulo, Can we safely assume you're endorsing both of these products??? If so, consider them as good as installed on all systems (or at least the ones I really care about) (And thanks to Pol and Hasse for pointing them out) Cheers, Parky Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted July 1, 2011 (edited) Yes James, I endorsed both of them. I used both with Firefox for more than a year. Noscript is annoying, because each time you visit one new site you've to give him authorization to load the scripts. But it keep you much more safe. It's the best first line defense you can have against spyware. You can't imagine, until you have noscript, how many scripts are running inside a simple website. Adblock is a complement. You'll have no more banners with ads. Edited July 2, 2011 by Von Paulus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
almccoyjr 7 Posted July 1, 2011 Von Paulus +1 plug_nickel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Polovski 460 Posted July 2, 2011 Yes adblock too forgot that one. Been using it for years and never think about the obvious. It's amazing how clean some websites look when you can't see the junk. If you install Spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html don't forget to update it to the latest latest malware signatures and use the immunise option to kill another load of junk websites from working (basically updates your hosts file to redirect known iffy urls and IPs to no-where. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted July 2, 2011 Yes adblock too forgot that one. Been using it for years and never think about the obvious. It's amazing how clean some websites look when you can't see the junk. Even Combat Ace. Combat Ace is a bad example. Besides sponsoring is needed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted July 2, 2011 Combat Ace is a bad example. Besides sponsoring is needed. Well, they need to get some money in for all their work, and if the users don't donate any money, they earn it with adverts. Any newspaper does the same, and it keeps the price low. Totally understandable for me. What I was wondering about, was how the CONRAD advert could contain exactly the things I had searched for. But Lou has explained that now. Thanks again. Where are the cache and temp folders to find, which I should clean regularly? (Win 7) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted July 2, 2011 Where are the cache and temp folders to find, which I should clean regularly? (Win 7) I use this utility. Temp File Cleaner http://download.cnet.com/Temp-File-Cleaner/3000-2094_4-10628816.html But a few things I've to warn you: First when install, choose custom install and unmark the fort two options ( set temp file cleaner DB as......). Freewares have a certain tendency to install toolbars nowadays. It's part of the sponsorship programs. If you've a TEMP folder with your own temporary files (I create these temp folders where I store files that are not still classified) be sure to unmark the option "Root Temp", otherwise the utility will erase all your files in your Temp folder. Yes it happened with me when I run it for the first time. But because I've always installed an utility to recover delete files in my machines, I end up having no problems in recovering those files again. Before you get used to the program I advice to do a test run, and there you'll check if there's any file in the generated log that you didn't intend to delete it. I usually don't use the advanced options. It's a perfect tool for deleting superfluous temporary files. Run it once in a month routine. And look at your Flash player settings. http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html I know, know.... It's too much info for a Neanderthal computer-wise. But you asked. By the way you aren't a Neanderthal computer-wise. I know them very well. You aren't one of them. You're more XIX century type, and you're leaning how to use the steam. In that scale I'm learning the secrets of mass production with Henry Ford. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted July 2, 2011 Thanks for the comfort, von Paulus. I downloaded TFC, but now it asked for JAVA runtime environement, and I'm not sure again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted July 2, 2011 Thanks for the comfort, von Paulus. I downloaded TFC, but now it asked for JAVA runtime environement, and I'm not sure again. You need to have Java installed. A lot of programs need Java. No problem m8. http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp Just download and install it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
