There is a despicable trend that is becoming more and more common where the browser settings of web surfers are being forcibly hijacked by malicious web sites and software which modifies your default start and search pages. The purpose of this is force you to visit a web site of the hijacker's choice so that they can artificially inflate their web site's traffic for higher advertising revenues. Once hijacked, there is no simple answer because several different techniques are used. However, this website provides comprehensive advice on how to completely remove most hijackers.

http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/

You can read about spyware and adware on the following Web page that I have created:

http://www.camsoftpartners.co.uk/bugs.htm

I check my system regularly with SpyBot (free). See the above page and the page that John recommends for further details.

Above all, be wary of downloading free programs and plug-ins from the Web. A good deal of the free stuff comes with adware/spyware that provides info to tracking sites and slows down your system. I do download some free stuff, but I also check out what its doing to my system by running SpyBot immediately after wards. A firewall may also help keep these annoyances out.

I run Ad-aware - which is free from Lavasoft at www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

It usually finds some commercial spyware and kicks it out.

You can also get WinPatrol from www.winpatrol.com/ - this will alert you to any bad stuff before it happens.

I get the best results to run both Spybot S/ D and Ad-ware. Over the weekend i test winpatrol. Hope thsi will get the same good results