If the laptop is slow and pop-ups continually plague Internet browsers, the laptop may be infected with spyware. Spyware is software that hides itself somewhere on the computer and collects information about the user. Spyware is often downloaded onto the computer when you download other free software or when you visit certain websites. It is not a virus, and therefore will not cause serious problems for the laptop computer. The spyware can be removed using a removal tool such as Spybot or Ad-aware.
To remove spyware using Spybot:
1. Download Spybot from website http://www.spybot.com on the laptop.
2. Install the Spybot.
3. Close all the open window on the laptop.
4. Select Start > All Program > Spybot - Search and Destroy.
The Legal stuff dialog box appears.
5. Click OK button. The spybot - Search and Destroy window appears.
6. Click the Search for Updates button. The Update screen appears.
7. Click the Search and Destroy icon in the upper left corner. The Search and Destroy screen appears.
8. Click the Check for problem button. The Search and Destroy screen with searched problems appears.
9. Click Fix selected problem button. The Conformation dialog box appears.
10. Click the Yes button. The conformation dialog box appears starting that the problems have been fixed.
11. Click the OK button. The Recovery screen will appear.
12. Select the backup files.
13. Click the Purge selected items button. The Conformation dialog box appears.
14. Click the Yes button to delete the spyware.
15. Close the Spybot - Search and Destroy window.