Aaadverts!!

[sad old git]

Hi, whenever I turn my computer on to look at something on google orwebsites to buy something or info for flight times/booking etc the screen is inundated with ads that have nothing to do with what I am doing at the time. I can usually "click" them off for a while and am able to carry out my initial purchase/query finally. My question is can anyone tell me how to stop these annoying and frustrating things happening.Thanks to you all.

[Buenchico]

There are two sorts of web adverts: those which are meant to be there (such as the ones that pay for this site) and those which most definitely aren't. You've clearly described the latter, which are generated by MALWARE on your computer.

To get rid of it, download, install and run the free version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware:
https://www.malwarebytes.org/
(NB: When installing it, take care to deselect the pre-ticked option to take a free trial of the Premium version).

[SeaJayPea]

SOG, Chris's advice to load Malwarebytes is the very best advice.

But Chris, unless I'm doing something wrong, Malwarebytes appear to have changed the way they work.

I had to update my definitions recently and it automatically switched me to the premium version. I uninstalled it and re-installed from your link. Even though I selected the Free Version tab from the front page, I still ended up with the Premium Version. You can switch to the free version, but there are a few hoops to jump through first.

Or, as I say, am I doing something wrong?

[Buenchico]

SeaJayPea:
You didn't remove the tick!

At the very end of the installation process there's a screen that looks like this:
http://forums.malwarebytes.org/uploads/monthly_07_2012/post-17127-0-24875500-1342789951.jpg
(except that the paid-for version is now called 'Premium', rather than 'PRO'). If you don't remove the top tick you'll be given a free trial of the Premium version, followed by countless prompts to pay to retain it.

To get rid of the Premium version, download and run this file
http://downloads.malwarebytes.org/file/mbam_clean
(restarting your computer when prompted to at the end of the process). Then download and install the free version (remembering to remove the tick!)

[SeaJayPea]

Hi Chris, thanks for the response. I was expecting that screen, I'd seen it before, but it definitely didn't appear when I installed MB yesterday.

[sad old git]

thank you both for your advice.I have malwarebytes installed but maybe it is out of date as it appears to do nothing to get rid of the ads so I will uninstall it and try your suggestions.Thanks for your help.

[Buenchico]

>>>as it appears to do nothing to get rid of the ads

There's a major difference between the free and paid-for (='Premium') versions of Malwarebytes. The Premium version constantly 'runs in the background' (in the same way that your anti-virus software does), looking for anything nasty. However the free version is just a 'run on demand' program. That means that it does absolutely nothing at all unless you actively run it. (I recommend running it about once per fortnight or, as now, whenever you've encountered a possible malware problem).

So try running a scan with Malwarebytes (from Start > All Programs) before deciding to get rid of it!