here's some sites to prevent spyware

[makavelli]

http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1420796,00.asp
http://browsercheck.qualys.com/
http://beam.to/spybotsd
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html#cwshredder

http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php?filter=svchost&count=&type=

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/showthread.php?t=947

http://www.tweakxp.com/tweak2152.aspx

that's it for the moent. If ny 1 wants more, please let me know.

[Catweazle]

AdAware

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Between them, up to date copies of AdAware and Spybot Searchh & Destroy will keep any system clean, so long as they're actually used.

[alc6379]

Spybot: Search & Destroy

I've had better results with this than with Ad Aware. But, of course, YMMV.

[Catweazle]

I'd advocate using both in tandem. No single utility will detect everything, but I believe AdAware and Spybot between them keep abreast of any new Malware that crops up.

[Phaelax]

spy sweeper finds tons of stuff that ad-aware doesn't. Such as key loggers.