Computer question... Update

Having taken up using CCleaner, I am horrified at the spyware and IE temp folder Megabites that I rack up in a few hours on the computer. I think I wiped 57MB earlier in the day and another 9MB this evening.
Perhaps because I don't understand it all, I have taken to cleaning up every night before I sign off or the next day if I missed (but not on start up as it was annoying me)

I run AVG8 (new install) and all the Vista protection programs and CCleaner so not sure why I am carrying so much C##p! If you could elaborate on how this works I would be grateful. I even had a Web attack tonight! A first notification. Scary stuff! Can you explain all this to me please.

Also, my question - does all this affect how much you are using in a GB allowance as far as your ISP is concerned?

By default most web browsers keep a copy of any website you visit (except secure sites), just in case you want to use the 'back' button. This means it can very quickly take you back to the previous page(s). This is called the Cache.
This also works well with frequently used pages, like lifestyleblock.co.nz. There are pictures and menus here that, everytime you refresh or go to another page, doesn't get re-downloaded from the net because you already have it in the cache.
Some browsers also pre-load websites, taking a guess at which link on a page you are going to click on. This also speeds up your browsing.
Other files are logs, lists of history as to where you have been, recent shortcuts to files you have opened, installer log files, saved settings, page ID Cookies and many more.
It's not all bad stuff, and by running CCLeaner too regurlarly, you are causing more downloads to occur as it has to go off and get again what you cleaned out.
Run CCleaner once a fortnight. Having that 'crap' on your computer won't slow it down, it just sits there. You only have to worry about the malicious programs like virus, spyware and malware.

Get Malwarebytes Anti-Malware if you're still worried.

wyseyes - thank you for that suggestion. I went ahead and downloaded Malwarebytes and it found two rogue entrys in my Registry (not that I had noticed or been troubled by) but they are gone. My big issue is whether to turn off Resident Shield in Vista as I can't open any sites without being warned that I have spyware. LSB's warning is doubleclick for example but there are 5 in total over other programs.

So this is what it says - UsersownerAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsCookiesLowOwner@doubleclick[1]txt ....or [2] etc.

This says Low but AVG tells me that it is potentially dangerous! So how the hell do I find the file or whatever it/they are coming from and delete them? I also scanned iexplore.exe thinking that was the problem but again - claims to be clean. It is something to do on opening I'm sure. Any ideas or just pretend it is not happening. At this stage my spyware vault must be bursting at the seams.

I have asked Malware to scan AppData and it tell me there is no problem. Would it just be best to shut down Resident Shield as truth be told - I can't see it is affecting my speed etc. I did get a Web Attack last night that I had never seen before so guess I want to minimise a total crash from crap - so to speak. Any the wiser and how do I locate the offending entries?

Always good to get recommendations on products, i recently downloaded and paid for errorsmart when i encountered the rundll32 problems.

In the initial scan offered on the website, it told me I had over 400 problems of various natures...

buying the product didn't resolve my problems (and I thought it was free). having just run your recommendation above wyseyes, I found there is nothing wrong with my laptop.

Be aware that the makers of malicious malware intend to cause you problems. Sometimes they imitate fixit programs, like spyware cleaners, or antivirus programs.
They *search* through your computer, and *find* hundreds of problems. Then they *suggest* that for a nominal fee, it will get *fixed* for you. An example is AntiVirus 2009.

I usually do a looky on the net for infomation about new fixit software, to see what the big players say about it. Usually it won't take long for other players to give it the thumbs up or down.

Cookies aren't usually dangerous. They are remnants of websites which need to save a 'return point'. For example, when I hit Active Topics (at the top), it gives me a list of the current topics, and shows me which ones I have read, and bolds the ones I haven't. For it to remember which is which, it saves that little info in a cookie.

If you got a virus, which left cookies around, then your antivirus program killed the virus, it may not remove the cookie. Then when CCleaner or AMB finds the cookie, it doesn't mean you have the virus again, just that you have had it. Delete it.
A bit like a cowpat. You can't see any cow, but you know where it has been.

Other websites also use cookies to log what you have been looking at, with links to an advertising company. EG, if I go looking for letterboxes on dealextreme.com, the next time I go there an ad may show me a 'deal' on letterbox stands. DoubleCLick is an Internet Advertising Solutions company. Essentially harmless, the nosey effect of this method has been hashed out in the media many years ago.

Sorry, I don't do vista or Resident shield (whatever that is).

Best combination of software to protect against viruses and spyware seems to be NOD32 for antivirus (it costs but you won't find a better product), combined with Spybot and Adaware. What one doesn't find the other will and they're both free.

Thanks wyseyes. I did know about Antivirus 2009 from my searches so wasn't going there! I certainly wouldn't download any fixit programs without researching it and download.com I trust.

For your info - Resident Shield comes with AVG 8 and it pops up to tell you it has detected "X" cookie. They are always listed as "potentially dangerous" and that is my problem! If they are going to do my head in by saying I have "doubleclick spyware" and you and other computer "nerds" (with respect) don't think it is a problem then maybe for my sanity, I should shut it - Resident Shield - down. However, the Net is full of people trying to get rid of Doubleclick. I just don't like uninvited guests in my head space and would like to figure out how to uninvite them! I don't see this as a Vista issue so any clues how to achieve this?

I've noticed that AVG is becoming bloatware, and becoming more invasive. It claims to be anti-virus, anti-this, anti-that, shielded-this, stopper-that. Slows the computer down terribly, it happened with Norton Suite.
A good protection system should be invisible, doing it's job quietly in the background. Only notifying you if there is a real threat. Too much crying wolf and you get peeved and ignore it.

i downloaded and ran malwarebyte too, and it came up with 4 infections.
Fake.Dropped.Malware
Trojan.Agent
Trojan.Vundo
Worm.Viking

???!!!!?????

have removed them.

I didn't like that ccleaner one, I ended up uninstalling it, it cleaned everything and then every page took forever to load afterwards!

And I'm on my 4th attempt to download the malawre one, get 1/4 thro, then says it's finished downloading then says it's corrupted. I really do hate computers!

Ah well that failed too, it got to 627mb each time and stopped! So given up with that now!

MM - are you downloading from download.com. That's where I did mine and it was very quick and easy to install the latest version.

Used the link wyseyes gave!

that's weird MM, coz i also used that link, and downloaded it - it was less than 3MB.
did you use the latest version showing on that page, i think it was the one dated january 14th. it shouldn't be 600MB.

perhaps i mean kb!! OOps buggered if I knwo who they mean!