download free Spybot, ad-aware,Hijackthis from CNET
download free toolbarcop; cool web shredder
close all web browsers and email

turn off modem or remove cable so adware can't phone home for help.

next run "cool web shredder" in case you have variant of cool web search toolbar which needs to be removed first -it is often renamed but manifests itself as an unwanted search tool bar that refuses to uninstall.

next run toolbarcop and delete everything it will allow. you can
always re-install your favorite google toolbar or chat assistant
but this will insure you remove all the browser parasites.

next run adaware (use the check for updates button before starting the file scan). take a 10 minute break- then remove all adware found during scan. it may ask you to reboot so it can remove some startup components. Spybot is a similar product but many people run this also in case one program corrects for something the other has not yet addressed.

Finally run HijackThis. The tiny program examines vulnerable or suspect parts of your system, such as browser helper objects and certain types of registry keys. Pressing the Scan button generates a log of dozens of items, most of which are just customizations, such as Google Toolbar. To learn more about an entry you don't recognize, you have a few options. Clicking Info on selected item tells you why the entry was flagged as suspicious, but not whether it's actually malware. To find that out, you'll need to search the Web for that item's name or go straight to a forum such as SpywareInfo or Computer Cops. Saving the log creates a text document you can post to these forums.It also makes a reliable reference if you save a log of your system before you have been infested. The program installs into whatever directory in which you unzip the file, which can make it hard to locate so make a folder in a logical place and unzip it there. Don't check off an item and hit the Fix checked button unless you're sure it's malware - you can do damage but one trick a novice can employ is if you see an internet address embedded in the description not familiar to you -this is often its hook to phone home and can do little damage to computer operation except make the program think you are offline. (programs like your antivirus & your OS have internet addresses embedded to access updates)HijackThis is a serious tool for any user who needs to regain control of his computer but use it with caution.

For more details and tutorials on using these programs see:
Free Spyware Removal - Free tutorials on how to rid your computer of the spyware that infests it!

Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites