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Making a guess you probably have at least 2 problems. The first is that you have spyware on your system. Get the 3 free software programs I suggested Spyblaster, Spybot and Ad Aware. Those are the free ones. Install, update, and run them. With Spybot immunize your system. After you've got rid of everything and want to have a little more control and reduce the paranoia the amount of spyware, malware, etc that these things find turn on their Tea Time. Don't turn it on before you get rid of the stuff or it will be really annoying when you get rid of the junk. Running TeaTime is a matter of personal preference. It isn't essential. With SpyBlaster you have to turn on the protraction's which in effect immunizes your system against the pest it detects.

The reason I'm suggeting more than one spyware removal and prevention tool is that they all work slightly differently and are updated by their manufactures on different schedules. They sometimes find different things.

The second is either related to the first and getting rid of it will solve the grayed out boxes problem. Spyware helps you get pop-ups. The other reason you may get grayed out boxes when you want them is that either your Macromedia Flash or Java are out of date. But those garyed out boxes would be things that you want to see.

If you have a lot of spyware your system can be sending out info to the owners of the spyware and it cuts down on your bandwidth. The result is you will tend to get more time out messages. Your connection also will be a lot slower than it would without the darn stuff. A lot of it isn't really well crafted so it can mess up other processes as well. It can also help you get spam too.

If you have a few bucks also consider something like Pest Patrol. Go to TuCows.com and look at the various spyware and cookie controls. You might find something you like better. You also might want to download a trojan hunter killer. A lot of them have 30 day free trials. Even though this is a very safe site to get programs from scan them before you install them with your anti-virus software. That applies to all the software I recommended.

While your at it go to GRC.com and download leaktest and run it. Remember to answer no when your firewall asks you if it can access the Internet. If it gets out you have a hole in your defense. Again this is free software. There are some other tools there that you might like. Again they are free.

After you've removed all the spyware, malware, etc then check your security settings. My firewall, ZoneAlarm Pro has pop up, ad blocking and mobile code blocking settings. You should check the settings. I have mine off because I have other software doing the same thing. After you've checked your Firewall go to the Tools section of Internet Explorer and check the new POP-UP blocker that was installed with Service Pak 2 to WinXP (I assume you're Windows software is up to date along with your anti-virus and firewall). The default setting is that it's turned on and it's set at medium with the 2 blocks right above the setting checked.

If you have a standalone firewall go to the Windows Security Center in the Control Panel and make sure the Windows Firewall is turned off. If you don't have a stand alone firewall make sure it's turned on.

I have Ad Aware Pro running in background. It's my main cookie control and pop-up blocker. I bought it long before the firewalls and Windows XP offered it. I hated the darn things so I did what was necessary to get rid of them. It sometimes will let in a blank macromedia flash ad. I get the box but it's blank. It also prevents java windows from opening when you click on a link at a lot of sites. I have to turn it off and reload the page for the windows to open. If you have similar software that could be part of the reason you get blank pop up boxes. It could also be the WinXp Pop-up blocker that someone has started to find a way around.

One of the other reasons that you can get grayed out boxes is that your version of Macromedia Flash and or java is out of date. Pick up the latest version and install them.

If you haven't run a regular program to keep all that stuff off your system your going to have some really ugly stuff on your system. After you've got rid of all the spyware, updated all your software, run leaktest and the trojan detector you should change all your passwords on sites that involve money or where you can be financially hurt or where you can be embargoed by what someone writes in your name. If you don't find things like Keyloggers or Keysnatch programs you don't absolutely have to do this but I would anyway.

FWIW PestPatrol has built in keyloger and memory checker which runs at boot-up and runs in memory in case anyone tries to install one.

You need one other program. Some sort of a registry editor and repair tool I use Registry Mechanic to repair registry problems and remove things that shouldn't be there. It's made by Winguides who make the Regedit program for WinXP and earlier versions of Windows. When you get rid of all the spyware you'll have a lot of trash left in your registry. That will clean it up. That program costs about $30. It's worth it. Lava Soft who makes Ad Aware also has a free Registry Editor. You'll need that or Regedit to remove things that SpyBlaster finds unless you buy the paid version. I have the free version.

Registry editors can do real damage if not used properly. Spyblaster will sometimes pick up items as Dangerous that are necessary for some programs to run. For example Real Rhapsody has a program that reports what you have on your system in terms of music and videos to a central site. They are looking for copyright violations no matter what they say they are looking for. If you want to use Real Rhapsody you need this program. If you don't like that kind of thing being reported delete Real Rhapsody.

When your software finds problems if your not sure what it's reporting use Goggle and do a quick search to see what it is. Most of the time your going to get rid of what the stuff finds but it's better safe than sorry. Also it will help you in the future when you get another problem.

I know this sounds like a lot but once you get the system cleaned up it will only take about 10 to 20 minutes of your time if you run all of them when your doing something else like eating dinner. They really have to run by themselves. I run one after another and read while they are running or go to bed and clean up what they found in the morning.

I run them once a week and my anti-virus software twice a week at night for full system scans.