Does anyone know what System Doctor is? Is it Spyware and harmful to your computer? Also does anyone have the spybot program? Is it safe to use? I have Windows XP - will Spybot be compatible with my system?

Hi SeanAltruda and welcome.

Google is your friend. There's norton system doctor, which is integrated into various norton utilities such as system works and there's this utility which I know absolutely nothing about.

Spybot is just fine. I think Ad-Aware is better, overall, but it's ok to install and run both on your system...just click on the name for the link.

Don't know about System Doctor, but if you mean Spybot Search & Destroy - it's fine here with XP Pro SP2.

don't know what system doctor is but spybot is not only safe, but highly recommended. you'll have no compatibility problems.

keep in mind that not every spyware detector will find every problem. it's a good idea to have a combination that you run either on an alternating days schedule or one right after another. I prefer running spybot one day, adaware the next, etc, etc

even the best programs won't catch everything. as long as your antivirus is up and you have a decent firewall that's correctly configured just a couple spyware programs run at least once a week should be fine. (this is just my advice...i'm sure opinions will vary!)

Hi Arachne...in a few hundred posts, this may be the first time I beat you...
I suck at typing and I'm old, so it's no fair...

Hehehe, well done

I agree with reasons too - I don't run Adaware, but I couple Spybot with an anti-spyware/adware proggy from my ISP. The two together seem to work just fine.

Does anyone have any adware or spyware on their system that they haven't bothered to remove? Like for instance, are there some spyware or adware that won't do much harm in the way of gathering your personal information (ie. passwords, credit card numbers etc.)?

I believe System Doctor is some kind of spyware or adware, by the way.

Yeah, I mean no disrespect for spybot, I ran it for a long time and it's still installed on all our home pcs. But to be honest, I can't remember the last time it picked up anything that was missed by my other stuff.

Reason's advice is rock solid. There's absloutely no downside to having and runng both spybot and Ad-Aware...only benefits.

I posted a link to the "other" system doctor above.

I have XP2 pro SP2, with Zone Alarm, Secretmaker and AVG. Whenever I run Adaware or Spybot...they find NOTHING. And my system seems to be ok...that is no viruses or root stuff ...so, yeah, whadda ya need the system Doc for anyway?...maybe just get rid of it if you don´t trust it.
By the way, I´ve turned off my ICQ cos I suspect it of causing some problems...is it...was it, spying on me?

System Doctor is a form of adware or spyware I believe. I'm trying to remove it from my system. I've downloaded spybot but I don't know if it will detect System Doctor if it is adware. my spyware scans says the file found on my computer is this: "Backdoor.Delf.is" The type is an Application program. The process says ikernal.ex_ and is located in the C\Drivers\Audio\ikernal.ex_ I don't know what any of this means. Anyone have any clues?

Lastly, can someone tell me if adware can detect personal information the way spyware can? For instance, find out your passwords, credit card numbers etc.

Thanks

Backdoor.Delf.is is a trojan and a description can be found here Backdoor.Delf
Adware is not normally designed to capture the types of information you cited, but still not a good thing to have on your PC...