How does adware even get on a computer?

[#Ravencroft]

So I've been having a lot of trouble with my laptop that isn't even 3 months old yet. As of late, my browser and games such as Blockland have been running really slow as if my computer is a 5 year old toaster. Well, I looked into this issue and over the past 30 minutes I have uninstalled almost 20 adware programs and my computer is running normal again. The only programs I have installed on this computer currently are Paint.NET, Filezilla, Blockland, Audacity, Geomagic Design, Steam, Chrome, lightshot and Skype. I wouldn't consider any of these programs a carrier of harmful viruses such as adware, so how exactly does this keep happening?

[Ad Bot]

[ßlöükfáce]

Always choose "advanced download" or "custom download" when installing any program
But you probably already know that

[SeventhSandwich]

If you bought your computer pre-built from a manufacturer like Lenovo, Dell, HP, etc, it probably came with bloatware installed on it.

[Starzy]

They get bundled in with .exe's
Geomagic iirc bundles in some adware.

[#Ravencroft]

If you bought your computer pre-built from a manufacturer like Lenovo, Dell, HP, etc, it probably came with bloatware installed on it.

Lenovo laptop

They get bundled in with .exe's
Geomagic iirc bundles in some adware.

Interesting, I've been using geomagic for years as an alternative to Inventor and haven't had an issue until I put it on this computer.

[SeventhSandwich]

Lenovo laptop

I own a Lenovo laptop and it came with probably about 20 bloatware programs like a dumb photo-identification password program, an mp3 thing, and a ton of other useless tools. I think you have your answer.

[Steve5451²]

This isn't a problem at all if you have the five necessary brain cells to uncheck the adware companies insist you would enjoy.

[Frankie²]

anyone who buys prebuilt from a mainstream computer company like lenovo should always do a fresh install of the OS

[Nal]

This isn't a problem at all if you have the five necessary brain cells to uncheck the adware companies insist you would enjoy.

Or download unchecky

[Steve5451²]

Or download unchecky

now that's just unnecessary.

[Hammereditor5]

Sometimes the disk may be slowing the system down, not the CPU.

[espio100]

Always check EVERY SINGLE CHECKBOX when downloaded free software.
My homepage was hijacked by some other crappy search engine. :/

[Hammereditor5]

Always check EVERY SINGLE CHECKBOX when downloaded free software.

Um...no. Don't you mean the opposite of this?

[Zeblote]

Um...no. Don't you mean the opposite of this?

I think he means you're supposed to read what the box says.

For example, I once had an installer with checkboxes like these:

[ ] Set xxx pointless search bar as default
[ ] Don't install xxx pointless search bar
[ ] Disable pointless brown townytics feature xxx
[ ] Install pointless adware

[Nal]

now that's just unnecessary.

It stops if you're about to accept a toolbar or something by accident????