I just updated to the newest Firefox 9.0.1 and now I get pop up ads as a new tab that takes over my web session. Firefox also crashes my whole computer and restarts it. I am running Windows XP Pro.

Question

Pop Ad tabs include ad, when I close it asks if I'm sure I want to leave the page. I say yes and then there is another survey ad that says I may have won something. This whole process requires at least 4 denials before I can get the page to close.
Periodically my computer will freeze and restart when I am using Firefox.

Answer 1

Sounds like Malware.
Install, update, and run these programs in this order. They are listed in order of efficacy.<br />'''''(Not all programs detect the same Malware, so you may need to run them all to solve your problem.)''''' <br />These programs are all free for personal use, but some have limited functionality in the "free mode" - but those are features you really don't need to find and remove the problem that you have.<br />
''Note: If your Malware infection is bad enough and you are mis-directed to URL's other than what is posted, you may have to use a different PC to download these programs and use a USB stick to transfer them to the afflicted PC.''
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - [http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php] <br />
SuperAntispyware - [http://www.superantispyware.com/] <br />
AdAware - [http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/] <br />
Spybot Search & Destroy - [http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html] <br />
Windows Defender: Home Page - [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx]<br />
Also, if you have a search engine re-direct problem, see this:<br />
http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2010/02/remove-google-redirect-virus.html
If these don't find it or can't clear it, post in one of these forums for specialized malware removal help: <br />
[http://www.spywarewarrior.com/index.php] <br />
[http://forum.aumha.org/] <br />
[http://www.spywareinfoforum.com/] <br />
[http://bleepingcomputer.com]