One of the most annoying things has been pop-up ads, which on some computers seem to be just about everywhere.

Service Pack 2 has a pop-up blocker built in, and you should make sure it's turned on. You can do so by opening Internet Explorer, clicking on Tools, and then clicking on

Internet Options. Now click on the Privacy tab and make sure that Block pop-ups is enabled by having a checkmark in the box.

If you want to allow pop-ups from certain Web pages, click on the Settings button and add those Web pages to the allowed sites list. You can also select a filter level at the bottom of the window, where you can select High, which blocks all pop-ups, Medium, which blocks most automatic pop-ups, and Low, which allows pop-ups from secure sites.