I would like to know if Spybot can help me out of a pickle I find myself in.

Yesterday I began to experience my first malware attack. I run windows xp pro with avira personal virus protection. My problems in some detail are as follows:

My desktop wallpaper has been replaced with a red screen that contains the following message: "Warning your computer is under attack. Your computer is infected by anonymous spyware program.

Operating system has several fatal errors due to spyware activity. It is strongly recommended to install anti-spyware software to eliminate all security vulnerabilities. Click HERE to protect your PC".

The word HERE in the above statement is a link to http://antispyspider.us/130 When I go to the Desktop tab in the Display Properties Box I find a new background, "index". The mini icon preceding it is an Internet Explorer icon.

I get two types of system warning popups that appear every few minutes although the rate varies. The first is a fairly large box that is centered in the middle of the screen. It will have a title and a text component. There are three versions of the message that are displayed randomly.

Title: "Spyware activity is found on your computer." Text: "Your privacy settings are compromised. It is highly recommended to install antispyware solution."

Title: "Your system is working slowly." Text: "It is recommended to update your antispyware protection to prevent data loss. Please update most up to date antispyware for you.

Title "Your computer is not protected against spyware.: Text: "Somebody trying to access to your PC and collect privacy information. Download antispware applications."

Whenever I click the close box arrow an Internet Explorer window will open that takes me to http://antispyspider.us/130

The other variety of popup is a smaller box just above he small process icons at the far right of the task bar. A new icon appears. A yellow triangle with an black exclamation point. A small box with a drop pointer to the icon presents three messages that are displayed randomly.

Title: "Windows Security Manager." Text: "Your computer is running slow due to malware activity."

Title: "Windows Security Error." Text: "Windows has detected spyware."

Title: "Windows Defender." Text: "Internet attack attempt detected."

When ever I click the close box arrow an Internet Explorer window will open that takes me to http://antispyspider.us/130

One other symptom seems to be that the attacking software will not allow me to download a program called smitfraudfix.exe from any of the sights I found that provide it. I have had no problem in downloading other programs, but I get a message saying something along that Foxfire can not find the file. I have been able to download the program on an uncontaminated computer.

Recently, the Internet Explorer window has seemed to be appearing without a preceding popup of either variety. The links seem to becoming more sophisticated in immitating Microsoft resources.

I have scanned my entire system with my anti virus program Avira Antivir Personal. It found several viruses and I deleted the affected files. I downloaded a program recommended in wikipedia to detect spyware (SpyHunter). It will scan in the form it was downloaded but must be activated to purge spyware. I started a scan with it but stopped when it seemed to be doing the same thing my anti virus program had done.

I am reluctant to experiment with a product as arcane as smitfraudfix.exe. Will Spybot do the job I need done on its own, or do I have to use something like this stand alone producte to clean my system first?

Thanks for any guidance in dealing with this situaion.