I've used AVG for a long time - but have now started to use other utilities like adaware and spybot - but I'm just not sure how good these are as every time I run them they both come up with something different! Does anyone know a really good way to get rid of adware etc.?

To say that 'AVG is rubbish' is a little over the top, but the FREE version does NOT tackle SPYWARE at all, and as such is of limited value.  Spyware is now probably causing more problems than Viruses, so a continuously running antispyware is necessary.

All of the big virus companies have added anti-spyware to their antivirus engines this autumn, and with the firewall software this causes machines with less than 512Mb RAM to become very slow.  I have used F-Secure for nearly 10 years now, and continue to be reasonably well protected.

NO anti-malware software is perfect, and all suffer from the time delay between the occurrence of a malware 'in the wild' and the update issue to kill it.
Just a note on Microsoft - unless you accept the latest bit of spyware from microsoft, you cannot download their spyware killer - does that make them any better than spyaxe ?

Rob

In my opinion, which we all know what opinions are worth, is that you should not be relying on an anti-virus program to protect you from adware and spyware anyhow. AVG I have found to be excellent at what it was originally designed to do which is to protect from viruses. I have had it find problems that Norton and Trend Micro did not.
For adware and spyware protection use the appropriate programs that deal with those issues such as Ad-Aware and Spybot just for an example

AVG has recently teamed up with Ewido (http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1); anti-virus firms have been criticised for not being more pro-active in terms of tackling spyware but I'd rather they stuck to their brief and let users tackle that with software designed for the task.
Always have Spywareblaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) installed and updated, and Spybot + immunisation even if you don't scan with it very often, and a trial of Ewido if you get anything really problematic, or one of the others mentioned before. After that it's HijackThis and expert help at a malware forum.
I liked MS Antispyware before they updated it to Defender; less intuitive interface, more problematic to use and update, even if it does find more spyware (or so they say).
Using the above keeps most of the junk at bay, tho I'm not saying it's the answer for everyone or there aren't more effective solutions. I just like free stuff

See Tony Klein's: So how did I get infected in the first place?

I also recommend the information in Bleepingcomputer's

Simple steps to keep your computer secure! and Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet

Joe.

I use a layered protection (OS is XP Pro SP2) this is on my main Computer "Gamer"

Running
Comodo Firewall v3.0
Avast Anti Virus 4.7
Comodo BOClean 4.25
CounterSpy v2

Static
Spy Bot SD 1.5.1
TrojanHunter 5

Cleaners
Ccleaner v2.04.543
MRU Blaster
ATF Cleaner

This configuration works well for me as there are no conflictions within the software and I'm running clean  

Thought I would update this security section with some more info. Especially as most of my time of late has been spent out on the road fighting malware.

These are the tools that I use at the moment pending those malware writers from running background tasks to stop you installing them. If they do then  rename the installer before running the app.

malware scanners:
malwarebytes
superantispyware (has some script tools for those taskmanager switch offs etc)
ccleaner
atf cleaner

Antivirus software: dont use often as time is usually limited when on site but
Avast (when installed will scan system on startup so has a better chance of finding those hidden virus/malware)

Also when the system is so unusable and even in safe mode then I will use UBCD so that you can run superantispyware from CD.  Only helps if its the latest download or the system you are fixing is on a router with internet access so that you can update.
Then if that has helped run malwarebytes after in windows. Both these have quick scans so usually only take about 15 mins to run. I do trust Malwarebytes more to find malware that appears to be buried. However thats down to the virus/malware writers to stop that happening I'm sure it will soon as they get to know what the current tools we use to combat the terror.
Spybot I used to use but have found that of late its Malwarebytes that seems to be a snip better then the others and quick to use.

Oh and if system restore hasn't been switched off try that as well back to a previous date and then run the above apps before thinking about reinstalling windows etc.
If you do find that its best to reinstall the system back to factory default (probabaly because of time restraint) then you'll probably need to do a backup of your/their data.

Micro-Scope DUO will help here with the supplied Puppy Linux, You can repartition the drive and then copy the data over to that partition or copy data over to an external HD or memory stick.

In some cases when using system restore it will not be succesfull, well one trick is to rerun system restore from safe mode.
However in all cases don't forget once you have the system up and running to remove sytem restore points restart and create a new restore point.

You may also find that the Antiviris software that was running on the PC has been damaged or switched of so uninstall and reinstall. It might be best if you get the av suppliers tools to uninstall the AV's rather than relying on the normal uninstaller (which dont clear all the rubbish out).

If the PC has only just been infected then I may do a system restore first and then run the scanners afterwards but thats usually ok if it has only just been infected or has not been used very much since it was first realised that it had been infected.

I will leave these apps on the PC so that a full test can be run by the user and leaving him with the choice of paying the software writers a fee for their full versions - only fair if its helped them to get their PC up and running again.

So how do you go about resolving these issues?