Protecting software installation

Don't know of a way to do what you want [which is not to say it's not possible! :-)].........but I think you are better off just protecting your machine with strong login security (complex passwords and change them often) then regulary running adaware, spybot, etc.

As JCONCHIE answered install and run AdAware or Spybot.

But you should also secure your workstation with anti-virussoftware and a firewall

Use this free online Trend Housecall scanner to find and clean every known virus/rootkits/backdoors:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Some viruses can't be removed by housecall. If so, use the free Trend Micro system cleaner:
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/tsc.asp

If you get's an ActiveX error, when loading the HouseCall web page:
http://kb.trendmicro.com/solutions/solutionDetail.asp?solutionId=4317

If you want to secure your one workstation in the future, consider to purchase PC-cillin with builtin firewall:
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/pc-cillin/evaluate/overview.htm

If you want to secure your company's workstations in the future, consider to purchase OfficeScan:
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/osce/evaluate/features.htm

If you can afford it, you can get an url-scanning engine installed on a server with workstation, server-, email and url-scanning engine from
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/global/enterprise.htm

Virus Information Alliance (VIA)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/virus/via.asp

Review of the best antivirus solutions:
http://www.cnet.com/software/1,11066,0-806174-1202-0,00.html?tag=dir-av&pn=1&ob=3&qt=&qn=&F2=0&F3=0&sm=0

Getting a personal Firewall
http://www.zensecurity.co.uk/default.asp?URL=personal

Download the free version of Sygate personal firewall
http://smb.sygate.com/support/documents/spf/default.htm
http://smb.sygate.com/download/download.php?pid=spf

Download the free version of ZoneAlarm firewall
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/zap_za_grid.jsp?lid=ho_za

Comparative reviews of personal firewall software:
http://www.firewallguide.com/software.htm 

Firewall Product Selector - Choose yourself which one to compare
http://www.spirit.com/cgi-new/report.pl?dbase=fw&function=view

The Internet Connection Firewall Can Prevent Browsing and File Sharing
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;298804

Ad-aware Standard Edition is THE award winning, free*, multicomponent adware detection and removal utility:
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/

Spybot:
http://security.kolla.de/index.php

Many Regards
Jorgen Malmgren
IT-Supervisor
Denmark

:o) Your brain is like a parachute. It works best when it's open

Jorgen Malmgren,

Thanks to all the suggestions. I infact got firewall,ad ware and Anti-virus on my machine.

My question is
Is there a software that can I download on my computer, so that whenever I want to install a new program
it should ask me a password .Some software (like password file protection) which should ask for a password when
I try to install any other program .
This is because assuming as an administrator I login and give my computer.The person who uses my computer should
not misuse my computer by installing unwanted softwares.So by installing this software (I donot know which one)
It should pop-up wanting for password so that he cannot install any programs.

THis is all assuming that I logon and give the computer to someone.In guest mode ofcourse he cannot install programsbut what if I login and give someone.

I am not sure if there is a solution for this but just wanted to know

Thanks,
Sunray

:o) Glad I could help you - thank you for the points

just browsing around the EE forum. i know this has already been answered but i'd like to add something you might wanna know.....

the new windows version code named Longhorn, is supposed to ship with a feature called application isolation. much like the same idea behind app isolation in iis6 but this applies to apps installed by users in windows. basically, applications should install in their own folders and not have access to copy "spyware" files into the windows folders like winnt or system32, etc. i assume that only microsoft or signed products will be able to make massive changes to the operating system during install time. otherwise, a popup should appear that notifies you of what files are asking for access to windows directories.

just to not be confused. the idea intself i read about on the net. the way they will impliment it i'm just making logical assumptions on, (i don't really know if a popup box will appear, etc etc). i'm just guessing they "may" do it like that from a users point of view. but i do know that i read articles on neowin and winbeta that talked about application isolation in longhorn.

so as far as longhorn is concerned. yes you probably can do what you are asking for, just not for a few years. and i don't know of any 3rd party software that will integrate itself into current windows versions to do exactly what you are asking... :-S