stupid "system alert" popup on tool bar

I run xp with all the Norton Antivirus and just today downloaded spy ware blaster. Within the past few days, somehow a little flashing shield icon with a red X in the center ended up on my tool bar. Since then I am getting lots of spam and porn e mails wanting me to open. (I'm smarter then that) I have tried everything I know to eliminate it. If I click on it, it opens a web page that has no exit and I have to go back to "home" just to cover the blasted thing up. But the icon keeps flashing and about every three to five minutes it pops a small yellow warning on the lower left side of my screen. I have to X it out or wait about thirty seconds before it disappears off my screen. When it pops up, sometimes it will freeze up the work I am doing. I am not a computer whiz so find it difficult to know what to do. In fact I pride myself in the fact that I can even send an e mail. Any takers? ,,,,,pleaseeeeeese.

 

This is adware/rogueware.

Go to Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel and look for something that is unknown (unknown toolbar ? ).
If you cannot find anything suspicious, try Ad-Aware.
Download, install, update and run Ad-Aware:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/single/trialpay.php

Also I have good experiences with the Rogue-Remover if Ad-Aware fails.

 

I say he would try Rogue Remover first, since it's specifically made for his problem.

 

You may be able to find out more if you open IE and go to Tools--> Manage add-ons---> enable or diable add-ons. See if anything is there which looks fishy.