Earlier this week, I helped a new client who was dealing with constant, disruptive pop-ups that made normal computer use difficult.
After reviewing the system, the issue appeared to be caused by an unwanted browser—commonly known as the Switch browser—which had been installed without the client realizing it. These types of programs are often bundled with other software and are designed to inject ads and notifications.
I removed the unwanted browser, cleaned up related settings, and ran a full system security scan to ensure there were no additional threats or hidden software contributing to the problem. Once this was completed, the pop-ups were gone and the system was back to normal behavior.
I also explained to the client that McAfee was already installed on the system and generating its own pop-up notifications. With her permission, I removed McAfee and explained that, in most everyday use cases, Windows Defender provides sufficient built-in protection when the system is kept up to date.
During the same visit, the client also needed help regaining access to her AOL email account. Resolving that required contacting AOL support and spending over an hour working through their account recovery process together.
What started as a relatively small issue turned into nearly three hours of hands-on troubleshooting and support. I had initially quoted $100 for the visit, but the client insisted on paying $200 to reflect the additional time and effort involved.
MarcB IT takeaway: Effective tech support isn’t just about removing a problem—it’s about reducing noise, improving clarity, and making systems easier to use.
