Thanks for the information. I will download and install ST now.
When I went to the ST site I saw that there were two options to download Spyware Terminator alone or with Web security guard. Since I already use Avast, I just downloaded ST by itself. Was that the correct thing to do?
Ro Ro ;D ;D
No need to scan for malware ( altough i don’t see any problems in letting it do it’s thing after all second opinion never hurts ) you can deselect it if you want, i use the scanner to clean the junk files ( along with CCleaner and Advanced WindowsCare ) and cleaning the registry. So far i haven’t had any problems with these features ( knocking on wood like crazy … ;D ) .
I think MS knows best about how their own windows registry works that’s why i only clean it with this scanner. The version for Vista is in beta though, but so far it seems to be doing it’s job OK. At least for me. Just wondered if anyone else uses it and if so what’s their experience with it ?
Anyway i am also currently trying to figure out a good security setup for my Vista rig. I’ve installed quite a few security apps these last few days and i am now trying to decide which to keep and which to get rid off.
I have these installed on Vista ( with UAC enabled ) :
Resident Anti-Malware:
Firewall:
Immunisers:
Any opinions ?
You could stop the AVG-AS service and set it to manual, which is what I do, I have a batch file, c:\startavg-as.bat (contents below), that has the start command and I launch that by shortcut before I want to update the signatures and run any on-demand scan. You must start the service first before starting avg-as or it reports no service running or words to that effect. So guard.exe isn’t constantly running on my system, only when I want to run avg-as.
Net Start "AVG Anti-Spyware Guard"
Although you can use ST WebGuard you don’t [i/]have to[/i]. Don’t worry, avast is protecting you.
Well… I thought it does not have a free service. I’ll take a look. Thanks Mikey, living and learning.
On Vista, I’m using:
Resident Anti-Malware:
avast! Professional, Windows Defender.
I have both PCTools Spyware Doctor Starter Edition and Norton Security Scan form Google Pack.
Spyware Terminator will be installed in the future…
Firewall:
Comodo version 3 Beta. Stable, running smoothly.
Immunisers:
SpywareBlaster and Advanced WindowsCare (Pro: I’ve got it as a gift of iObit company).
PCTools Spyware Doctor Starter Edition form Google Pack .
Spybot S&D
On-Demand Scanning:
AVGas free (I don’t have problems with the background service… although it should stay running…)
Ad-Aware 2007 free (the service was let on Manual for me…)
Next would be SpywareTerminator and SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition.
So, I’m more or less the same as you.
I just tried Ewido micro scanner and it appears to run fine on Vista .
Which means i will probably be getting rid of AVG AS … Ad-Aware 2007 is already gone but i am still deciding on SAS .
@Tech: Yes the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner is a FREE service . I guess i should have mentioned that in my post … 
so you should first start the service everytime you wanna run AVG-AS (scan/update)? or starting the service only once and the batch file does the work(no need to start the service). did i get it right?
I don’t really understand the question, the only need for the batch file is if you don’t want the service running all the time and you take the measures to stop the service running automatically. The batch file is only required if you change the service from Automatic start to Manual start. AVG-AS requires the service to be running first before you start it.
That is the idea of the batch file, so you don’t have to open the services interface and manually start it.
^thanks. so that’s how batch file works it automatically starts the AVG-AS service. now what if you’re done and closed the AVG-AS. will the guard.exe still be running on the task manager?
Yes because you started it, it won’t be there on the next reboot, you can also have another batch file to stop it stopavg-as.bat and instead of net start it becomes net stop, easy really.
AVG As service is only 1500-3000k
That may well be correct but it is just another unnecessary service that for the free on-demand version isn’t required until you need to run avg-as, which for me is once a week.
I thinks it’s unnecessary, of course, but it’s a “little-process”. You can compare with Ad-Aware free process :D.
Ah!! i like more SuperAntispyware.
I scanned my PC with AVAST!, AVG AS, SS and RemoveIT(free version):
-AVG AS(the “great and famous” AS) didn’t found nothing.
-SS found a threat.
-RemoveIT found the same thread.
Until i’m sure isn’t a FP i don’t delete or quarantine nothing.
I run runscanner(a great tool if you understand the results) and yes, i was infected, becuse RS showed “strange entries” in the regisry.
I run again SS and i desinfected my system. Whith help of RS i fixed bad entries of the registry.
I run again REmoveIt and SS and my system was again clean.
I mean, AVG AS isn’t the mega-super-great-the best antyspyware.
I don’t think anyone is saying that, but I for one take other steps to ensure if there are zero day malware infections I can try to limit any possible damage. I run ‘all’ applications that access the internet (email, browsers, etc.) under DropMyRights so that that application doesn’t have admin rights.
In order to place file in system folders and to write registry entries you need permissions so that can have a big effect in limiting the potential for any malware infection.
I assume that part of your cleansing process included sending a sample to avast ?
Of course.
I hope avast will be A+ and i think they need our help.
This is my first infection in 7 years 
So what was it ?
SS and RemoveIt detected this thread:
(First i quarantined the files), after i restored and finally “cleaning action” :D)
Definitely worth considering DropMyRights.
Bob3160 has a copy of the DMR plus instructions on his mysharedfiles pages, http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/, look for DropMyRights in the list.
Thank u very much David. Now i’m downloading and installing.
Your welcome.