I am going to reinstall windows, and i plan on installing an anti-virus software, either avast! or AVG free. I might also install the ZoneAlarm free firewall. Do I need to install a firewall (I already have Windows Firewall) with a dial-up connection. So I have a few questions:
Which antivirus should i install, avast! or AVG free, because i have found reviews that favor one over the other?
Do I need another firewall with a dial-up connection besided Windows Firewall?
If so, which FREE firewall should I install, i am kind of leaning toward the free version of ZoneAlarm?
Thanks in advance for any advice or answers to my questions!!
I have a friend that is using dial-up, and he is now using Avast and Comodo Personal Firewall ( http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/ ), and he is happy with this combination, as both Avast and CPF is light on resources.
He was using Zonealarm before, and he says that Comodo is MUCH MUCH better when it comes to light resources for the system and how stable the firewall is.
I’m also using Comodo, and it’s a great firewall, and works just fine here with Avast.
I have read on many sites that ZonAlarm was the best, but I have also found some where it says that ZoneAlarm is horrible, how can there be such drastic views?
You’d probably find here a fair majority of users here favouring Avast over AVG. I do. I’ve used both, plus Avira in the past. (Plus Norton. But let’s not go there.) From what I remember, Avira had large update files…significant on dial up. AVG used to, but now are small, about the same as Avast. I like the configurability of Avast, and feel more protected with it, but that is somewhat subjective. Read a few independent reviews, if you can find such a thing. Indications I’ve seen is that Avast has a slightly superior detection to AVG, but its only 1 or 2 percent, and Avira 3 or 4 percent higher. I suggest doing like a lot of us. Try each one out for a month or two, and pick the one you think is best.
I’ve used XP firewall which is considered secure for most users, but doesn’t block outbound. So if you do get a trojan, protection then is nada. Currently using Comodo 2.3.6.81. (Current). Seems to get on well with all my other applications. If you install a second firewall, the XP firewall will (or should) be disabled. @ firewalls don’t get on together. (2 AV’s don’t get on either, but other similar applications, eg antispyware sometimes do.) After you download a firewall, if you do, make sure you disconnect from the net when installing it, as you could be briefly unprotected while one turns off and the other on. Make sense?
Avast without doubt. But remember that this is an Avast forum.
Yes, as a replacement for Windows firewall to get outbound protection.
Turn off Windows firewall.
ZA free is my best bet. Not any experience with other firewalls.
On this machine, also on dial-up, the combo Avast and ZA free is set and forget
for more than 2 years.
Have to add that on this machine ZA is very light on resources, and never gave me any problems at all for two years by now. It’s not among the latest versions, perhaps that’s the reason for being so stable.
Wow, thanks for all of the input. I think I am going to go with avast! as well as Comodo Personal Firewall, i read reviews for ZoneAlarm free and Comodo, Comodo got a slightly better review, it said that Comodo passed 12 leak tests, with ZA allowing a third to go by.
You guys give a lot of great input, this is by far the best forum I have ever been on, no one posts stupid messages and all of the posts give a lot of info. THANKS!!
I hope everything is going fine…and both the Avast-forum and Comodo-forum is friendly and you usually get fast answers on your questions in the forums!
I’ve found S&D bad download blocker have no problems here. Running them now, actually. I have had a few minor conflicts with Teatimer, but think that’s to do with Spyware Terminator, since they both guard (some) similar things.
Also running SpywareBlaster, no probs.
AVG Free has the weakest point on its scheduled update system which I don’t call automatic updates 'cause it’s not. AVG Free can be scheduled to update only once a day but it cannot automatcally be updated everytime you get connected either by dial-up or other ways.
Avast! is definitely the best when it comes to automatic update system.
On the avast! website it has a video turtorial on how to set a proxy server for IE dial up, what is a proxy server and wat does typing ‘localhost’ and stuff do?
What free antispyware programs do you recommend, I already have Ad-aware se, Spyboy S&D, and Windows Defender?
Also, when I install avast!, if I remember right you get an option to do a basic and a full install, what one should I choose and what wouldn’t I get in the basic?
You needn’t worry about that if you have winXP, winNT or win2k that isn’t required. If you have Zone Alarm Pro you do. Basically the Web Shield uses a local proxy to monitor the content to stop infection before it arrives on your HDD. Browser > Web Shield > Internet - and reverse on the way back.
There are a number of topics related to this subject, so a forum search for antispyware or anti-spyware, but there are many and varied options. SuperAntiSpyware, AVG Anti-Spyware (AKA Ewido), a-squared, Spyware Terminator. The only consideration is not to have two resident anti-spyware programs installed.
when you first install you get the option to do a boot scan if your OS supports that function (the ones already mentioned above do).
