Am on Win XP SP3 (+ Malwarebytes / SuperAntispyware / Spywareblaster - all free versions).
Ok, after much faffing about with reinstalls and clearouts to sort out very slow shutdowns, I finally seem to have ended up with an Avast 2014 (free version) that seems to do what it says on the tin.
I’m now after making Avast scans do more than what’s possible with just the default settings. Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, but I’d like to know what scan settings changes I should make to achieve maximum effectiveness?
Under scan choose full scan and click on settings.
Enable detection of Potentially unwanted programs, scan whole files, enable all packers, enable following links during scan.
And on the first page enable scanning of all files on the bottom.
You can also enable the full rootkit check if you want on the first page.
Personally I would leave it on the default settings until you get more used to it and how it performs on XP. The default settings give the best balance between protection and performance.
I would stick with MBAM and get rid of the other two.
@@@@
With a resident on-access antivirus like avast, the need for frequent on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part the on-demand scan is going to be scanning files that would be otherwise be dormant or inert.
If they were active files then the on-access file system shield would be scanning them before being created, modified, opened or executed.
I have avast set to do a scheduled weekly Quick scan, set at a time and day that I know the computer will be on. If for some reason my system wasn’t on, no big deal I will catch up on the next scheduled scan.
Very many thanks Steven and David! Good advice from both of you. Will I think stick with the default settings for now and see how I get on. I have taken the plunge though and removed both SpywareBlaster and SuperAntispyware as I too feel I am adequately covered.