Kindly help me start clean please. New PC, Not a computer guru
Some say update programs even if you don’t use them others say don’t update to avoid bloatware etc. So here are some questions,
Any suggestion keeping the hardly used programs we are stocked with, like IE and others, limited?
Also, not being familiar with good unbiased reviews and download sites for security software can easily get your computer infected. Where can you download from?
Does Outpost FW work well w/avast ? Is it user friendly? (I’m thinking this one but not know their official site)
Malwarebites,
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard (are these any good?)
3) what are your steps w/new PC? Install Avast first or the firewall first?
New Sony Vaio LP had “optimization” done
I will install Avast of course ( free) & SUPERntispyware free
New desktop already running using: Avast paid version and SAS
Windows Vista 64 both computers With free upgrading to windows 7 when avail (October?)
and the new Avast I don’t know just how compatible it will be OP 2009
I’ll second FileHippo, it’s great. Major Geeks seems like a good site for downloads. I’ve only used it a couple of times but when I did all went well.
I like Cnet for their customer reviews. I’ve had problems with their downloads though. I have dial-up and it usually fails with Cnet but works great with most others. Sometimes you can get customer reviews for software at Amazon, it just depends on what it is.
I haven’t found techsupportforum.com to be of much help. It has loads of people asking questions but not too many seem to get solved.
As for Internet Explorer, mine never sees the light of day except on the rare occasion when a Website is set to open it by default. But even so, it still manages to accumulate “crap,” through Windows I’m guessing. I give it a good cleaning occasionally with CCleaner. There’s usually security updates for Internet Explorer with Microsoft’s regular updates and I always download them just in case.
For me it just depends on what it is as to whether I keep it updated or not. Internet Explorer I do even though I rarely use it because I never know when I might need it. If it’s an application that I use for a specific purpose and it’s meeting my needs just fine as is, I don’t see any reason to constantly update, unless possibly for security reasons.
OK, Looks like www.Filehippo.com just went first on my list as well as the other suggested sites
Thanks Pundus for for confirming Malwarebytes Antimalware site when Reading about rogueware I was ?? so many names are similar. I’ll install it together with SAS and Avast
And thank you Norel for the good suggestions and for the extra Info. about IE, tracking cookies I will try CCleaner. I did read something about blocking all IE and allowing only microsoft.com but not sure if it will block other important stuff.
I’m still reading to find a firewall I can handle and that will give me little grief with Avast
Wow, it’s so nice to get fast responses. That’s why I like Avast forum Thank so much !
Outpost is a good firewall and needs to know about what you want to let out onto the Internet.
WinPatrol is good
As a robust SECURITY MONITOR , WinPatrol will alert you to hijackings, malware attacks and critical changes made to your computer without your permission. As a MULTI PURPOSE SUPPORT UTILITY WinPatrol replaces multiple system utilities with its enhanced functionality. Traditional security programs scan your hard drive searching for previously identified threats. WinPatrol will alert you to dangerous new programs while others prepare to update their definition/signature virus data files.
Hey Yokenny, Would you say Winpatrol is an easy to learn program? I didn’t hear about it before but seems I should read more about it.
Windows 7 Oct 2 huh? seems I’ll wait and do the installations after that
Thanks for the links this is good info. you’ve given me home work He he he
I find this is a good place to find new and safe downloads with unbiased reviews http://download.cnet.com/windows/ I haven’t had any failed downloads yet ,but i don’t have dial/up
I guess I’ll have to go back to my Win98SE system and start learning how to use the Internet again but its better than Go directly to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. ;D
@Rvick
WinPatrol is easy to learn and it runs on my old Win98SE system.
Modify all zones in IE to be at a higher than default security setting. In all zones, set the browser to prompt (or block) by default for the running of scripts. This will cause inconvenience at times, but not if you hardly use IE.
+1 for Filehippo, and majorgeeks. (MajorGeeks also has a considerable resource toward malware removal.) Avast.com is a pretty good place to download an AV.
Not so keen on Download.com. A fair percentage of the user reviews appear to be written by teenagers, if the language, grammar, syntax and spelling are anything to go by. (Nothing against teenagers, nothing at all, but most of them post reviews based on their experience, which is, intrinsically, limited. They can also be quick to try something once, fail to read the help file, fly into a hissy, and post incorrect info.) Download.com/Cnet is generally ok for downloading software. I’ve downloaded a fair bit from them in the past. Better still, if available, download it from the software vendors’ site.
Can’t comment re Outpost firewall.
MBAM works fine with Avast, so do Superantispyware, Spybot, and Asquared.
Ditto SpywareBlaster, I wouldn’t bother with SpywareGuard, as it hasn’t been supported/updated in a few years.
It doesn’t matter which order you install software, provided the machine is offline. And you should be offline whenever uninstalling/installing new firewall or AV. Once they are installed, my next step would be to check the current versions of all other software installed, starting with Windows updates.
Is a very reliable download site with great user review and cnet reviews.
It also has (or used to have can’t remember) a show on tv (or is it a channel?).
Avast got 5 stars out of 5 in a review by cnet staff.
It also has the highest user rating out of the 3 most popular free av’s
4.5/5
Tarq57
I agree, thanks for the warning about download.com. One of misspelling consequences could be downloading from a wrong web site. As you say I want to make sure I do it from MFR or vendor site when possible.
Interestingly, reading other forums cnet reviews are not viewed as totally unbiased. Anyway it seems good to check for more than one review site.
I appreciate your suggested IE settings seems use IE will get is with updates (as Norel says ones that must use IE like windows); otherwise I use Firefox with noScript, adblock and private browsing. Tracking cookies still get in and I read this could be from IE.
Thanks very much for answering.
Users like me appreciate companies like Alwil and all of you volunteering time knowledge and experience to make the internet safer
( free) & SUPERntispyware free