Suggestions for Antivirus & Adware Programs

Suggestions for Antivirus & Adware Programs I have a relatively new computer running XP. I would like to hear what some experienced computer users recommend for Antivirus/Adware programs.

Also,what would be a good routine to get into to help keep viruses, trojans and other potentially harmful programs from invading my computer.

My wife and I just surf the web. No online gaming or things like that.

Thanks in advance.
Global

 

I appologize if I have broken any rules for posting.

I will search the forums.

 

Thanks for your helpful suggestions Major Attitude.

Global

 

For Anti-virus - I like AVG. It's free, works very well, and uses very little system resources.
For spyware - Adaware
My suggestion is to start using Firefox as your web browser. You won't be troubled with spyware if you do, and it's much, much more secure
than IE.
Use a firewall - either the one that is included with Windows XP Service Pack2 - or even better - the free version of ZoneAlarm.

You can do a search on google and find the download locations for these programs.

 

The following might offer some other useful information.

How to Protect yourself from malware!

 

Some of the ESSENTIALS for any PC accessing the net, IMHO

=========

Firewalls, choose 1, only

Sygate Personal Firewall http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3356.html
or
Zone Alarm with Anti Virus http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=744
or
Zone Alarm Free firewall, with no AntiVirus http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=388

========
Anti Virus programs, choose one

AVG http://www.majorgeeks.com/ download886.html

or

Avast download http://www.majorgeeks.com/download1968.html

or Zone Alarm WITH AntiVirus (see above)

=========


Ad-Aware SE Personal http://www.majorgeeks.com/download506.html

===========
Essential to clean crap from your PC after every net session. Use all 3

Cleanup! http://www.stevengould.org/
CrapCleaner aka CCleaner http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4191
and EmpTemp http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1575

==========

also

SpyBot Search & Destroy http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2471



All, except one, available from MG. Click on the links above to download.

Bazza

 

Now this may sound stupid...please remember I don't know a great deal about computers.

I have D-Link router (non-wireless), does this not provide a "firewall"?
Can I run the router along with one of the Freeware firewall programs listed. ie. Sygate or Zonealarm?
Would they conflict with each other? That is, the router and the above mentioned firewall programs.

Thanks again for all your wonderful advice and this wonderful site. It has been very enlightening. I've been recommending it to folks at work.

Global

 

A router is sufficient for you as a firewall. You can run a software firewall with it, but if it's too inconvenient, the router is adequate. Antivirus software conflicts with each other, like Norton and Mcafee is a bad idea. Another bad idea would be if you had two software firewalls, like Sygate and Zone Alarm. But alot of people do utilize a hardware and software firewall conflict-free, and safer for it. But software firewalls can be a pain for regular users. All you need is your D-Link, an antivirus program, Ad-Aware and Spybot. If you do that, you're in good shape.

If you don't update your antivirus, or antispyware programs, the weaker they are. So make that a habit.

Security is always changing, the threats, the defenses, so keep posted and good job asking these important questions.

 

I would recommend you run a software firewall as well as your router, they won't conflict. Follow Major Attitude's advice and you won't go far wrong. I also like to have Spywareblaster on my systems as well.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2859.html

Good Luck!

 

These are great suggestions.
Thanks for taking the time to post.

Global2004

 

Welcome to Major Geeks.

A very handy program for beginners is GoBack. It can & will save you from many many heartaches. I suggest that all newcomers to the world of computers use this program.

Windoze XP has the "System Restore" feature, but GoBack has many more features. It makes a complete backup of all changes made to the system & allows you to "revert" your Hard Drive to a state before any problems occurred. If during this revert, you lose any important files, you can easily restore individual files. Say you get a nasty virus or a piece of Spyware that you can't seem to get rid of? Just use GoBack and wahlah all gone.

 

I like to run the following on my system:

AVG Free edition
Spybot S&D
Adaware Pro
Norton AntiVirus 2005
Norton Personal Firewall 2005

System runs great with those...no viruses, attackers, spyware, NOTHIN!(infects me...)

 

Suesman, I too think that GoBack is an excellent program for regular users. It is easy-to-use and people that use it always like it. I stopped recommending it because (like System Restore) it holds viruses and other crapware in it. But maybe I am wrong? What do you think? Because if GoBack does not hold viruses and crapware and is not a security problem, it's great and I will begin recommending it again. Thanks.

 

Well if it does, I've never noticed. I've had some nasty viruses in the past, but once I'd removed them with whatever tool I needed to get rid of them, I've not noticed it coming back. I've actually used GoBack to get rid of viruses that I got tired of messing with.

 

I must have heard a couple stories where viruses returned from the dead because they resided in the System Restore, like after a tedious removal it returned. But GoBack is good. I don't know why I let that change my mind. I recall the couple of people who used it how happy they were with it. Thanks. Is Norton the one that was Roxio?