Another Line of Defense?

I want to give my computer plenty of protection from malicious software. I currently have Spybot, Adaware, Spywareblaster, and AntiVir Personal. I've heard that it's a good idea to have a backup antivirus, though. Considering that all freeware AVs have their faults - for example, AntiVir's false positives* -what would you guys suggest?

(*To tell the truth, AntiVir hasn't given me any trouble. Not yet, anyway...)

 

I'm not a shill for any particular product(s), but here's the combination that's worked great for my Windows Me machine for nearly a year now:

1) Norton Internet Security 2003 (includes AV, firewall and
ad/spam blocking)

2) Ad-aware 6.0 (reactive malware cleanup)

3) SpywareBlaster (proactive malware blocking)

I especially like each program's frequent updates, which are available for easy Internet download.

There are plenty of experts in forums (like Wilder's) to help with questions for these programs and for similar, competing products. Obviously, no software has "all the answers". Some experimentation is required. Your best references/testimonials will come from computer-savvy people you know well and who have used particular programs for a reasonable period of time.

 

> F-Prot.

Yeah, I just tried that. Very cool. Glad I have another AV, though - no "guard" program makes F-Prot a poor choice for a standalone AV.

Not that any freeware AV is standalone. You get what you pay for, afterall...

 

F-Prot comes with F-StopW, the resident on-access scanner, if that's what you meant.

- AgentX

 

It does? Even the free DOS version I'm using?

Umm... Thanks.

<Walks off muttering about being a clueless n00b.>

 

I have the DOS version as a backup for AntiVir.

By the way, how good are AntiVir's heuristics, if it has any at all?

 

F-Prot is getting a little annoying.

Yeah, F-Prot works, but having to update manually, no on-access scanner, etc. is a tad irritating. I'd much prefer to have 2 AVs that both had that feature, as well as self-contained updating features, like AntiVir's daily update.

So far I've heard of 2 freeware AVs, Avast32 and Grisoft's AVG. To get either of them, you must give your e-mail address and other information - which to me seems to be a rather bad idea. (I'm always very careful about who gets my e-mail and who doesn't.) Are there any other good ones? Does anyone have suggestions?

 

Pigman, Don't worry about giving those companies your email address, you'll never recieve spam from them. At least I haven't.

 

Now, which to use - AVG or Avast32?

(Don't tell me to try BitDefender. No resident scanner or whatever it's called, so forget about it. )

 

How about removing Windows vulnerabilities all together as your main defense...

Perhaps not, but you can already diminish lots of risks by moving away from IE and OE. Why load a system with all kinds of time and memory consuming tools when you can do away with the majority of the security risks ?

 

Antivir has heuristic scanning capability only for detecting macro viruses. AVG is the only product that gives you full heuristic protection. Avast employs heuristic only in its mail scanner. F-Prot DOS version is a very good choice because of its very strong heuristic and huge database, AVG comes second.

 

I should use AVG and Mozilla? Sounds like it might work.

I almost never use Outlook, though. I've heard a lot about how dangerous it can be, despite the vast number of IE security loopholes.

(I already downloaded Avast4, btw. Okay, but skins are annoying, clumsy, and not very good-looking, and the registration thing bugs me. Plus, it seems to take more RAM than AntiVir.)

Hmm... I've heard that AVG has some problems with low detection rates, that it often doesn't detect things that are definitely there. Is this a possible concern?

 

just forget Avast. yes its true about AVG. the free Antivir has more detection rate than AVG. i think you are better off with Antivir+F-Prot DOS edition. just remember to use a good firewall like Kerio or Zonealarm. also remember to practice safe computing.

 

> Just forget Avast.

I did. I downloaded it, took one look at it, and uninstalled it - or rather trashed it, since it had no uninstall feature.

Then I tried AVG. Frankly, I have no idea how good it is - it crashed on execution, and it crashed when I tried to uninstall. I ended up having to manually delete it, undoubtably leaving a lot of crap in my registry. My guess is that it requires about as much RAM as Norton AV.

Yeah, I think I'll stick with what I had first...

 

I used AVG for quite a while on a 333Mhz PC running at first 98, and then 2K. Never had any problem. Now the detection rate is not near as good as your going to get with a paid-for tool (such as NOD32), but I think it's the best free AV.

Your problem might simply be Windows ME. I used it for a VERY short while. Very buggy. I would ditch that before I ditched AVG.

 

I do not have Windows ME, I have Win98. And as I said before, AVG crashed just after install, crashed when I tried to run it, and crashed when I tried to uninstall it.

AVG may be the best free AV, but it seems to hog even more RAM than Norton. The only way to get uninstall to work was in Safe Mode - and that didn't matter, since the uninstall program didn't uninstall it. AVG itself refused to work even in Safe Mode.

Than again, it could be due to the fact that I seem to have just gotten some sort of virus.

(Btw, "Righto!" was me. I accidentally changed the username instead of the title.)

 

If thou needest to freeth up ram. Thou mayest use a free program called Rambooster made just for W9x.

 

Like MacOS' RAMDoubler? Is it compatible with all the stuff on my comp? Where do I get it?

Also, how the heck does it work? Is it like Virtual Memory or something?

 

Here ye may findest that which ye seekest my son. http://www.saunalahti.fi/~borg/rambooster

 

Thanks.

Also, would you mind dropping the arrogant, godly attitude? It's a little... annoying.

 

Ye needth to develop a sense of humor my son.

 

Please stay on topic Gentlemen.