What software do you "really" NEED ... to ensure you PC is running correctly

[Trushot]

What software do you "really" NEED ... to ensure you PC is running correctly

sometimes i get adware spyware malware viruses etc all jumble up as to what exactly they are and what stops them...

sometimes i think i have programs doing the same things

so on my new PC i just built i would like input on what all is needed to make it safe secure and free from bloat ...

atm i have installed MSE microsoft security essentials based on good reviews id read and its free but i dont mind paying either ... mse just seemed to do a really good job based on reviews id read ... makes me wonder if im missing something considering the old phrase there is no free lunch and there are paid alternatives competing against this free one ... how do they stay in business if the free one worls just as well ???

i all so have pc registry mechanic that i paid for and have three licenses with one left to use

so thats it on this new PC

1.) MSE
2.) PC tools registry mechanic

what else if anything do i need to keep my PC running as fast as it can and free of all the crap people try to stick on your machine when surfing the net?

thanks for helping a complete newb to all this

 

[Psycogeec]

how do they stay in business if the free one works just as well ???

It might have just become more profitable to provide a good crapware finder/destroyer, than to spend so much time patching every hole that humans can find to get into and alter the system. Ms themselves wishes to add in even more holes to the system, assumes it makes things EASY for people.

The unknown vast need to have everything Run off the web and control all aspects of your computer, and (often) unnessisary interconnects, has made the usual operating system similar to the new-york sewer system.
Ms has been addressing this by closing off a few Pipes , and methods to send stuff down those pipes, one pipe at a time. By closing off pipe after pipe, then still wanting to maintain flow of general sewage.
The MSE software takes a different tack , and tries to find specific floaters , while simultaneously adding more pipes to your sewer.

makes perfect sence They could not continue to maintain the system as a reliable system, even Without the direct "run from the net" holes, because people will also willfully select to download floaters.

Also if you have the new IE8 , it has in it a "phishing" filter too, that connects to MS and downloads one more set of data, that attempts to stop the user from landing in places where they get thier head shoved into the toilet
.

 

[Trushot]

how do they stay in business if the free one would just as well ???

It might have just become more profitable to provide a good crapware finder/destroyer, than to spend so much time patching every hole that humans can find to get into and alter the system.

The unknown vast need to have everything Run off the web and control all aspects of your computer, and (often) unnessisary interconnects, has made the usual operating system similar to the new-york sewer system.
Ms has been addressing this by closing off a few Pipes , and methods to send stuff down those pipes, one pipe at a time. By closing off pipe after pipe, then still wanting to maintain flow of general sewage.
The MSE software takes a different tack , and tries to find specific floaters , while simeltaniously adding more pipes to your sewer.

makes perfect sence

i have no idea what you just said .. but if you think of anything else that might help someone learn how to better protect themselves feel free ... i assume by your sewer talk i should not use MSE?

 

[Psycogeec]

MSE is good.

SpywareBlaster By javacool is a rather interesting and free pre-emptive stopper.
instead of trying to discover things you already got, or are going to get, it just BLOCKS tons of sites and stuff.
it is not virus protection, it will not stop something new, it will not find viruses/malware on the computer, and it doesnt take much resources from the computer. it just blocks cruddy sites who didnt care enough, and blocks known ActiveX items from running. It has its place, and only does so much, but other than the web filter and some registry activX blocks, it is small and doesnt cost any performance, because it is not a scanner.

i find that the best way to avoid most of this stuff, is to turn OFF the valve, so having a way to restrict ALL ActiveX until the user selects to download and run it. and turning off JAVA scripting for all untrustable locations. Then scan anything that you actually wanted to download.
.

 

[jmdixon85]

Here are the programs I use:

> MSE, for virus and spyware protection (I also use AVG on some other systems)

> CCleaner, for cleaning out temp files etc and the registry

> My Dad recommended I install Secunia PSI and since trying it I have found it very good at detecting and updating all my programs.

Thats all I use as far as system maintenance goes......Oh I also use O&O Defrag. I find this to be the best defragger

 

[tom10167]

Firefox with noscript is a big help. I recommend Adblock, too, though it isn't essential to your direct issue of "ensuring your PC is running correctly"

Some use Secunia, I'm fairly good at just checking for updates on things, as are most of the programs I use.

Don't install tons of ****, and don't whimsically install something. Meaning if you need to convert Apple Lossless to mp3 don't just Google "Apple Lossless to .mp3" and use the program from the first hit which would probably be something like "www.apple-lossless-to-mp3.com"

websites with more than 1 hyphen are hella sketchy.

I use Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 but who knows which AV is going to be best. I just got AV for the first time in prob 6 years and never had an issue, if I was running Kaspersky the whole time does that mean it's a great AV? Of course not.

Good sense goes a long way.

 

[jmdixon85]

^@TOM I love this line: don't install a ton of ****

I just had a woman bring her PC into work as it was running dog slow. She had 3 antivirus programs installed and atleast as many spyware apps installed!

Seems like the scary banners that pop-up on web pages are still hunting people down

You know the ones I mean? Speed up your PC for free! Your computer infected, clisk here to fix now etc etc.

Makes me sick

 

[deadlysyn]

^@TOM I love this line: don't install a ton of ****

I just had a woman bring her PC into work as it was running dog slow. She had 3 antivirus programs installed and atleast as many spyware apps installed!

Seems like the scary banners that pop-up on web pages are still hunting people down

You know the ones I mean? Speed up your PC for free! Your computer infected, clisk here to fix now etc etc.

Makes me sick

As long as there are people gullible enough to click those banners, they aren't going anywhere.

 

[beenthere]

Norton A/V and others work decent. Ad-aware/Spybot, etc. can be useful too. Different people like different programs for various reasons. Some programs seem to work better with specific versions of Microsucks O/Ss than others.

 

[jmdixon85]

I have to advise against using ANY norton product. I find it really badly programmed and is the number one reason for so many software conflits (that I have seen).

Also, Spybot became useless a few years ago. I used to use it back in the AthlonXP days but now other programs make it obsolete.

 

[Mpegger]

ESET NOD32 or Smart Security

PerfectDisk 11

Firefox with Ad-block Plus, and No-Script

Windows Home Server for daily backups.

 

[darkknight187]

Your Head is honestly the only solution you really need. Up until a few months ago I survived with no antivirus, no antimalware and still using IE and never had issues from knowing what to be careful of. However in the event that you want to use these programs my favorites are Avira or MSE for antivirus. I personally use avira because I remember reading some articles or discussion suggesting it has the highest detection rate and I recommend MSE to anybody who needs a antivirus for it's pure simplicity and transparency. For antimalware I use Malwarebyes as a personal preference. Lastly Firefox with adblock and noscript as preventative maintenance. Both Avira and Malwarebytes have free or paid versions, I use the freebies myself.