Antivirus programs for PC
- Thread starter Jeb MT Mater
- Start date
Don’t connect it to the Internet.
OMFG
- The native Windows Defender will give you adequate baseline protection.
- Additionally, I recommend Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. The free version is on-demand only. The payware version runs in the background.
- In your browsers, install the uBlock Origin add-on.
- In uBlock's settings, enable the MVPS HOSTS filter. Do this in each browser. [Filter Lists> Multipurpose] Alternatively, you can install the MVPS HOSTS file system wide.
Oops. I should have kept reading.
Hey, here's one for you. Chrome just updated in the background last night, and I noticed I was running AdBlock. I uninstalled AdBlock months ago on the old computer, and installed uBlock Origin, instead (and was happy I did). I never re-installed it on my new rig, because Chrome took care of all that for me. I'm guessing it went to an older configuration and reinstalled AdBlock instead, and I just never noticed? With my new hardware, the performance difference between the two isn't really noticeable, but I still like the options uBlock offers.
Thanks!
I deleted Norton (artifact), then checked Defender. Already up and running. Decided to run a full scan last night. Been running 10 hours now, scanned more than 430,000 items and seems to be about a sixth of the way through. Does that sound normal? Seems like an awful lot of items.
Sounds too damn long. Way too long. Something sounds amiss.
I would suggest you cancel the scan and do two things:
1) Download and run the Norton Removal Tool:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/norton-removal-tool/
Norton never uninstalls cleanly and leaves a lot of residual crap. It's also possible it's interfering with Defender, hence the long scan time. I've "fixed" numerous computers with performance issues by this alone.
2) Install and run CCleaner. Be sure and get the Slim version.
https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download/slim
Run the file system cleaner and the registry cleaner. (I don't normally recommend registry cleaners, but if you've had a Norton infection and are having performance issues it's a good idea.)
Now you'll have a lot less crap on your computer that Defender needs to scan. It will probably run better too.
Lastly, assuming you're using an HDD (rather than an SSD) download and run MyDefrag:
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/mydefrag.html
Run the Monthly script. It will take forever, so just do it overnight. It's old and no longer supported but it works great and is the only disk "optimizer" out there that truly works. (All the rest are scams.)
I use web root. I get it through the geek squad. They check my computer every day. No problems since going to it.
No clue. On my kit, nothing updates in the background. <shudder> And Chrome is my secondary browser, usually used only in Incognito mode for streaming pirated sports feeds and the like. I've got my Firefox tweaked and configged and customized exactly how I want it (and how I've had it for years) and have no desire to use anything else.
Thank you.
I removed norton, cleaned files and registers, then started mydefrag. The analysis showed hundreds of thousands of files and about fifty thousand directories. Where the funk did all those dirs come from?
Large numbers of files and directories isn't unusual. Depends on what they are.
You haven't said anything specific, but I suspect you've had a some crapware/malware/spyware type programs get into your system. Run Malwarebytes, as I suggested previously. I'll bet you get a lot of hits on "PUPs" -- Potentially Unwanted Programs. Thats what I'm talking about. Let MBAM wipe all those out. They're technically not "viruses" and most straight up anti-virus programs won't flag them, but they are what impact a Windows machine far far more than actual viruses. Actual viruses are, in fact, relatively rare anymore. It's the other garbage that can give you problems.
Adaware (antivirus) and ZoneAlarm (firewall), run Malwarebytes every once in awhile to be safe - all 3 are free, haven’t had an issue in over 10 years.
Whenever I see McAfee now I cringe...anyone seen this crazy documentary?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6071534/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6071534/
Okay. I think it's all set. Computer is humming, seems much faster. Thanks a lot, UncleMark. I've wanted to fix it up for a long time but couldn'nt pull the trigger on any antivirus program. What you said made more and more sense as I moved along. I had to look stuff up to figure out how to do what you said and I saw things. Malwarebytes is highly rated all over the place. The Hosts program explained how it works and why it's so effective. Cool stuff.
I've been wondering for a long time, how does IU keep all its computers so clean? Any idea? Top secret?
Well, I used their student computers for years and there never seemed to be a problem. Plus, I've only heard of them getting hacked once in all these years. They've had very strong computer science going back to the 60s. As I understand it, the top IU dogs were prescient enough to demand that proposals for grants always include money for computers.
Avast has worked great for me. The free version updates automatically and gives real time protection. No ads or anything. No annoying pop ups like I got every 10 minutes with AVG. Haven’t noticed it bogging down my system or anything.
I'm just not a fan of third party AV on modern Windows OSs. They're only incrementally better than the native Defender, and the overhead and additional hooks introduced into the system aren't worth it, IMO. I've personally fixed a ton of computers that have been brought to their knees by corrupted AVs -- corrupted usually by being overwhelmed by infections they didn't block.
It's web/browser based crapware that's the biggest problem nowadays. And frankly, none of it is anywhere close to as bad as it was back in the XP days. A few years years ago I could count on fixing a half dozen or more a month and made decent pocket change doing it. Now I get calls maybe every two or three months.
UncleMark,
What's your opinion on Revo uninstaller? I use CC, but didn't know about the slim version till now. Are they essentially the same?
Your comment on incognito makes me wonder about your opinion on VPNs. Good, bad, ugly, indifferent? I want to watch sports streams also on my work network. What do you suggest?
What's your opinion on Revo uninstaller? I use CC, but didn't know about the slim version till now. Are they essentially the same?
Your comment on incognito makes me wonder about your opinion on VPNs. Good, bad, ugly, indifferent? I want to watch sports streams also on my work network. What do you suggest?
I don’t like AVG but I haven’t had the first issue with Avast. I run malwarebytes once a week or so but it never finds anything. I always use ccleaner after being online.
I don't use Revo, but it's well regarded. Understand I'm a Linux guy. I just make my folding money fixing Windows junk. Or at least I used to. Smartphones and Windows 7 basically wiped that business out.
No experience with VPNs. Never have had the need.
Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary. Understand, I'm not super paranoid about my computing, and just use common sense. It helps that I run Linux, and therefore am immune to conventional "badware".
I will assume you have a base AV in place. IMO (others will differ) the native Windows Defender (Microsoft Security Essentials in W7) will provide adequate baseline protection.
Install Firefox as your default browser. In the settings, check for it to clear the cache upon exit. (Me, I don't clear history or logins/passwords.)
Install the uBlock Origin add-on. The only tweak I recommend in uBlock is to enable the MVPS HOSTS file filter. That blocks the browser from accessing known websites/servers that offer up badware and will also block a lot of ads. Between uBlock and MVPS, your browsing experience will be much more secure and have fewer popups and other annoyances.
If you plan on going to dodgy sites, do it through a Private Window. When done, it can't hurt to shut down the browser and flush the cache. A run of CCleaner or Bleachbit can't hurt, either.
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