Computer protection - please advise

[society]

Hi everyone,

I’ve read that having too many protection programs installed on the computer can conflict with each other causing failure of their protection. Currently I have installed Ad-Aware, Avast Antivirus, Spybot, ZoneAlarm, Anti-Malware Bites and WinPatrol. Do I have too many? If so which ones do you recommend I remove?

Another quick question - does computer programs and software mean the same?

Thanks everyone for your help. X

[VHG]

Software is basically ANY "program" on your computer.

So that is Windows, office, games, your browser, media player, anti virus, ANYTHING that is installed and runs on your computer.

I run ALL the software that you run except Spybot.

You seem to have only one anti virus - good

You seem to have only one firewall - good.

You have three spyware / malware programs (Adaware, Spybot and Malwarebytes) but that is not a problem.

And you run WinPatrol which is a general Windows protection program and probably the most useful protection you can run on your PC.

I think you have it spot on and are well protected.

[ACtheTROLL]

yes but no but .... maybe

can't see anything wrong with the mix .... but there are a lot of ingredients

1 virus
1 firewall
and a couple of malware scanners

I prefer a bought in security suite ... everything works together ... it updates and scans automatically ...
just setup and leave ..

the current winner is avira ... but kaspersky was top dog for a long time
http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/product.aspx?c ode=SWK-INTSEC91&af=50

[society]

Thanks VGH and Trolly for the great explanations and answers. You both are always very helpful. xx

[karatant]

I think you'd be better with just one good antivirus so that it can take care of things in a streamlined way and is easyer for you to "talk to" and set-up and monitor. It's a wonder your computer can do anything at all with all the potential conflicts. I think my advice is right but a quick chat with someone who works in a computer shop will re-enforce my suspicion. Good Luck society !

[society]

Thanks Karatant. However my two friends who’ve responded here do know a lot about computers. So I trust what they say.

[johnpol179]

in your computer ,you have three antivirus installed so these creates a problem .

you need to kept the one anti virus software installed in your computer which is the paid version and remove all the anti virus software from the computer.


turn on the windows firewall.

remove all the anti irus software except one which you want and remove all unwanted software from the computer .

it increases the speed of the computer.

[karatant]

I think there's a heck of a lot I don't know about computers but I'm positive you're better off wit

[karatant]

-h one antivirus rather than safety in numbers of them. They conflict argue amongst themselves and even just flatly refuse to acknoledge one another , in the meen-time your computer is just waiting for them all to settle down then it can get on with showing you the lottery numbers result.
I baught this computer a year and a half ago and it's just as quick as the day I baught it, and that's quick bye the way.
Still , I will confess there is a lot I don't know re. the ins and outs in a lot of ways. What'saproxy server? what'sa vpn?
what's a ppoe? what's a - oh god knows! there'sso mutch of it ! But I get bye o.k. Again, Good Luck. ( I think jonpol379 put it a bit more succinctly ) ;>)

[society]

Thanks johnpol179 and karatant. So Johnpoli - can you please suggest which of those from my list I should keep and which I should remove? I'm not sure which is which.

[karatant]

I had Norton a few years back but found it so long winded and complicated that in the end I uninstalled it for the free a.v.g. However on buying this laptop I was offered Norton with it so gave it a chance from day one. I can honestly say that after a year and a half it has been very helpful, easy to use, (they've improved things there) and thorough. So for an anti-spy that's realy good AND easy to use (realy important that, because I'm a right dimmok I am y'know!) - then I suggest Norton. g'night

[VHG]

>in your computer, you have three antivirus installed
>so these creates a problem .

NO HE HASN'T.

If you think so, tell me which of his products are anti virus.

The only anti virus he runs is Avast.

As I already said, Adaware, Spybot and Malwarebytes are SPYWARE products NOT anti virus.

Zonealarm is a firewall NOT anti virus.

WinPatrol is a general windows protection product and NOT anti virus.

So he is doing EXACTLY the right thing and running one anti virus product.

[VHG]

It seems to me both karatant and johnpol179 know little about computer secuity and are giving out misleading and incorrect advice.

One of the biggest threats in computer security at the moment is SPYWARE (also called MALWARE).

SPYWARE is NOT the same as a VIRUS.

Spyware can often be downloaded from websites and they are then used to infect your computer and encourage you to buy software you dont need (as an example).

Anti virus products mainly search for VIRUSES and NOT spyware.

To search for spyware you need specific spyware software and adaware, spybot and malwarebytes all do this.

Because these spyware products need to be run on a regular bases they are NOT all running at the same time (like anti virus) so not slowing your PC down.

As I said in my first append, I run all the same software as you (except Spybot) and I think you are doing fine with your computer protection.

[VHG]

>turn on the windows firewall.

The firewall supplied by Windows is NOT very good (particularly the one in Windows XP).

You are FAR better off running ZoneAlarm than the Windows firewall.

[society]

Again, thank you VHG!

I have noticed in my registry there are many, many wbsites - their names instantly make me think they are porn related (hotbabes.com, nakedgirls.com etc.) I never visit such sites and no one has ever used my computer. Why and how did those sites got there? The only sites I frequent is this one, and yahoo sometimes.

[dabees]

LMAO.....Whatever you do do "society" Listen to AC and VHG.

karatant is a plant, or an advertiser. Anyone that has "baught" software deserves to get a virus. ;-)

[society]

Gee Dabs... thanks! ;-)

I always listen to VHG and Trolly. They have helped me many times before with my computer questions.

[BertiWooster]

.

[VHG]

>I have noticed in my registry there are many, many >wbsites - their names instantly make me think they
>are porn related

I think they are placed there by security software as a list of sites NOT to be visited, a sort of BANNED list.

If you try to visit one of these dodgy sites your security software looks at this list, and if the site you want to visit is on the list you get a warning.