Another Security Question !

[derekpara]

Do I need AVG Anti-Virus and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Free versions) if I'm already using Microsoft Security Essentials ?

What do you recommend ?

I'm running Windows XP.

Cheers.

D

[bibblebub]

You definitely don't need both AVG and MSE - they are both anti-virus software and if they are both running at the same time can cause conflict errors. Malwarebytes, however, won't cause a conflict and a regular manual scan using it is a good idea.

[Buenchico]

I'm totally in agreement with Bibblebub here.

Running two anti-virus programs simultaneously can harm your computer but, as frequent posts here show, malware can get past Norton, MSE, AVG, Avast, McAfee or anything else - so it makes sense to have the free version of Malwarebytes to hand.

[pdq1]

My version of malwarebytes was time limited and has now expired.

[rojash]

"My version of malwarebytes was time limited and has now expired."

You must have installed the Pro version trial.
Uninstall it and install the free version.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

Make sure that you click the GREY button, not the green one.
When you install, it will ask if you want to trial the Pro version. Say NO.

[VHG]

Note that if you install the free Malwarebytes it is NOT doing any checking in real time (in other words it does not run all the time).

It only runs when you set it to do a manual run, and only then does it look for malware.

So if you install it but never manually run it then it is doing you no good at all.

If you buy the paid for version it DOES run all the time in the background.

[rojash]

As VHG says, BUT
You don't need it to run all the time
It's a good idea to have it installed because, if you try to install it AFTER you've contracted malware, you may have to go through enormous hassle to install it as the majority of malware programs do their best to prevent the installation, and it's not possible to install in safe mode (at least on XP) because it uses the Windows Installer Service which is disabled in safe mode.

[derekpara]

Thank you one and all; very helpful and informative.

D