Security

[Grandpappy]

I'm currently running Microsoft Security Essential,Avast 5 free,Malwarebyte's AntiMalware and using the Microsoft supplied Firewall on my system.
Am I using too much security,will they conflict and if so which should I remove?
Am I getting paranoid?
Cheers

[ChuckFickens]

Yes.

remove either avast or Microsoft security essentials (I'd suggest removing avast personally)

malwarebytes only runs when you ask it to, it doesn't run in the background so you can keep that and manually scan every now and then.

The windows firewall is better than nothing, but it's not the best about as it is typically only a one way firewall (it will stop nasty things coming into your computer, it won't stop unauthorised things being sent out from your computer) there are better about for free such as zone alarms free firewall.

[VHG]

Chuck, I thought it was only the XP version of the Windows firewall that was one way only. I thought they had beefed it up for Vista and 7.

As Chuck say, both MSE and Avast include an anti virus component. Having two AV products can conflict with each other, and also slow the computer down as each file needs to be checked twice.

[ChuckFickens]

The vista and the windows7 firewall are still only one way by default

With Vista it could be made two way but required the user to manually add a snap in to an empty management console to configure it (so not exactly intuitive or easy for an average user)

with windows 7 the firewall is still supplied one way out the box though, as with Vista, it can be made 2 way and at least with 7 they have made the settings to do so available through the normal control panel

[Grandpappy]

Thanks for the advice Chuck. I shall remove Avast .
Thanks also to VHG. I never considered that BOTH would have to check the same stuff!
Chuck, is it very difficult to configure the firewall in Windows 7? OR is installation of the Zone Alarm difficult?
Cheers