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Antivirus and Spyware


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  • 4 weeks later...
Yo stevo, I wouldn't mind formatting my PC and starting afresh. How do you do this?

 

fdisk /mbr? Or am I showing my age...

 

PS Don't do that - if you're not technically able to back your machine up manually onto DVD's / CD's then buy something like a Maxtor personal backup device which slots in via USB and will backup your personal docs. However, make sure you have all your program disks before wiping it all...

 

As for AV software, I can only recommend SEP11 & Malwarebytes - all you ever need. (but buy Malwarebytes!) NBMalwarebytes is anti-spyware type proggy that sits there watching if you pay for it but you should also have AV software installed (SAV, SEP11, Avast, Mcafee etc.)

Edited by Tractor_Saint
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Sorry Rory, didn't see your latest post.

 

Do you have any of the CD's etc that come with the machine? Possibly labelled 'Restore Media'

 

Or do you have a Recovery partition? Probably the D: or E: drive or similar (common on IBM and Acers)

 

I'd PM you, only your a cheapo reggy user

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  • 7 months later...

I've been using Eset Smart Security for the last 10 months on 2 of my machines, yet last week, suddenly the virus signature updater stopped working. I didn't really bother much at first, then I noticed that after 6 days it still hadn't updated. I tried to scan the machine. The scanner crashed the computer. I downloaded AVG and disabled Eset and tried to boot up into safe mode. It wouldn't boot up or was so bloody slow that I gave up. Every time I tried to run a scanner, the scanner wouldn't go.

 

I did find 2 suspicious files linked to a run32dll file in the start up list, Googling both got no hits at all, so I was convinced that somehow a virus had got through the Eset security.

 

In the end I reinstalled a new version of Windows 7 wiping the old system (I didn't bleeding well think of a system restore which might have cured the problem)

 

Up until now I've been very happy with Eset as it's fast and doesn't slow my machine down. I think Kaspersky uses the same engine that AVG uses.

 

So as my licence expires in March I'm wondering what people have been using as a suite that includes anti virus, firewall, malware protection etc.

 

I've used both Norton and McAfee in the past and both are resource hungry beasts that slow my machine down.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I had a nasty spyware download itself on my parent's laptop. Went round to try and sort it out. Essentially one of those that runs a fake scan and then says buy the full software to fix the problem.

 

Looked quite convincing as it was called 'Spyware Protector' and it had a symbol very similar to Windows own one at the bottom in the icons tray. It would let me onto Firefox or install Malwarebytes as McAfee just didnt detect it at all.

 

But managed to boot up in safe mode with networking and install and run Malwarebytes there and remove the bar steward.

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  • 1 month later...
I had a nasty spyware download itself on my parent's laptop. Went round to try and sort it out. Essentially one of those that runs a fake scan and then says buy the full software to fix the problem.

 

Looked quite convincing as it was called 'Spyware Protector' and it had a symbol very similar to Windows own one at the bottom in the icons tray. It would let me onto Firefox or install Malwarebytes as McAfee just didnt detect it at all.

 

But managed to boot up in safe mode with networking and install and run Malwarebytes there and remove the bar steward.

 

Hi Johnny,

 

I too had this nasty germ on my laptop and most recently my XP PC. I only just got rid of it on the PC last night using Malwarebytes in safe mode. The PC seems fine but it seems the ordeal has killed my Vista PC. Although it successfully removed the problem, it seems as if some important registry keys have been deleted along with it. It was shockingly slow for a while and just won't switch on anymore.

 

It's a horrible spyware to have as it completely infiltrates your PC. What's the best anti-virus/spyware out there? The lack of defence I have is criminal and I just want to surf the net safely.

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I'm no expert Rory, just follow what the general concenus is on here. Personally have AVG internet security and anti-virus along with Malwarebytes and have been ok so far on my PC (touch wood).

 

Were those registry keys infected ones and therefore removed? I think thats what it MB may have done but not sure.

 

But yes that spyware was/is a right royal pain and quite convincing too. Can see how people could fall for it and pay for the 'full' program especially as the scan would bring up a load of pron links and trojan infections etc.

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  • 2 months later...
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  • 1 year later...
A common question to get asked quite a lot on this forum is about Antivirus / Spyware so will make this a sticky.

 

A lot of us use AVG Free for our anti virus protection : http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download-...s-free-edition

 

AVG now includes spyware protection.

 

A lot of people however like to have another program specifically for dealing with spyware. For this a lot of us use Free Super Anti Spyware: http://www.superantispyware.com/down...NTISPYWAREFREE

 

In personal preference I would recommend you don't install the AVG Security toolbar when asked whilst installing as I feel it is an unnecessary feature. I'd also recommend you go into Super Anti Spyware's settings after you have installed it and disable it from starting with windows. You only need to run it every now and then; particularly if you've got AVG running along side it.

 

For users who have used AVG in past - when upgrading to a new version it automatically uninstalls the old version.

 

Also in AVG there is an advertisement at the bottom of the program when you open it recommending you buy the full security version. There is a button you can press just above this advertisement which will hide it.

 

He has turned us down twice apparantly but I guess our offer is still on the table. He has burned his bridges at Roma and if no other options come forward then you never know...

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Can anyone advise how to get rid of delta browser, unistalled everything on my system but still comes up as the default browser, have made google chrome as default but still comes up with this crap.

 

Does this help ?

 

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/delta-homes-removal/

 

or this ?

 

http://malware.fm/malware/Remove+Delta-Search.com+Browser+Hijacker+in+5+Steps+Completely-20745.html

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  • 3 months later...
Anyone else using Microsoft Security Essentials? I was an AVG avid fan until the last version

but have now switched to this.

 

I have moved all the PCs I maintain (about10 friends and family) to MSE and they are all working smoothly. No problems, not intrusive.

More than I can say for McAfee..... It knocked out 5 people's Internet and then there was no fix for 2-3 months, just a work-around.

 

MSE is free, it is designed by Microsoft for their own systems. They are not a third party supplier trying to second guess how to lock in to the deepest level of windows and prevent security breaches.

It is easier to design the locks if you also design the walls and doors!

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  • 6 months later...
I have moved all the PCs I maintain (about10 friends and family) to MSE and they are all working smoothly. No problems, not intrusive.

More than I can say for McAfee..... It knocked out 5 people's Internet and then there was no fix for 2-3 months, just a work-around.

 

MSE is free, it is designed by Microsoft for their own systems. They are not a third party supplier trying to second guess how to lock in to the deepest level of windows and prevent security breaches.

It is easier to design the locks if you also design the walls and doors!

 

As I understand it MSE is inbuilt into Windows 8? Is that correct? On that basis is there any point downloading further Antivirus/Spyware/Malware software onto a Windows 8 system?

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  • 1 year later...
As I understand it MSE is inbuilt into Windows 8? Is that correct? On that basis is there any point downloading further Antivirus/Spyware/Malware software onto a Windows 8 system?

 

Good question - anyone got an answer please?

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Good question - anyone got an answer please?

 

In my experiece MSE is quite often slower than other 'mainstream' AV services when providing updates to counter new threats, and not as effective overall. It was originally designed as a mechanism to protect the kernel of the operating system, but not user programs and data.

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Yes.

 

Download BitDefender, SuperAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (All Free).

 

MWB free version is good at checking file systems and cleaning up issues, but does not provide 'real time' protection. I use BitDefender ( subscription ) on all three PCs in our house, and also do periodic scans with MWB for peace of mind.

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I used to be a computer engineer and spent a lot of time dealing with viruses. All our clients used to get F'kd off with buying Norton, Mcafee etc and then getting a virus a couple of months later.

 

I used to get virus problems too.

 

For the past 5 years I haven't had any virus software installed. I download torrents, all types of strange pornography, and all the rest of it. Never had a virus problem since.

 

I will run Malware Bytes free every once in a while but it literally never finds anything.

 

I don't click on 'click here because you've won the lottery' and stuff like that on the internet and can only assume that is why its usually old people who have problems with viruses. My Dad has millions of problems and I literally can't figure out why.

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