How often do you tangle with viruses/malware?

[jwyblejr]

Last night I was checking out one of those sites that offer boxed DVD sets cheap. Next thing I know I've got this alarm coming out of my speakers. Come to find out,it was avast! warning me they were trying to download a virus on my computer.

[Cosmicman]

Last night I was checking out one of those sites that offer boxed DVD sets cheap. Next thing I know I've got this alarm coming out of my speakers. Come to find out,it was avast! warning me they were trying to download a virus on my computer.

I love Avast! I think it is an amazing tool. One thing Avast offers that AVG does not offer is free peer to peer protection. What that means, if you or perhaps a friend likes to download certain things off the internet. It will keep your IP address from being recorded and reported to your Internet Provider and keep you from getting in trouble for downloading illegal stuff but who would do something like that anyway right?

[MIB41]

I currently use System Suite 9 and I have had no problems for years since I went with that service. If you continue to have problems after tweeking your system with the various software recommendations, I would go into your system and restore to an earlier date when you weren't having these issues. That usually puts the fix in. If that doesn't work, then I would consider running a scan of your system in safe mode to see if you can identify a potential virus. Best of luck!

[thomasjo_2093]

I agree with Wrath on his start from scratch approach. Sometimes it is just easier to back up all of your pics, music, files, ect and start all over again.

John

[Cosmicman]

I agree with Wrath on his start from scratch approach. Sometimes it is just easier to back up all of your pics, music, files, ect and start all over again.

John

But....only as a last resort after you have tried everything and you seriously believe some form of virus or malware has corrupted your windows files to the point it just can't be returned back to how it was.

Then as we used to say in college, "F-Disk" it.

Or Re-format it. However you want to say or do it. Always works well for me and anybody who can't fix the damage that has been done and it has gone on too long to repair anything back to it's original state.

Oh yeah. Word of advice from the computer techs! Stay off porno sites! Go rent a porno!
There is no such thing as "free porno" on the Internet without your computer paying the price. Trust me. I got a years worth of clients that will agree with that.

[Sideshow Spock]

If you continue to have problems after tweeking your system with the various software recommendations, I would go into your system and restore to an earlier date when you weren't having these issues.

That's just what I ended up doing.. I restored back to a couple weeks ago when all my updates were still operating normally. Worked great. I then got all the new updates and beefed up a couple things, and everything is smooth as silk again.

Thanks to all for your help!

[mitchedwards]

I run Linux on my desktop so i never have to worry about those things

[spaceace35]

I have been using avast for quite awhile now and have had no problems so far.
I used to use Norton but I found it still wasn't as good as avast and it cost me like $80 a year where avast is free.

where is avast free? i saw their site with a 60 day trial then you have to pay

[Sideshow Spock]

You were looking at the "professional edition" specs. Toggle over to where it says Free software, home edition.

avast! - Download antivirus software for spyware and virus protection

[spaceace35]

thanks for the quick reply

[Cosmicman]

Avast is the ****!

[Mikey]

Just as a follow up to my question ... which was I downloaded/updated the new Spybot and after scanning it only finds 1 problem everytime I scan ........ My computer started acting really funny lately .....
It shuts off and reboots for no reason, is really slow and crashes constantly.
All within the time Spybot only finds 1 problem (for the past month)

I finally got pizst and deleted Spybot completely.
I then downloaded AVG free version (which has it's own spyware program)
AVG found like 50 probems and wiped them all out.

Today my computer runs 1000% better.

Spybot sucks

Thanks AVG

[ctc]

>Spybot sucks

It's not a bad program, but it only looks for specific things. I used to run it, AdAware AND Nortons; 'cos they all find different kinds of threats. I've been using AVG for almost a year, and it works pretty good for overall protection. IT doesn't conflict with any of my other software either. (A lot of stuff isn't designed to work together. Found that out the hard way....)

Don C.

[Mikey]

But the new updated Spybot is passing over everything it used to find before.

Ok, let's say the new version don't bother with old stuff because they're not a threat ... Then if that's the case, why was my computer all screwed up ... and AGV threw them all out and now my computer is fine ?

You are right about AVG conflicting with stuff... But I can live with that.

AVG is not bad considering it's from the Czech Republic