Anti Virus

[Sebby]

Good to hear, Bill.

[old Bill]

Just to be on the safe side can anyone recomend a decent anti spyware/key loggers software ?

[madasahatter]

Ad-Aware is pretty good

also superantispyware and spyware blaster

[krysia]

Sorry to be joining this discussion so late.  I've been using the free AVAST home edition for about a year and half and really like it - it updates virus definitions usually every day (sometimes trwice a day), and it's got a special plug-in for Outlook (which AVG doesn't have).  I've also downloaded Windows Defender after reading a good review in Which Computing about it and have Ad Aware too, though I don't run it as often as I should.  Which had recommended using two anti-spyware programmes rather than just one, so I also downloaded Spybot (I think that's the one) as well as Defender, but Spybot caused my machine to seize up a bit, so I uninstalled it.

[Rik]

It's strange Krysia, but no-one seems to be able to come up with a spyware program that catches everything. If our AV was that poor, we'd be muttering loudly.

[Inactive]

I use AVG Free and it scans stuff on Outlook Express.

[BrianM]

Something I have installed is McAfee SiteAdvisor, most of you will probably know it. The logo sits top left of the screen and gives you a warning if you visit a site which might be a bit dodgy regarding spyware etc.    http://www.siteadvisor.com/     

[krysia]

I tried the free AVG first but it scans only Outlook Express, not Outlook (I use OE for home e-mail, and Outlook for work e-mail), so then went over to AVAST, which does both. 

Do people think using both Ad-Aware and Windows Defender provides as good protection as possible, or should I think about adding a third anti-spyware programme?

[Rik]

Two should be enough, Krysia.

[Inactive]

Call me paranoid, but I use Spybot S&D, Windows Defender, SpywareBlaster, Comodo Firewall, SUPERAntiSpyware and AVG AntiSpyware.

They are all free, and work fine.

[Rik]

Hi Paranoid! 

[Steve]

I have just had an issue with a Kaspersky Internet security update and Firefox i.e unable to display web pages. The solution was found here

http://support.kaspersky.com/kis7/firewall?qid=208279638

[Sebby]

Always useful to know, thanks.

[Den]

I have just uninstalled Kaspersky Security and gone back to AVG free for now, got so fed up of my computer running slow programs crashing or refusing to open. So far so good it's good to be back with AVG, why did I change? 

[Rik]

Because you wouldn't know otherwise, Den? Lots of people swear by Kaspersky.

[Den]

I swear at Kaspersky, Rik.

[Rik]

I have the same feelings for Norton and McAfee.

[Inactive]

I almost made the same change Den, then I thought, why??...AVG Free has worked fine for me, so why change.

[Sebby]

I find Kaspersky much faster than AVG. I can't think what the problem is, Den.

[Den]

Since I installed AVG this afternoon Quickbooks has behaved itself and Outlook 2007 will open attachments in Word 2007 without any fuss (so far). XP now seems to be running at normal speed and I ran the speed test on Namesco which came back with 6.1mB  as opposed to 10mB (even 12mB on one test) which is not bad for a 8mB service.

[Sebby]

I can only think you were using the version that had these problems, though I seem to remember you confirming you were running 7.0.1.325, so I'm baffled.

[Simon]

I do think that some suites just don't perform well on some machines.  I installed F-Secure 2006 on my desktop, and it wouldn't shut down, then the 2007 version wouldn't complete a full scan.  The 2008 version is better, but the right click scan doesn't work.  All issues that seem to be isolated to my machine, which is why I'm now on Bit Defender.

[Den]

Just received my morning emails, all opened at once, attachments transfered to Word straight away and opened at about 40secs faster than it has done for the last couple of weeks. Not a single crash since I installed AVG, the last problem I had was when I uninstalled Kaspersky, it said do I want to restart the computer, I said yes so it hung up and I had to reboot.

[Sebby]

If you do ever consider going back to Kaspersky, I'd head over to their forums to try and get to the bottom of the problem; it's certainly not normal practice. They're a very knowledgeable and helpful bunch.

[Simon]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but I wonder if there could have been a conflict between Kaspersky and some other software on your machine, Den?  Did you have any other security software installed at the time of the problems?  Or maybe even something that hadn't been removed properly?