» Help: PC spring clean

[Mong]

OK, i have decided to give my PC a spring clean. I rarely use it now but I have decided today i will try to sort it out.

I don't want to clean install it because i have stuff on there i cant transfer to my mac and want to make sure i can recreate it before I wipe it.

So here goes:

1. Firstly I am going to replace Norton. The subscription is out of date so I need a replacement anti virus and firewall

2. Spy ware replacement - i haven't been following the scene for a year now so i need to know what's in.

3. System utility to clean up registry and stuff.

4. Anything else (i already have a neat defrag tool)?

Thanx in advance for any advice.

[Mong]

Obviously google is your friend so I am using him too.

Just found this anti-virus comparison guide:


AV-Comparatives

[Mong]

1. Gonna try a 6 month free trial of Kaspersky. FYI I removed Norton fully using atool from Symantic - apparently you need it to clean up your machine properly.
My pc is already booting up much faster without Norton.
2. For spyware i am gonna try spybot - search and destroy + adaware
3. Just downloaded Eusing free registry cleaner recommended by pc world

[foz]

Originally Posted by Mong

1. Gonna try a 6 month free trial of Kaspersky. FYI I removed Norton fully using atool from Symantic - apparently you need it to clean up your machine properly.
My pc is already booting up much faster without Norton.

Norton is apparently the most cpu/memory intensive AV package out there, so you should notice the difference!

Originally Posted by Mong

2. For spyware i am gonna try spybot - search and destroy + adaware
3. Just downloaded Eusing free registry cleaner recommended by pc world

Those are my choices, free, fast and effective!

[sproggy]

AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security - AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition


BTW Mong, you never said what OS you have on it. If you have XP and you're not using the PC much, I'd stick with the built in Firewall and Antivirus. As for Spyware/Adware you might consider just using a high security setting on the browser instead, enable low security for the sites you want to visit. That way you'll have it run much faster.

[SteveLoveMusic]

Norton Anti-Virus is the devil!!! I use AVG... it is free and updates itself automatically.... I have never had a virus on this machine...

as far as spyware goes I use Spybot search and Distroy and Lavasoft adware.....

I wouldn't undrestimate some of the inbuilt tools to... Run a checkdisk from a clean boot and a defrag from safe mode......

Also running some of the tools from the recovery console can help a lot...

[Mong]

Thanx guys

Originally Posted by sproggy

If you have XP and you're not using the PC much, I'd stick with the built in Firewall and Antivirus.

XP doesn't have an in-built anti-virus or is that something new?


As you say i am not using it much so i will just be using free shit but the in-built firewall is shit.

[foz]

Checked out that AV comparison site and thought i'd try one of the other AV programs that rated higher than AVG... picked up a trojan which appears to have been here!

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by Mong

XP doesn't have an in-built anti-virus

Tis a while since I touched XP m8. I must be thinking of Spyware/Malware/Adware protection or something similar.

[Mong]

Originally Posted by foz

Checked out that AV comparison site and thought i'd try one of the other AV programs that rated higher than AVG... picked up a trojan which appears to have been here!

Which one found it?

Kaspersky detected a couple of rogue executables on mine (fortunately not run) .