How many Anti-spywares should one install?

[bdmallalieu]

Besides Windows DEFENDER, how many other anti-spyware programs (e.g. Freebies) do you recommend sensibly installing on a notebook? Am I right that too many can cause conflicts and/or reduce operating speed? Which one's do you suggest? (I am running XP Pro SP2)

[Seten]

One but set properly and securely.

My whole security:
Antivir
isafer

What is windows defender an antispyware?

[PhilliePhan]

Besides Windows DEFENDER, how many other anti-spyware programs (e.g. Freebies) do you recommend sensibly installing on a notebook? Am I right that too many can cause conflicts and/or reduce operating speed? Which one's do you suggest? (I am running XP Pro SP2)

You can get by just fine with a goodAV and Firewall, plus Windows Defender (enable the real-time protections) and Spyware Blaster . Just be sure to update the definitions for all your tools regularly!
The same for your Windows Updates - they are your first line of defense...

Also, using an alternative browser such as Firefox is a good idea. And, of course, employing safe browsing habits!

Have a look at my Linky below.

PP :)

[bdmallalieu]

Thanks Seten. Yes, WD purports to be spyware protection ---- see MS site & it's free!

[bdmallalieu]

Thanks PhilliePhan. Pity I didn't find your excellent Linky page earlier, then I wouldn't have needed to trouble you. What do you think of AVIRA anti-virus? It takes a long time to scan!

[PhilliePhan]

What do you think of AVIRA anti-virus? It takes a long time to scan!

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic? - It's pretty solid and holds up well against competition. Especially for a free product!

Also, scan time will depend on a number of different variables. I do not mind long scans as long as 1- they finish, 2- they are thorough and 3- they catch what they are supposed to catch! Frankly, I am more concerned with "real-time" scanning and an AV product not letting baddies onto my compy in the first place. .. .

--- You'll find that the free options in my linky are much less bloated than their commercial counterparts and use fewer system resources.
However, some of the better "security suites" will attempt to offer rootkit protection, and the like - this might be a factor you'd want to consider as well.

Cheers :)
PP

[Seten]

Oh now I know why I don't use it :)
It is because of the fact, that i know how to surf, read every message, do often registry checkup and backup of whole particion.

[bdmallalieu]

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic? - It's pretty solid and holds up well against competition. Especially for a free product!

Also, scan time will depend on a number of different variables. I do not mind long scans as long as 1- they finish, 2- they are thorough and 3- they catch what they are supposed to catch! Frankly, I am more concerned with "real-time" scanning and an AV product not letting baddies onto my compy in the first place. .. .

--- You'll find that the free options in my linky are much less bloated than their commercial counterparts and use fewer system resources.
However, some of the better "security suites" will attempt to offer rootkit protection, and the like - this might be a factor you'd want to consider as well.

Cheers :)
PP

Following upon my previous initial query about Avira anti-virus protection and the very helpful replies I received, particularly from PhiliPhan and his Linky, I installed Avast 4.7 which seems to be very extensive & intensive in its monitoring, as well as lengthy in doing a full-scan (hours!). The most irritating & frustrating experience I have with it is the system freeze it appears to produce within a short time of booting up/un-hibernating and opening Outlook or a Browser. The CPU usage goes shooting up to 100% and stays there for usually 15-20 minutes, preventing all other operations. It seems to be the On-access scanner that is responsible? I have the security set to NORMAL. During the freeze, the system tray Avast globe is not spinning and only the odd pop-up message of 'Detailed actions' comes up. Does anyone know how to minimise this interruption without endangering one's machine?

[bdmallalieu]

Further to my latest query regarding the system freeze I am experiencing, I have some further information from Task Manager, which was open when I just had another freeze. It told me that 99% of the CPU was being used in the System by SVCHOST.EXE.

[Seten]

Download a program named "process explorer" ( Systinternals.com ) it is free, something like taskmanager 100%upgrade. It shows, what is running on the system with a lot more information than taskmanag.
---
Protection:
clamwin, no additional firewall, cclearner, disabled nonusing services, no spyware SW and no adware SW.
And the system is clean. Sometimes I make a fullscan with another antivirus program just in case.

[bdmallalieu]

Download a program named "process explorer" ( Systinternals.com ) it is free, something like taskmanager 100%upgrade. It shows, what is running on the system with a lot more information than taskmanag.
---
Protection:
clamwin, no additional firewall, cclearner, disabled nonusing services, no spyware SW and no adware SW.
And the system is clean. Sometimes I make a fullscan with another antivirus program just in case.

Thanks, Seten, for your advice. I clicked your link but could not find Process Explorer after clicking several of the vertical menu buttons. Please could you guide me a bit more?

[Seten]

Thanks, Seten, for your advice. I clicked your link but could not find Process Explorer after clicking several of the vertical menu buttons. Please could you guide me a bit more?

I gave you a link from the license of EULA. As I found out, it is not used any more. I am sorry that I didnt check it and confussed you.
The right link is: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/ProcessExplorer.mspx
In the end of that page, there is a download link.

[bdmallalieu]

Thanks, Seten, for your advice. I clicked your link but could not find Process Explorer after clicking several of the vertical menu buttons. Please could you guide me a bit more?

Thanks again, Seten, and I have now succeessfully downloaded it. Did you see my previous info update, having found from TM that SVCHOST.EXE seems to be the culprit that is commandeering all my CPU resources for 15-25 minutes! I will see what PE makes of it.

[Seten]

Did you see my previous info update, having found from TM that SVCHOST.EXE seems to be the culprit that is commandeering all my CPU resources for 15-25 minutes! I will see what PE makes of it.

Hover your mouse over that svchost.exe, which "eat" most of your CPU. It will show which service is doing it. Than if it is not critital service, then disable it.
If it is not in system32 but somewhere else, then it should be a[*]ware app.

[bdmallalieu]

Thanks, Seten, for replying so quickly. When it next happens I will do as you suggest in Process Explorer. However, I also searched the filename through Google & several articles about it all had quite strong warnings about neither disabling it or deleting it, as it is a basic ingredient of Windows System 32 (Generic host processor)! I have done an updated virus check on it and run all my updated, anti-spyware on my laptop with an all clear from them all. So, just what is causing it to start behaving recently in this frustrating way, I have yet to learn?

[gerbil]

.

[Seten]

I would update mainboard driver, If you have 2 core CPU or a 64b CPU, then look for some kind of drivers for it if you have winXP 32b. Then use CCcleaner to clean registers and delete temp files. Then look in msconfig for anything what shouldn't be there.

Google won't tell you anyhing about svchost.exe, because most of services run under this file.

[IMG]http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/259/asdffa1.th.jpg[/IMG]

[bdmallalieu]

Thanks again, Seten. I don,t have CCleaner, but do have Registry Mechanic. Is that OK instead?

[douchrti]

Ive heard alot in the past about Ad-Aware SE for Anti Spyware, but it seems to be low in the ratings.
Any comments?

[Seten]

It is egal which registry cleaner you use. More important that you use it often

adware:
Only what you need is to learn how to surf on net and you won't need any anti *ware program.

oh almost forget. If you love or like "sex-erotic" pages, then make a new profile in Windows and only surf on these pages with it. Don't use your common profile. Hopefully not an administrator profile.
why? If some kind of dirt, attack your profile, than you only need to delete it(profile) and build a new one. Best for that kind of surfing is a quest-type profile. Quest-type profile is not allowed to do some operation, which are allowed in other type of profiles.