Is this a good set-up or am I OCD???????

wilddarts

Avast 2014 - Always on
Windows Firewall - Always on (and seems to do its job?)
Crypto Prevent 3.0.0 - Restrictions Always on when not installing anything new
Malwarebytes - Quick Scan Once a week, Full Scan Once a Month
Super AntiSpyware - Full Scan Every 2 Weeks
Advanced System Care 7 - Various Scans (there's a lot of tools) Every 2 Weeks or so.
CCleaner - Once a month
AdwCleaner - once a month or so.
I use Google Chrome with AdBlock, and Firefox occasionally. (Never IE)
I do a file back up as needed. (Will soon get an external drive for a system image)


I dont know much about this area but I had that Garda Virus about a year ago and couldn't do a system restore (no restore points) So I did a HDD Recovery and wiped the hard drive. Problem is I am now doing a course and have a lot of important stuff on my laptop, and am paranoid as foooook about something happening again.

What kind of set-up's do ye 'in the know' have?

Saganist

Just my 2 cents. But that amount of scanning and always on protection seems like overkill to the extreme.

Do you not see a slow down in your performance with all that running ?

I always thought that one Virus program was sufficient, along with the likes of Malwarebytes.

I'll stand corrected to the more knowledgeable, I run Linux so I don't have these worries.

wilddarts

Laptop is running fine, not slow at all. But only Avast runs from start up, I have all the others unchecked in msconfig and use them for scans occasionally. CryptoPrevent, I think, only sets program restrictions but doesn't 'run' in the background.

Your'e Probably right about it being overkill though but When I got the Garda yoke I wasnt browsing anything dodgy, i had one internet explorer tab open, i was looking for a number for a local business, went to their site, then BANG, laptop locks up with that $hiteware. Thats why I'm kinda paranoid about it.

fobster

Sounds like the virtual equivalent of Fort Knox!

You say you run all this stuff as per the above schedules... is much stuff actually found each time? Which programs catch the most baddies?

wilddarts

fobster wrote: »

Sounds like the virtual equivalent of Fort Knox!

You say you run all this stuff as per the above schedules... is much stuff actually found each time? Which programs catch the most baddies?

Very little found to be honest, that may be a lot to do with not browsing 'questionable material'.

Avast found a couple of things the first full scan, malware bytes found 70 something things first time, Super Anti spyware around 110. Not sure what they were to be honest.

Since then Its really only super anti spyware that detects tracking cookies, seems to always find something.

its been a while since malwarebytes showed up anything.

jca

All that scanning not good for your hdd either. I use ESET antivirus not the bells and whistles "full suite" and the odd quick scan with Malwarebytes and never had a problem.

jsa112

play around with chrome's settings, particularly in relation to blocking images/javascript/flash/cookies/about;flags. also extensions are very important, install ghostery.

also install filehippo update checker, getting infected via exploits is a big issue.

wilddarts

jca wrote: »

All that scanning not good for your hdd either. I use ESET antivirus not the bells and whistles "full suite" and the odd quick scan with Malwarebytes and never had a problem.

Hadn't taken into account what the scanning might be doing to the hard drive, good point. Think I'll relax the cleaning process. I've heard of ESET on some forums but don't personally know anyone who's used it.

I don't mind paying for and using a single AV suite so long as it actually works, Ive had McAfee subscription but it was $hite.

wilddarts

jsa112 wrote: »

play around with chrome's settings, particularly in relation to blocking images/javascript/flash/cookies/about;flags. also extensions are very important, install ghostery.

also install filehippo update checker, getting infected via exploits is a big issue.

Thanks, i'll have a root around chrome's settings.

Is there such a thing as a reliable, paid for, stand alone, all in one AV/firewall/malware etc. package that you can install and forget about?

jameshayes

wilddarts wrote: »

internet explorer

there's your issue

wobbles

Way too much scanning and totally overkill for me. By the time you've finished running all those it would be time to start them all over again

If your worried about backing up college work then use something like dropbox, a memory stick and your college storage should suffice. Literally seconds to backup your work each time.

invaderzimirl

to be honest if you know what your doing and don't do anything stupid you don't need any protection. i have a system running for 10 years now on windows no AV and it used as a download system never got a virus once your careful you'll be fine

if you more than one on a system think of how they work

open a file --> scan --> make change if needed --> close file

exactly same as a virus. they can see each other as threats

FSL

invaderzimirl wrote: »

to be honest if you know what your doing and don't do anything stupid you don't need any protection. i have a system running for 10 years now on windows no AV and it used as a download system never got a virus once your careful you'll be fine

Exactly every computer I have cleaned up had three things in common.

1) A fully patched OS.
2)An up to date AV.
3) An operator who turned off common sense when they turned on the computer.

Drexel

invaderzimirl wrote: »

to be honest if you know what your doing and don't do anything stupid you don't need any protection. i have a system running for 10 years now on windows no AV and it used as a download system never got a virus once your careful you'll be fine

if you more than one on a system think of how they work

open a file --> scan --> make change if needed --> close file

exactly same as a virus. they can see each other as threats

I'm the same. Never use anti virus programs. Have windows fire wall on and scan with defender once in a while. Never have any trouble.