Computer Protection- What's Best?

[+ Lucky]

My new computer came with a Norton potection package including firewall, virus and spyware features. It was only for 60 days, so I went to renew it and was immediately hit with other things to buy. Offended by that, I decided to ask you guys what's best to get. (I hated Windows Live Care).

 

The Norton 360 Version 2.0 offers 2 Year Subscription Upgrade for $114.99 or one-year for $59.99

[whipped guy]

Call me cheap... but I have been using AVG 8.0... and it's free... and was recently upgraded. Probably not the absolute best but it works fine, definitely does the job, and the price is certainly right! There is also a premium version for a fee.

 

For the record, I have not had good luck with Symantec products so I am down on Norton...

[Guest ryan2552]

I do not care much for Norton. I find it to be very buggy.

 

As mentioned AVG is very stable and free though I believe they have a for fee pro version. You can find it at http://www.downloads.com

[Guest Rendie]

Hi Lucky,

 

Stay away from Norton/Symantec stuff since, as some have already mentioned, their software can be very buggy.

 

Most software "bundles" are huge resource hogs and some of the bells and whistles are simply unnecessary.

 

You would probably do better installing stand alone programs and most of the better ones are free!

 

1) AVG and NOD32 are good choices for Antivirus software.

 

2) Spybot S&D, Spywareblaster and Adaware for Spyware removal and prevention.

 

3) Comodo and Zone Alarm are good firewalls.

 

Here's more info:

 

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15745

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15639

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15626

 

The whole list from DSLreports.com:

 

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19158700#19158700

 

rendie

[+ Lucky]

IfI then wanted to get rid of Norton and wentfor separate firewall, spyblocker, and anti-virus, I assume I would install them one by one. Do I just uninstall Norton first? Or should I hire a geek to make sure it gets done right?

[jameswilson]

>If I then wanted to get rid of Norton and wentfor separate

>firewall, spyblocker, and anti-virus, I assume I would install

>them one by one. Do I just uninstall Norton first? Or should I

>hire a geek to make sure it gets done right?

 

I used to have Norton on my laptop and, after finally having lost patience with how badly it degraded my laptop performance (NOT MY performance, I should stress !), I tried to uninstall the normal way (using the standard Uninstall function in the Windows Control Panel) and it didn't work completely.

 

I did some searching around, and noticed on the Norton website that they have a NORTON REMOVAL TOOL which is a free download. I downloaded it, ran it, and it seemed to work fine.

 

Here is the link to the Norton page in question:

 

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

 

As for what you can replace it with, I hear that AVAST! (http://www.avast.com) is another pretty good (and free) product.

 

Good luck!

[+ deej]

Hire a geek.

 

Yours truly, A. Geek

 

 

 

Seriously, I won't have any product from either Symantec or McAffee on any of my personal computers. Not even for the free trial period. Remove them from Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs. You should only need the Norton Removal Tool in specific circumstances.

 

To be really safe, download everything you're going to install and then unplug the internet while you do the uninstall/new install. The average unprotected PC will last about 20 minutes hooked up to the internet before the goonies find their way in. (Your broadband provider probably provides enough protection to get through it, but I like to sleep at night.)

 

I use AVG (paid version) and their firewall as well, but IIRC the firewall was only available with the paid version. I went with the paid version because it wasn't expensive and regular updates are guaranteed. With the free version, it's whenever they feel generous. (They've been pretty good to date, but they don't HAVE to be.)

[EXPAT]

Trade the whole thing for a Mac and then you won't have to worry about any of it.

 

If you don't want to do that check with your cable provider if that is where you are getting your broadband from. Many are giving away virus packages/firewalls for free.

[Guest josephga]

I use avast

[+ Charlie]

Like many others who have posted here, I use the free version of AVG.

[+ Lucky]

After all of that, I decided to get the Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite and the Force Field that came with it at a discount. I downloaded it, then took off my other system, but when I went to install it, tough luck for me! It seems my compuer is a 64-bit one (the wave of the future!) and Zone Alarm wasn't prepared for that. So I am thankful for all of the recommendations for the AVG 8.0.

[+ Lucky]

What is going on? I added this AVG now my computer, which I bought because it is meant to be very fast, is so slow? Also, four times I got a pop-up asking me if I wanted to install an update to FlashPlayer. I click yes, but it comes back 3 more times...

 

I wish I had grown up with computers and then I might understand them! And my stupid keyboard, on a brand new computer, the letters stick or don't go up at all!

[Guest Raffy]

>Trade the whole thing for a Mac and then you won't have to

>worry about any of it.

 

Not according to the new September issue of Consumer Reports which has an in-depth section about online protection.

 

Mostly PC related, but as for Mac, it urges dumping Safari for Foxfire.

[Guest ryan2552]

> And my stupid keyboard, on a brand new

>computer, the letters stick or don't go up at all!

 

Hmmm the letters "stick?" Maybe you should be more careful when rubbing yourself while watching porn. The goo has probably ruined more than a few keyboards

[Barry]

I can't help with the slowdown of your box other than to say if any software is set to check for updates automatically or scan in the background, that may be part or all of the problem. I turn off all automatic updates and just set a reminder to run them when I go to bed.

 

As for keyboards. After a dozen or so computers, my experience has been most of the keyboards that come in the box are crap. Keyboards can also be a very personal thing depending on how you type. I go to a few electronic stores and check out the keyboards for size, feel and tactile feedback. When I find one I like, I go online and buy it. Right now my fav is Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard 6000 v 2.0. The feel and shape of this one is the best I've ever used. I have a cabinet full of OEM keyboards that came with computers. Want one?

 

Barry

[+ Lucky]

I removed the HP keyboard and went back to my old one, but the problem still existed. SO I wrote to HP and they said it was a corrupt keyboard driver. (And you thought only people were corrupt.)

 

Anyway, they gave me instructions to fix it, which, of course, were totally useless. Now every post, every email I write has to be re-done to fix all of the mistakes.

 

I had Flash Player for the first couple of weeks before it disappeared. It is quite annoying not to have it as every website I go to sends me boxes telling me to get it. Even when I say no they keep trying. I tried the instructions that HP gave me, but there was no macromed directory where they said it would be. Ironically, I was able to get it downloaded last night, only to wake up this am and have it gone again.

[jackhammer91406]

Wanted to thank all the guys who weighed in on this thread.

I just rebooted my computer having finally said goodbye to Symantec and downloaded AVAST. I tried to load AVG, but it kept saying that my OS was too outdated to utilize the program (Windows XP Office Professional). Honestly living in Los Angeles, I get plenty of "you're too old", didn't need it from a security program.

Anyway, it's the first time since my computer "Bruiser" was a baby that he didn't have a Symatec product installed and guys he hasn't been this fast in a long time.

So...thanks again to all who participated in this thread, I feel younger and lighter and faster and ready to run...after hot men of course.

[+ Lucky]

I'm still having a raft of troubles with mine, but Firefox became my browser since IE just won't work on it.

 

Now the tv is out...

[jackhammer91406]

Firefox became my browser of choice after reading a few responses on a thread here two years ago. This place rocks for info.

Don't know what to tell you about the TV problem .

[+ Lucky]

Botnets. They are everywhere and may have infected your computer. Read all about it:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/technology/internet/21botnet.html?ref=business

[+ Lucky]

Emergency Security Patch

 

From the Washington Post:

Microsoft to Issue Emergency Security Update Today

 

Microsoft said late Wednesday that it plans to break out of its monthly patch cycle to issue a security update today for a critical vulnerability in all supported versions of Windows.

 

Redmond rarely releases security patches outside of Patch Tuesday, the second Tuesday of each month. The software giant isn't providing many details yet, but the few times it has departed from its Patch Tuesday cycle it has always done so to stop the bleeding on a serious security hole that criminals were using to break into Windows PCs on a large scale.

 

By Security Fix's count, this would be the fourth time since January 2006 that Microsoft has deviated from its monthly patch cycle to plug security holes. As shown by the stories in the linked examples above, Microsoft has fixed problems, each time, that were being actively exploited by bad guys to break into PCs.

 

Microsoft's advanced notification bulletin says the problem is critical on Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, meaning this is a vulnerability that can be exploited through little or no help from the user. Redmond's labels the flaw "important" on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 machines.

 

Microsoft is expected to push out the update around 1:00 p.m. ET. The company also will reveal more details about the patch in a special Webcast. I'll have more information on this update as soon as the patch is out and details are released. Stay tuned.

[Guest josephga]

RE: Emergency Security Patch

 

I started having a problem last week. I keep getting a security update logo but when I click on it theres no update. Also my windows no longer recognizes my ipod itunes won't either. I have tried removing itunes and putting it back. I have gone into hardware and removed the driver and tried putting it back. nothing works..

[+ Lucky]

Tuesday will bring a report on megabotnets, capable of bringing down huge parts of the internet. It's much more vulnerable than we thought.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/technology/internet/10attacks.html?hp

[seeker630]

The story in 2010?

 

My new computer came with a Norton potection package including firewall, virus and spyware features. It was only for 60 days, so I went to renew it and was immediately hit with other things to buy. Offended by that, I decided to ask you guys what's best to get. (I hated Windows Live Care).

 

The Norton 360 Version 2.0 offers 2 Year Subscription Upgrade for $114.99 or one-year for $59.99

 

I just got a new laptop with WIndows 7. After doing some homework, it was a choice between Norton & McAfee - and then McAfee had their little debacle. So, I was trying to decide between Norton Antivirus & Norton Security, until my more-savvy newphew-in-law recommended AVG.

 

Looks like WIndows 7 has a firewall enabled by default.

 

Any thoughts or recommendations here? I really don't want to impair the computer's performance.

 

TIA

[+ Gar1eth]

I don't know much about computers but all recent versions of Windows have a "default on Firewall." I've always read that it wasn't that great a Fire Wall. So when you are installing another Firewall you turn the Windows version off.

 

Gman