Howdy All,

Thought I take 10 minutes or so out to cover the topic of 'PC Security' and pass on a few applications that can make your PC safer.

1. FireWall
Firstly lets start off with the 'firewall' an application that controls what programs can talk to the outside world. I've used Zone Alarm free version for years now and had a single issue. To download it for free use this link:

http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

(Its the lower link)

2. AntiVirus
If you're unlucky enough or plain stoopid enough to go looking for trouble, you can pick up nasty things off the net in a few minutes and you need something that can deal with them. Again this is a program I ahve used for years and works a treat. AVG Anti-Virus. To download it for free use this link:

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-products/us/frt/0?prd=aff

3. Nasty or unwanted Web Files
Clear out nasty web files using LavaSoft's Adware Personal, after its first deap scan which can take a while, its smart scan feature is quick and simple, again I've used this for years and clears a shed load of crap out. To download it for free use this link:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

4. Common Sense
Yep I wish it coudl be installed as an application, however the wet-ware (thats you!!) needs to be restrained on what you're downloading, if you go looking for trouble (serials, keygens etc) then it'll take only a few moments for you to wind up in trouble

Anywayz, if you have a suggested program that is FREE, please post below!!

Matt

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|UKMD| MoggieX Notes: If u see a cheater, record them! If u see an Admin being pratt report them to me If u see a n00b, thats me! Help keep the server running with 'Rent a Slot':
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I swear that Zone alarm has a 15 day trial.. hmm.

Well anyways thanks for the links I'm using Norton at the moment, its preinstalled when i use the built in system restore thingy, so i don't have to pay for the updates

This isnt much but it looks pretty good, although i would stick with Zone alarm.
Avast Home edition.

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yeah good idea i use spybot seachr and destroy pretty good sypware and adware remover
and its FREE

I use Windows firewall + Windows defender, so far so good.
As long u dont seacrh for porn, keygens, serial, cracks you will be ok with this.
I had Zone alarm + Kaspersky it was horrible, it lower my processor speed for 30% sumtimes more.
So I use updates and patches from Microsoft and it work fine for me.

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Adaware!!
keeps mine nice and dandy

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Been using that AVG along side windows firewall since i last completely wiped my harddrive about 5-6 weeks now. second choice was windows defender. totally happy with AVG no complaints so far

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I Picked A Bad Time To Quit Drinking

ive had avg and zone alarm going, got ad aware and found 59 problems ty moggie

1 firewall, 2 virus protections ie ( hendrix and stuee), and they say at least 2 or 3 spyware protection, but only 1 of each running to protect your comp, go here

i was using avg anyway but adaware and spybot are great, didnt even know i needed them, thanks

[ Edited Sun Sep 16 07, 07:44AM ]

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I have a Mac so I dont use any anti virus but only recently when I installed XP (bootcamp runs windows native on a intel mac..) I had been running windows for a week weeks and reliased I needed anti virus so I downloaded AVG.. pointless story I surpose.. My sister didnt have an anti virus and she went to uni with her laptop.. within a week and she had around 150 viruses. So the moral of the storys are... always use anti viruses... I surpose

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I am 52% addicted to Counterstrike. What about you?

(Flame all you like)

i also found it handy to run a registry scan but without being illegal im not sure of any free ones out there

I'm a bit freaky on the amount of Anti-Spyware I use. All my recommendations R free and basic, with most giving the option to upgrade to more expensive version. I use Adaware and Spybot like sum other but I can also recommend:

spywareblaster - easy, free & doesn't hug resources

threatfire - very new recommendation (infact only dwnloaded it last night) but it seems good & can be used ASWELL as UR normal antivirus. Check the webby 4 more details.


I have used this in the past and found it quite good also:

AVG Anti-Spyware

I hope these help. As I said they R just sum of the ones I have used but I'm sure I'll report back if more R needed.

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MX| Little Red |UKMD wrote ...

i am not affraid to tell you lot that i like to wear womens undies! especially ladies thongs on back to front!

Bling Bling|MҲ| wrote ...

wots spam? ... except a reason to care that little trees have eaten all the pies and the bluebirds that mate backwards and if toffee was a minister of the crown, we would be the bishops fish and chips.

Any1 who is with virgin can get PCGuard for free off them ( if they have the medium or above package) its pretty good spyware and anti virus. Anytime i run adaware or spybot i get 0 files found since install of it.

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|UKMD|Riley wrote ...
except for when Stuee gives me a hard-on talking Scottish on TS

I have Norton Anti-Virus + firewall aswell as windows, and also use adaware and spybot s+d. So I think I'm pretty safe.......so far anyway

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do ad aware, avg or spybot look for keyloggers?

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i use AVG and AVG anti-rootkit. both free. and windows firewall. never had any problems for about 6 months with these.

previous was norton anti virus. which is a waste of time. use's up cpu. slow start up etc. other programmes related to it running in back ground!

keyloggers r quite simple virus'. im sure adware or spybot would pick it up. not 100% sure tho big man!

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big man?? i think i like the sound of that........
!lol

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bit of meat or big man... u chose

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Hmmmm...I sense a male bonding session between Jim and St3fan !dodge


hehe

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st3fan has been my partner in spam while rileys been off playing with the tories! (oooh eerrr)

hes just discovered the joy of spam after 4 months here. late starter.

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late bloomer

never used to bother b4, but i thought i might aswell get involved! dont take long to post some spam on here! so if i aint actually playing u ladys still know im around.

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I advise you all to use CCleaner to clean up any s**t on your computer

Got my mate to do it and it got rid of 2gigs worth

Here is a link
http://www.ccleaner.com/

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Your an unknown operating system may need a tune up.
Click "Next" to recommend improvements.

i'll wait till theres a vista update but ta anyway.
looking for a free (yes free, preferably without having to use a torrent as the idea of that scares me) program that would sort my registry for me in vista? fix or remove all broken links and the like.

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was guna say... no vista patches?! dont know anything about vista. read in some forums that its a bit werid still. will just wait till i buy next pc. was using 2000millenium edition untill 2 years ago!

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i use avg with spybot windows defender aint had a virus 4 3 yrs i also use a program called tune up utilities to keep junk clean does reg scan etc and it free it says trial but once trial used u have to just wait 4 timer

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Avg is the best free one out there

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I think for people who running Norton Anti Virus Should take it away as its sucha big program (!!!) .

Im using one called 'F-Secure' I got it free as my broadband dealer gives it to me free as im a local customer ..

And the updates are free ...

Have a look at :


I used avg one time and i forgot turn off F-Secure , so my pc crashed as u should NEVER have 2 antivirus programs at the same time .. So no more avg for me

I think its enough with the thing major uses '
: Windows Firewall And Windows Defender , I used it on my last computer , and i didnt even get one virus !!
Thats pretty amazin as i were downloadin almost all the time ..

Well anyways .. Good Luck with te anti virus programs

And i would like to wih you all :

A very nice christmas

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I keep a python in my PC case and a Doberman chained to the router - works for me 8)

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Hows that working , is it free one ?

Where can i download that program ?

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I use nod32 but it's not free... I do believe you can get a trial but meh

something that IS free is HITMAN PRO.. It's basically a bigass macro that installs, downloads, updates and runs a bunch of the best anti virus, anti spyware, anti anything -programs

worth checking out imo...
but please note: the whole process of running Hitman Pro can take a while so meh.. I use it when I'm going out, when I'm back it's done and my pc is mintfresh !!

LINKIE

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I found COMODO Firewall to be a bit better than Zone alarm, and its totally free

it has a nice feature tht shows actiuve processes that might be hidden to you, even in task manager.

also another nice program is Win Patrol, shows active programs, start up programs, scheduled tasks etc, very good for spotting and locating malicious programs.. its free, but some features need you to get a licence key

I'm confused, wheres the link to download the common sense gone :/

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I'm a little sniper short and stout, here is my deagle here is my scout

Simpology - weak and silent but insanely voilent (fear the usp!)

Jim CCleaner does run on Vista and has done for around 5 months or so. Just download the correct one for Vista and it also sorts your registry out in the registry tab. Bloody great piece of software!

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i have found a better spy/malware program than spybot.


feckin got a evil virus over the weekend, sort it out with a program called bit defender 10, and its free

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link?

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O J!m u are so demanding


its also got a ati virus built in that runs alone aside any other virus scanner u got on the machine

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this is a helpful thread for n00bs.

back when i was a n00b (said as if im not one now) it took me hours to find the google page, let alone do a search on it

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it asks for a email address this is to send a a key to downlaod

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http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/
That's the link to CCleaner. Should be all versions. Let me know if it isn't

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If your machine starts to crunch...

check you haven't got Windows defender installed along with any other adware program (Spybot, adaware atc etc) and...

DEFENDER HATES AVG FREE

Keep 'em on seperate machines!

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.Tito's Law. - You can't fall off the floor

Don't use CCleaner if you have any microsoft development components installed.

For example: Visual Studio, Visual studio express, DirectX Developer environment (installed with some steam games), Debugging environment.

It will play merry hell with them.

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.Tito's Law. - You can't fall off the floor

There's a similar one to crapcleaner called "easycleaner" you can get on Its ike a little swiss army knife of useful things, registry check, add/remove programs, look for duplicate files, invalid shortcuts, any crap like temp files, internet files but also remove files from startup folder which is pretty handy.
So I got AVG Anti Virus, AVG anti spyware and Anti-rootkit plus easy cleaner for sorting registry and getting rid of stuff. Seems to keep it all runnning sweet. Windows firewall and anti=phishing filter that takes forever with afterbuy web page.
Highly recommend AVG its very good and if you do have a problem they've got plenty of info and removal tools available.
It would just feel wrong paying for any of these things after using AVG free for so long.

[ Edited Sat Feb 16 08, 12:41PM ]

Thats with Windows XP though not Vista, don't know what you could use for that.

Actually what I said about CCleaner applies to all the 'free' reg cleaners out there. Microsoft has even withdrawn RegCleaner because of the problem. The methods they use for orphaned and unused reg entries are not valid anymore as these are now valid entries in many Micrtosoft packages, espcially in Vista. The problem for XP only rears it's head in delevopment environments for XP though.

Having said that, if you're not a professional developer, you are probably not going to kill so much that if it goes wrong, you aren't going to be able to patch it quickly. (and you prbably won't notice much anyway)

PS. This does not apply to bought and updatable reg cleaners as they have had to deal with the problem or go out of buisness.

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.Tito's Law. - You can't fall off the floor

Ive had that AVG thingy on my laptop ,which runs vista, for a while now and I haven't had a single problem.

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AVG is an anti virus program, not a reg cleaner. You'll need a antisyware prog as well if you're using the free version. I like spybot myself, but some people hate it.

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.Tito's Law. - You can't fall off the floor

Is Spybot the one that makes weird noises that make it seem like its something really serious all the time??

Well I don't know.....

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Methinks I'll shut up now!

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.Tito's Law. - You can't fall off the floor

Porn serials and cracks? Oh darn. I'm dead.

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Kill them all!!...Or...Don't...Whatever's cool...:S

MҲ|Riley wrote ...

Safari Jim - simultaneously reinventing the male menopause and early mid-life crisis via steam !
Just be a little wary of the over 30 (or thereabouts) core admin teamspeak clique .....