topic Re: new computer virus protection in Electronics

new computer virus protection

steiny3844 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 00:17:08 GMT

I just put free avast on my computer. Is that good enough to protect me from malware and any virus? Do people use more than one brand of protection at the same time? As you may have guessed, I am totally computer illiterate! Thank for any help.

Re: new computer virus protection

Beauty$Junkie — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 00:32:48 GMT

Avast is all I have on my laptop and I have been very happy with it. I check for updates and do the scans. I use my laptop for shopping and surfing and Avast has blocked many sites.

Re: new computer virus protection

ChynnaBlue — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 00:44:50 GMT

Avast is very good. Just remember to use it and update it.

Re: new computer virus protection

Caffeina — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 01:47:26 GMT

I use the free Windows Defender that's included with Windows 8.1.

windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-defender#1TC=windows-8

Re: new computer virus protection

steiny3844 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 02:01:53 GMT

How do I use and update avast. I did get one popup to run a scan. I did that. Can windows defender be used at the same time?

Re: new computer virus protection

Nightowlz — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 02:20:03 GMT

Download Malwarebytes & CCleaner. We have the paid version of Malwarebytes so it runs itself. If you download the free version you will have to run it yourself. Don't use Avast so I'm not sure how it works. We use Microsoft Security Essentials.

Re: new computer virus protection

Toppers — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 06:19:41 GMT

Steiny, I have Avast on my computer. You can manually update it, but I have also noticed that it also runs updates by itself, too. You don't need to run Windows Defender with Avast.

You can put Malware Bytes on your computer if you want to. Many people do. They also want an additional anti-malware and anti-spyware program on their computer in addition to an anti-virus program.

With my own computer though, it is not compatible with other anti-spyware and anti-malware programs. They just won't cooperate and run together. Sometimes this happens.

Re: new computer virus protection

glb613 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:55:57 GMT

Windows 8.1 comes with Windows Defender which is an antivirus program. If you install a different program, you will need to disable Windows Defender.

I've never heard of Avast not being compatible with other programs. Perhaps nothernlights didn't disable Windows Defender and that is what's causing the problem. You can install and run multiple anti-malware programs but, you can only have one antivirus program running at a time.

Re: new computer virus protection

Toppers — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 01:37:21 GMT

Hi Glb,

Thanks for bringing up Windows Defender.

No, it's not activated on my computer. I have not been able to run any other anti-spyware/malware programs on my computer at the same time. They don't work. They will try and run but will freeze up and not run. I haven't been able to figure it out yet.

Re: new computer virus protection

glb613 — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 02:42:01 GMT

On 1/17/2015 northernlights said:
Hi Glb,

Thanks for bringing up Windows Defender.

No, it's not activated on my computer. I have not been able to run any other anti-spyware/malware programs on my computer at the same time. They don't work. They will try and run but will freeze up and not run. I haven't been able to figure it out yet.

I suspect too many programs in the start-up group and too much multitasking. Download, install and run CCleaner. Click on tools, startup and disable everything but your touchpad, antivirus and antimalware entries. Reboot and see if the performance improves. I doubt the freezing has anything to do with what is installed. It sounds like a computer performance issue.

Re: new computer virus protection

Toppers — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 03:02:19 GMT

Thanks for the advice, Glb. I will try it out. I didn't think about the programs on start-up.

Re: new computer virus protection

steiny3844 — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 15:39:38 GMT

Thanks again for helping out. I'll just stick with avast for now. I have been getting popups from them to run scans and that helps someone like me a lot. Have a great day!

Re: new computer virus protection

apple1964 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:34:23 GMT

On 1/16/2015 Caffeina said:
I use the free Windows Defender that's included with Windows 8.1.

windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-defender#1TC=windows-8

I thought with windows essentials the window defender is obsolete?

Re: new computer virus protection

apple1964 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:35:58 GMT

I have Norton antivirus and I have had no problems with it. Works well with 8.1. And I get it free with Comcast.

Re: new computer virus protection

Sunshine Kate — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:42:08 GMT

On 1/17/2015 glb613 said:
Windows 8.1 comes with Windows Defender which is an antivirus program. If you install a different program, you will need to disable Windows Defender.

I've never heard of Avast not being compatible with other programs. Perhaps nothernlights didn't disable Windows Defender and that is what's causing the problem. You can install and run multiple anti-malware programs but, you can only have one antivirus program running at a time.

My new laptop with Windows 8.1 came with McAfee (for an annual fee of course). You mean I can disable McAfee and use Windows Defender for free?

Does it work just as good?

Re: new computer virus protection

Trix — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:44:31 GMT

I always thought that anti-virus programs would not function at all if you tried to have more than one open for operation at the same time. I disabled Windows Defender. For the past couple of years I have used Trend Micro on my desktop and been extremely satisfied. I have previously used McAfee and Norton and have no complaints, but I find that Trend seems to be more helpful to me with questioning the safety of unknown sites and items before I click these things open.

I use Norton which is included with my Comcast account on my notebook.

Re: new computer virus protection

glb613 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:19:14 GMT

On 1/21/2015 Sunshine Kate said:
On 1/17/2015 glb613 said:
Windows 8.1 comes with Windows Defender which is an antivirus program. If you install a different program, you will need to disable Windows Defender.

I've never heard of Avast not being compatible with other programs. Perhaps nothernlights didn't disable Windows Defender and that is what's causing the problem. You can install and run multiple anti-malware programs but, you can only have one antivirus program running at a time.

My new laptop with Windows 8.1 came with McAfee (for an annual fee of course). You mean I can disable McAfee and use Windows Defender for free?

Does it work just as good?

Usually when a different anti-virus program is installed, it will disable the other antivirus program. That's not 100% so you need to check. You should only have one antivirus program running at a time.

Re: new computer virus protection

Nuttmeg — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 05:33:25 GMT

On 1/21/2015 Sunshine Kate said:
On 1/17/2015 glb613 said:
Windows 8.1 comes with Windows Defender which is an antivirus program. If you install a different program, you will need to disable Windows Defender.

I've never heard of Avast not being compatible with other programs. Perhaps nothernlights didn't disable Windows Defender and that is what's causing the problem. You can install and run multiple anti-malware programs but, you can only have one antivirus program running at a time.

My new laptop with Windows 8.1 came with McAfee (for an annual fee of course). You mean I can disable McAfee and use Windows Defender for free?

Does it work just as good?

Here is proper uninstall from McAfee https://community.mcafee.com/message/362375#362375

Re: new computer virus protection

smoky22 — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 06:04:52 GMT

On 1/16/2015 Nightowlz said:
Download Malwarebytes & CCleaner. We have the paid version of Malwarebytes so it runs itself. If you download the free version you will have to run it yourself. Don't use Avast so I'm not sure how it works. We use Microsoft Security Essentials.

I have Malwarebytes Pro, Microsoft Security Essentials and CCleaner. Malwarebytes runs by itself (every day). I have to run Microsoft Security Essentials manually, even though it says it's set to run every Sunday. It doesn't. I'm afraid to run CCleaner because I'm not very computer savvy and so much is automatically checked. What can I uncheck that doesn't have to be cleaned and what should I absolutely keep checked to be cleaned? I hope this question makes sense.

Re: new computer virus protection

Nuttmeg — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 06:26:46 GMT

On 1/21/2015 smokymtngal said:
On 1/16/2015 Nightowlz said:
Download Malwarebytes & CCleaner. We have the paid version of Malwarebytes so it runs itself. If you download the free version you will have to run it yourself. Don't use Avast so I'm not sure how it works. We use Microsoft Security Essentials.

I have Malwarebytes Pro, Microsoft Security Essentials and CCleaner. Malwarebytes runs by itself (every day). I have to run Microsoft Security Essentials manually, even though it says it's set to run every Sunday. It doesn't. I'm afraid to run CCleaner because I'm not very computer savvy and so much is automatically checked. What can I uncheck that doesn't have to be cleaned and what should I absolutely keep checked to be cleaned? I hope this question makes sense.

I am running three computers, and use three different security brands. I use Avast's free Anti-virus version on my Window 7 machine. It is a small program that scans emails, has auto updates, and checks my computer for old software.

Malwarebytes and Avast run fine together. I also use CCleaner.