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View Full Version : Computer health, maintenance, tools and scans



Corabar Entertainment
11-02-2011, 02:38 PM
One for all the PC experts out there.

With all the programs out there promising to do this, that and the other (scan, optimise, memory restriction, registry cleaners, defrags, etc etc etc), plus the standard windows maintenance items, it's difficult to know what to bother with and what not to so:-

We all know that we need antivirus and to scan for viruses, and a de-frag every now and then doesn't do any harm, but, what general maintenance and tools would you recommend, and what programs are (IYO) best and why?

Charlie Brown
11-02-2011, 02:41 PM
I will get a link later but McFee have been brilliant. Best I've had but it's quite pricey. I had it installed when I bought my laptop trade price from a computer company specialising in business use.

Steve the DJ
11-02-2011, 02:50 PM
Which OS are you using?

Oh and I wouldn't touch McAfee or Norton with a bargepole personally, I have never come across a machine they haven't made a mess of, but each to their own. :shrug:

Jiggles
11-02-2011, 02:53 PM
Best AVs out there are the free ones I find. They do what the need to do without the extra guff. Norton and McAfee are in my experience the biggest cause for slow PCs! Avast is what I use and 100% recommend. Firewalls and such I use the built in ones never had a problem set up like that.

DeckstarDeluxe
11-02-2011, 02:54 PM
AVG free trial here.

In all my years on computers and shall we put it a typical teenagers browsing history I have only had one virus using this program and that was my silly fault.

Corabar Entertainment
11-02-2011, 02:54 PM
I was more thinking of making this a general thread for people to reference as and when for advice, and I certainly don't want to make it all about which anti-virus software everyone uses.... more of a general care and maintenance / what's useful to keep things running smoothly-type-thread.

Having said that, I personally am currently using XP on several machines, but will shortly also be running Windows 7 on one machine.

Corabar Entertainment
11-02-2011, 02:56 PM
...and I certainly don't want to make it all about which anti-virus software everyone uses.... Oh well, looks like that's the thing that everyone has decided to post about!

:lol:

Jiggles
11-02-2011, 02:57 PM
Its all help though Angela. :D

Corabar Entertainment
11-02-2011, 03:00 PM
Its all help though Angela. :D
It is.... it's just a shame that it wasn't the question that was asked! :p

Solitaire Events Ltd
11-02-2011, 03:06 PM
I prefer the yellow one.

Steve the DJ
11-02-2011, 03:06 PM
I currently run XP on every machine we have and use the following:

Anti Virus: Microsoft Security Essentials (http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/)
Firewall: Windows XP's
Cleaning, Uninstalls & Registry Tweaks: CCleaner (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner)
Defragmentation: Defraggler (http://www.piriform.com/defraggler)
File Recovery: Recuva (http://www.piriform.com/recuva)
Spyware Protection: SUPERAntiSpyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/)
Malware Protection: Malwarebytes Anti Malware Free (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)
Back Up: Microsoft SyncToy (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c26efa36-98e0-4ee9-a7c5-98d0592d8c52#Overview)

All of which are my favourite software price, free! :D

DJWilson
11-02-2011, 03:10 PM
Anti-Virus, firewall etc: Full AVG.
Defrag and clean-up's: The windows 7 standard on laptop.

Mark Wild
11-02-2011, 03:13 PM
For my desktop office P.C, I use Malwarebytes (paid version), Nod32, power data recovery, Vista firewall and Webroot Windows Washer.

Larry B Entertainment
11-02-2011, 03:15 PM
Firewall - Windows
Anti Virus / Malware - Microsoft security essentials
Cleaning / Reg etc - C Cleaner

DeckstarDeluxe
11-02-2011, 03:57 PM
In all fairness Angela AVG is the only program I use. I do the windows disk cleanup every blue moon though.

Glenski
11-02-2011, 04:31 PM
Tools of my trade are:

Anti Virus / Firewall : KasperSky Internet Security

Also recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (Free)

Firewall: Zone Alarm (Free)

Malware: Malwarebytes (Free) SpyBot Search & Destroy (Free)

Sytem Cleanup: CCleaner

Defrag: Auslogics Disk Defrag (Free)

PC Specs: Speccy

CPU Info etc: CPUID / GPUID

Drivers: Driver Detective or Device Doctor (Free)

HDD Partition and Backup: Easeus Partition and Easeus Backup

Recovery: Recover My Files and SpinRite

Internet Banking: Rapport

...

Thank you

Glenn

Dynamic Entertainment
11-02-2011, 07:34 PM
I wouldnt touch rapport with a barge pole. It seriously slowed down my PC and was a nightmare to remove.

For me:

Antivirus: AVG
Firewall: Windows
Malware: malwarebytes
Defrag: Windows
System Cleanup: CCleaner

BeerFunk
11-02-2011, 08:20 PM
Are we talking general PC use, or DJ PC use?

If the former, then I only use the firewall on my ADSL Router, and NOD32 for virus protection. No incidents for years.

The most important thing is to be wary, and know what to click on and what not to click on :p

MORGEY
11-02-2011, 10:02 PM
I had real bad problems with Norton antivirus 3 years ago.
I now use AVG free version and use Firefox as my browser.
I have not had a single problem on my computer since.
I de frag every six months and have a big clear out of unwanted files on a monthly basis.
I also check that there are no hidden programmes running on my computer, these sometimes slow it down and need to be cleared.

Totally Plucked
12-02-2011, 10:36 AM
For maintainance tools it has to be
CC Cleaner (Excellent & free) also Glary Utilities (also free) use the 2 together and will keep your pc running as sweet as a nut.

Will not go down the AV route............................So there Mrs Angela your question 'PROPERLY' answered !! :D :D :D :D

hammy
12-02-2011, 11:02 AM
I have never used an antivirus(wouldn`t advise this unless you are a computer geek) as all they do is slow your pc down, I have never had a virus but get the normal trojans of which I have TR(trojan remover) running in the background which picks up on them straight away.

sleah
12-02-2011, 04:32 PM
And to continue annoying Angela about AV....:D

Make sure you only have ONE anti-virus type program running.
It can be tempting to put two different ones on for the 'belt'n'braces' approach, but unfortunately it does the opposite.....:(

Windows does a reasonable job of looking after itself. Often it's badly written software that causes machines to 'clog up', and don't think it's just free/shareware, the big names can be as bad.
The likes of Adobe and Sun have done some attrocious programming.
How many versions of 'Java' can you have at once:eek:
Java is appauling at housekeeping, it NEVER uninstalls an old version, it just piles new versions on top of old ones.

It's worth going through add/remove programs every few months to de-clutter, not just un used programms, but clearing the likes of Java/Flash etc and reinstalling the current versions.
However, nothing can beat a full system restore - extreme but sometimes the only way:(

Keeping your desktop clear can speed up logging on too:)

In terms of fragmentation, having a separate drive/partition for data can work wonders. Constant movement of documents as you alter them, add new, delete old will cause a drive to become fragmented. Keeping a system drive free of documents will help keep it more efficient.

Marc J
13-02-2011, 12:25 PM
Windows Firewall
Free AV: Microsoft Security Essentials
or Paid AV: ESET NOD32
Spybot S&D, SpywareBlaster & Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Keep all these up-to-date (some require manual updating) and keep Windows up-to-date too.

Also keep things like Flash Player, Java and Adobe Reader up-to-date, and disable Javascript in Adobe Reader. As sleah says, with Java in particular it's best to uninstall the old version first.

Install the free Secunia PSI (http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/) to scan your system and report any out-of-date or unpatched software installed.

IMHO steer well clear of any registry cleaners, and AVG.

DB Entertainments
13-02-2011, 01:04 PM
do you mind me asking why you should stay clear of AVG?

Solitaire Events Ltd
13-02-2011, 01:13 PM
do you mind me asking why you should stay clear of AVG?

I've used that for years without problems.

Excalibur
13-02-2011, 05:59 PM
I've used that for years without problems.

+1 in favour of AVG.

Dynamic Entertainment
13-02-2011, 06:48 PM
Yep, ive never had any issues with AVG either..

Marc J
13-02-2011, 06:53 PM
do you mind me asking why you should stay clear of AVG?

While using it I was infected with a virus. Which is fair enough, it can happen, but then an update killed my PC to a snail's pace (see http://forums.avg.com/gb-en/avg-free-forum?sec=thread&act=show&id=41169).

Since swicthing to the paid version of ESET NOD32 (for XP) and Microsoft Security Essentials (for Win 7) I've never had a problem.

chrisj
14-02-2011, 04:57 PM
I have just been told that Microsoft Security will be as good as Eset Nod32 that I have paid for for the last 3 years.
Can anyone remark on this as I am not very knowledgeable about these things?
I have had no problems since being with Eset Nod32 but if I can save the cost I will go Microsoft if it is as good.

Marc J
14-02-2011, 08:33 PM
I have just been told that Microsoft Security will be as good as Eset Nod32 that I have paid for for the last 3 years.
Can anyone remark on this as I am not very knowledgeable about these things?
I have had no problems since being with Eset Nod32 but if I can save the cost I will go Microsoft if it is as good.

As I said, I use ESET NOD32 for XP but MSE for Win7. Both on the same machine on a dual boot, I had already shelled out for the ESET before installing Win7, and it has just stayed because it's proven itself in the time I've been using it. Having said that, I feel MSE is fine and don't feel any need to buy ESET again for the Win7 installation. Although, my usage is about 95% Win XP and 5% Win7, so can't say that the MSE has really been tested much.

If I really had to choose between the two, at this point, I'd sway towards ESET only because I know it has stopped some nasties in their tracks, and works well. I'd only by the AV though, not the whole security package.

chrisj
15-02-2011, 09:40 AM
Thanks for that Marc. I will renew the Eset as it will not break the bank and I know it works well.