New computer help

[daddysbike]

I just bought a new computer, old one slow and full hard drive.

I've been using PC-illin internet security (anti virus/firewall) and have had no problems. I've heard/read that these security suites and really slow down your computer (Norton, Mcafee). My current 4yr old computer is slow to load programs/internet and surfing. I'm hoping its becuase it only has 512mb memory and shared video. My new is dual processor 2.3GB, 4GBram, 256MB seperated video card. My ? is which software is best? is there a good/fast suite with anitvirus/firewall or is it best to just use a antivirus and then use windows firewall?

Also it comes with Vista.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[stormrider]

I use a couple of things

ADaware

Macafee

windows defender

 

[drjfjr]

I use AGV for antivirus and Zonealarm for a firewall and adaware and spybot for spam.

 

[Capt. Bob]

Like Storm, I too run Macafee (latest version) and Ad aware. I have run Norton in the past and found it takes much longer to load than Mac.

I visit some of the Web's nastiest sites almost daily and remain virus free (knock on plastic).

 

[Richouse]

I use NOD32 for virus protection, it updates daily and its just a anti virus program so it doesn't slow down my computer much...

 

[jmdaniel]

I use NOD 32 for antivirus, marketed by ESET. Runs great, small footprint... I also run Windows Defender all the time, and run AdAware and SpyBot from time to time.

You can find some good info on CNET.

 

[snikr]

I use AGV for antivirus and Zonealarm for a firewall and adaware and spybot for spam.

I use the same as DRJFJR with no problems.

Tom

 

[brazos parker]

I have Norton 360 on a desktop and McAfee on a laptop. In my experience, McAfee is my preferred choice. It is much less intrusive to the operator and less prone to bugs.

Norton 360 causes strange things to happen to my desktop. When MSNBC updated their website, I could not see the content...only flyouts, headers and footers. For a long time, I could not see the FJR pictures on the header of this forum. Still don't know how or why those pictures returned. Also, I've experienced enough bugs that I've had to remove and reload N360 at least twice since last July. I've had to contact N360 online help numerous times. I've never had to contact McAfee online help in the 2 years I've used it.

I e-mailed N360 on two occasions asking for a free 1 year update subscription because of all my troubles. To date, I've not gotten a reply...not totally unexpected though. The :devil: made me do that!

Most recently, N360 has been trying to back-up my computer every day...even though the back-up schedule is set to "manual." I finally relented and backed-up my hard drive. 30 minutes later, N360 wanted to back-up again...even though the back-up schedule is still set to "manual." WTF is that all about??? :angry:

OK...rant over. That's my $0.02 from my experience.

 

[wfooshee]

The Norton home products have become too aggressive, too bulky, and too unconfigurable for real-world use. It keeps asking you about stuff you'll have no clue how to answer. If you disable any modules to improve performance (like turn off the firewall because you're already behind a great hardware firewall) it keeps popping up and telling you something's wrong, click here to "FIX" it, without explaining the problem or the proposed fix.

Stay away from Norton home stuff.

 

[brazos parker]

The Norton home products have become too aggressive, too bulky, and too unconfigurable for real-world use. It keeps asking you about stuff you'll have no clue how to answer. If you disable any modules to improve performance (like turn off the firewall because you're already behind a great hardware firewall) it keeps popping up and telling you something's wrong, click here to "FIX" it, without explaining the problem or the proposed fix.
Stay away from Norton home stuff.

If you read my post, you can imagine that I'm in total agreement w/ you!

 

[Grumpy]

The Norton home products have become too aggressive, too bulky, and too unconfigurable for real-world use. It keeps asking you about stuff you'll have no clue how to answer. If you disable any modules to improve performance (like turn off the firewall because you're already behind a great hardware firewall) it keeps popping up and telling you something's wrong, click here to "FIX" it, without explaining the problem or the proposed fix.
Stay away from Norton home stuff.

If you read my post, you can imagine that I'm in total agreement w/ you!

Next time you're up for renewal, try AGV......very nonenvasive, but good.

jim

 

[03HiYoSilver]

I use NOD32 for virus protection, it updates daily and its just a anti virus program so it doesn't slow down my computer much...

Ditto's, Nod32 does not use windows files(share) ( Easy to uninstall if have to) and uses Assembler to test for the Virus', etc.

Highly configurable to your liking.

ZoneAlarm Pro(Pro is a Paid version if you have a network and like advanced settings) is my Firewall (However, Commodo has a free program highly rated).

SpySweeper for Malware, etc, but getting heavier on the resources and as JMDaniel says, Windows Defender all the time(lighter on resources), and run AdAware and SpyBot from time to time.

 

[Calimus]

AVG lives on all my PC's. It's free, small foot print, updates sometimes twice a day (this is a good thing) and uses very little resources.

AVG Link

You can pay for an AV if you like, but there really isn't a need. AGV is constantly ranked in the top 10 and I've been using it for at least 3-4 year without a single virus sneaking past.

 

[xor11]

Norton became to bulky and slow for me years ago. I use the standard windows firewall, router, no virus protection, firefox with NoScript, and no file sharing. I don't really recommend not using a virus protection program. I get by without one because I do not download unknown programs and execute them, and I do not open unannounced/unknown email/attachments from people. In the past I have used this free one anti-virus program: https://www.free-av.com/ and it worked fine. Firefox with NoScript is great. With NoScript, I don't get all those annoy javascript ads. I can't recommend these two more. I still have to use IE occasionally for the odd site that requires ActiveX controls.

Your old machine was really memory strapped. You made a good choice going with 4 GB this time.

 

[wfooshee]

If you read my post, you can imagine that I'm in total agreement w/ you!

Yeah, I know. I started to answer your mysterious quirks, as I had to fix them for my dad. It's in the privacy settings in Norton, where it hides the requesting address in certain situations. A page that carries a link is an example. The link won't work except from that page, but when Norton hides that address, the link breaks, no picture. Have to turn off privacy settings, never figured out which one, exactly, because of their previously referenced "unconfigurability."

 

[kiteman11]

Buy a Mac. You won't have to bother with anti virus BS.

 

[Calimus]

Buy a Mac. You won't have to bother with anti virus BS.

No offence, but that statement isn't going to last. If the Mac populas keeps sounding their horn, you guy's are going to be in for a very rude awakening. As it is, that statement is no longer 100% true as there is currently a Virus for mac that comes bundled on an MP3 and I remember reading a bit back about a mac virus piggy-backing on downloads of MS Office for Mac. 2 up, millions more to follow.

It's not even all that difficult to write one for a Mac as it's *nix based and the very first virii written were for *nix. Issue is, MS has the world marketshare and some goofy basement dwelling kid can cause more havoc generating windows virii. If Mac's market share keeps growing, it's next on the list. Plain and simple statistics.

An contrary to what you are prollie thinking right now, I'm not a Mac hater. All one could really dislike is the OS anymore. Hardware isn't really different with the advent of the Mac Pro's. However, I like seeing Mac stay in the shadows as it keeps it off the punks radar.

 

[jwilly]

Buy a Mac. You won't have to bother with anti virus BS.

 

[kiteman11]

Buy a Mac. You won't have to bother with anti virus BS.

No offence, but that statement isn't going to last. If the Mac populas keeps sounding their horn, you guy's are going to be in for a very rude awakening. As it is, that statement is no longer 100% true as there is currently a Virus for mac that comes bundled on an MP3 and I remember reading a bit back about a mac virus piggy-backing on downloads of MS Office for Mac. 2 up, millions more to follow.

It's not even all that difficult to write one for a Mac as it's *nix based and the very first virii written were for *nix. Issue is, MS has the world marketshare and some goofy basement dwelling kid can cause more havoc generating windows virii. If Mac's market share keeps growing, it's next on the list. Plain and simple statistics.

An contrary to what you are prollie thinking right now, I'm not a Mac hater. All one could really dislike is the OS anymore. Hardware isn't really different with the advent of the Mac Pro's. However, I like seeing Mac stay in the shadows as it keeps it off the punks radar.

No offense taken. Us Mac users have been hearing that for YEARS. You guys keep drinking the Kool Aid and spend all your money on antivirus software,firewalls,bullshit. It's just more farkle money for me.