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Computer Anti Virus Question

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JPSmit

JPSmit

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Took my laptop in to get repaired and cleaned. They speed everything up but take off "unecessary" software - like my printer drivers.

Anyways, this time, they took off my anti virus software Avast, and set it up with Microsoft Security Essentials (I run XP)

So far, it takes longer to download updates and seems to hog more memory while it does so.

So, here is my question - should I go back to Avast? Is there something better (I only have 512 RAM) If I do go back, do I remove the Microsoft security essentials? or just disable it?

thanks all.
 
As soon as that started showin' up things got worse. IMO. Anything sporting a name like "essentials" immediately raises my eyebrow. And my skepticism. It's warez essential to Micro$oft... they can use it to track and analyze what's on their O/S installs, nag you for hours about nonsense and gobble machine resources.
 
A lot of my computer jock pals (including my son-in-law...who has an MS in Comp.Engineering) like Avast.

I'm running it on all my non-Linux computers with good success.

The only thing is, turn off the stupid "updating voice".
 
DrEntropy said:
... they can use it to track and analyze what's on their O/S installs
Click to expand...
They need essentials to do THAT? :smirk:
I installed it on my computer I use for work. It doesn't nag me and the system boots very fast (Win7 64bit). I have 10 days left on Norton (on my home comp.) and it will go into the trash heap. Norton literally takes 2 minutes to load once I log onto XP and I am able to launch Firefox. :madder:
 
DrEntropy said:
It's warez essential to Micro$oft... they can use it to track and analyze what's on their O/S installs, nag you for hours about nonsense and gobble machine resources.
Click to expand...

Partially true, depending on how you look at it.

MS-SE does have a "feature" (ahem) that reports back <span style="font-style: italic">some</span> information that supposedly helps to defeat the spread of malware and viruses.

I suppose the virtues of that can be debated - but while MS doesn't want you to, you <span style="font-style: italic">can</span> disable what they call "Spynet".

Setting that aside though, MSSE is said to be relatively light on resources and memory while providing pretty decent protection. I've had it on the airplane computer since last spring and on a low-speed nettop machine. I've never seen any hint of a nag (except maybe when the icon changes colors to tell you it the database hasn't been updated recently) - and no hint that it's even running.

I've also played with McAffee (talk about nag - that ought to call that SPAMWARE), Norton, AVG, and Kaspersky. Kaspersky seems to catch more bad stuff than the others (through my own testing). It can slow things down though, depending on how you set it up to analyze things. AVG was so-so and Norton was pure unmitigated garbage. Avast has been around with a good reputation and I know a lot of people that swear by VIPRE.

I don't know why JP is seeing MSSE use more memory though. They key might be running it on XP rather than Vista or 7 - just a hunch.
 
aerog said:
I don't know why JP is seeing MSSE use more memory though. They key might be running it on XP rather than Vista or 7 - just a hunch.
Click to expand...
The key may be in the 512 RAM. Heck, with only one window open, Firefox is using almost 60M. Adding memory will help out a lot.
 
Indeed.

Currently hunting "Adware Doctor" spyware with Malwarebytes on an HP laptop. I hate those guys.

"Adware.Zwangi" in there too... :madder:
 
You might explore Vipre, by sunbelt software. I use it, have for a couple of years and recommend it.. Best value(I think) going, and good.
 
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