Can you protect a machine and not slow down performance?

[fmonte]

Okay, so now I have a brand new machine and I have turned it on and I want to go out to the internet but I have heard that you are not suppose to do that with a new unprotected machine. I recall on my last machine as soon as I added virus software it slowed down.

Can someone please recommend the minimum protection software that I should install without hurting the performance of the pc.

Thank you. I appreciate your time.

Frank

 

[Namslas90]

Instead of Using Internet Explorer, use Firefox. With the right add-ons, you can be about as safe as IE with Anit-Virus + Anti Spyware etc.

Firefiox security add-ons Here.

 

[Silverel]

These are what I use, and I manage to stay pretty clean. Just make sure they run occasionally really. Check out the faq's/guides for better help on using em though. Pretty much, once you get em set up how you like, you'll never really need to play with them again.


http://free.grisoft.com
AVG Anti-virus

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
Spybot Search & Destroy <- THE BEST at what it does.

 

[Namslas90]

This works better than many also;

http://www.superantispyware.com/

 

[hat]

I am my own antivirus. If I see a malicous process in task manager (I know my shit there), I will track it down and delete it.

However, just be smart about your browsing. Use anti-spyware software occasionally (Spybot, Ad-aware, etc)

 

[wazzledoozle]

Avast! is the best free anti-virus available, best detection rates. AVG comes up with a lot of false-positives and is generally not reliable IMO.

I wouldn't use any anti-spyware that has free and payware versions available, as a lot of the features are generally disabled. Firefox+Spybot+Latest windows updates has kept me virus free for the past few years.

Last time I got a virus was on windows ME and IE 5

This thread has a lot of links to sites that compare detection rates of different AV products. Notice the warning about AVG.

And if you want to buy an Antivirus, definitely get Kaspersky. Excellent AV.

 

[Mussels]

Avast! is the best free anti-virus available, best detection rates. AVG comes up with a lot of false-positives and is generally not reliable IMO.

I wouldn't use any anti-spyware that has free and payware versions available, as a lot of the features are generally disabled. Firefox+Spybot+Latest windows updates has kept me virus free for the past few years.

Last time I got a virus was on windows ME and IE 5

This thread has a lot of links to sites that compare detection rates of different AV products. Notice the warning about AVG.

And if you want to buy an Antivirus, definitely get Kaspersky. Excellent AV.

avast has come up with a lot of false positives here, that nod32 and kaspersky said were safe. the files are 'dubious' (ad remover for MSN/yahoo messenger for example) but if nothing else says they're bad, i'm inclined to call it a false positive.

superantispyware pro, spybot S&D - good antispywares

kaspersky is my favourite antivirus, but its not free (30 day trial is)

 

[fmonte]

Thanks everyone. Being a noob I have a lot of questions. Here goes:

Namslas90: I have read in the forum that firefox slows the machine down. Is that true? If not, what add ons do you recommend?

Silverel: you mention to run the software occasionally. I'm confused, I thought the anti spyware and the virus protection are always running in the backgroud. Could you please give more detail in noob terms.

Also, don't I need a firewall. Please recommend one that won't slow down performance to much.(does the firewall run in the background)

Lastly, how do you know what to delete when something is found. What if you end up deleting something that your computer needs to run?

 

[Mussels]

Firefox doesn't slow anything down - you can just close it too, as it doesnt run without you asking it to.

(Firefox is a great browser, but it can use large amounts of ram)
firewall - if you have a router, you don't need one (kaspersky comes with one, but i disable it)

With a good antivirus, you should delete everything it finds (or at least quarantine it)
Looking at it another way - if something important was infected, it isn't going to work anyway. 99% of viruses delete/replace the files with another copy of the virus, they don't just 'add' their own code to it - far safer to delete it, than leave it running.

 

[Namslas90]

Thanks everyone. Being a noob I have a lot of questions. Here goes:

Namslas90: I have read in the forum that firefox slows the machine down. Is that true? If not, what add ons do you recommend?

Silverel: you mention to run the software occasionally. I'm confused, I thought the anti spyware and the virus protection are always running in the backgroud. Could you please give more detail in noob terms.

Also, don't I need a firewall. Please recommend one that won't slow down performance to much.(does the firewall run in the background)

Lastly, how do you know what to delete when something is found. What if you end up deleting something that your computer needs to run?

Firefox is no worse than IE and most claim it's better. See this thread for ideas as to what Add-ons others use. Then read up on them and decide for yourself, there are just too many to offer and it's all personal choice;

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=13751

All firewalls affect performance...thats the trade-off. Performance for security.

 

[fmonte]

Okay, based on the concensus of all the replys, I am going to switch to Firefox and then I am going with:

Avast anti virus
Spybot search and destroy
Windows firewall(since I don't have a router)(unless you guys recommend something else)
Window updates(automatically downloaded)

So do you think this is sufficient and do you think My computer will run slow?

Lastly, I am still confused about if the anti virus, anti spyware and firewall are all running in the background or do you execute them when you want to do a scan? Please explain in detail. Thanks again.

 

[wazzledoozle]

The windows XP sp2 firewall is good, no use in running a seperate one that will take up more resources.

 

[Mussels]

Okay, based on the concensus of all the replys, I am going to switch to Firefox and then I am going with:

Avast anti virus
Spybot search and destroy
Windows firewall(since I don't have a router)(unless you guys recommend something else)
Window updates(automatically downloaded)

So do you think this is sufficient and do you think My computer will run slow?

Lastly, I am still confused about if the anti virus, anti spyware and firewall are all running in the background or do you execute them when you want to do a scan? Please explain in detail. Thanks again.

firewall - always running (quit if gaming, but start it up as soon as you launch firefox)
antivirus - your choice, if it runs all the time or not (I leave web scanners on in kaspersky, local drive scans off)
Spyware - dont use realtime scanners. pointless and slow.

Then simply do a scan once a week/month, and defrag afterwards. thats what i do, and my systems all run great.

 

[fmonte]

Thanks Wazzledozzle, I do have xp pro sp2. Now when I click on that it is bulleted "on". Is that all I have to do with it? Is there any other setting in the Advanced or Exceptions tabs that I need?

 

[fmonte]

Thanks Mussels, so if I understand correctly, it is only the spyware that I do the manual scans once a week/month? The firewall and anti virus I leave running in the background all the time(i don't use the computer for gaming).

 

[Mussels]

firewall is always good to leave running - thats useless if its off.

AV and AS, can either run real time (THIS is what slows the PC down) or just schedule a scan - thing is, antivirus scans can take a few hours depending on the size of your drives. would you rather a slightly slower PC as its in use, or spare a few hours on the weekend for a thorough scan? its personal choice.

Personally i leave the AV on with a few settings turned off (irrelevant, since you arent using kaspersky) and run antispyware scans when i feel like it (usually monthly)

 

[fmonte]

Got it guys, thanks for your patience with a noob.