mikeg Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 (edited) I have Windows XP Home. I have Ad-Aware SE Personal, Spyware Blaster, and Spybot Search and Destroy. These are in addition to McAfee Personal Firewall Plus and McAfee Virus Scan. Is this overkill? I don't want competing programs doing the same thing if this is going to create problems, slowdowns, or risk crashes. Does anyone have suggestions for the best of these programs and which would be best to uninstall? Would it be preferable to uninstall the Ad-Aware, Spyware Blaster, and Spybot Search and Destroy and in their place subscribe to McAfee's Privacy Service and Spam Killer? Since the latter 2 are both McAfee programs would I not eliminate the possibility of conflicts and overlaps? In other words would I be better off with all McAfee programs?I should add that I use Firefox. Edited October 4, 2005 by mikeg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 (edited) Hi Mike, I use IE, but I have the same exact "cootie patrols" that you do (kinda surprised me!!!) and have had no problems with any of them. We had so much trouble with our first computer that I paid extra to have the Delldude install this one, and when he set up Mcafee, he only installed the AV and the Firewall from the Security Suite, I figure it was for a good reason....I'd keep exactly what you have if you computer is happy.I am a noob to the spyware wars, but have learned here that "one AV, one firewall, as many antispyware things as you want" is acceptable because each antispyware catcher finds different things and play nice together.Just make sure you have your XP firewall turned off, as it doesn't play nice with Mcafee's--makes things sluggish. Once in a great while, XP firewall will get stuck "on" after a Mcafee Firewall update, so it's good to check after an update if the computer is acting constipated.Oh, and by the way, I don't know when your subscription is due, but right now Mcafee VS and Mcafee Firewalls are popping up in ads "free with rebate" and usually around November-December the Security Suite goes on sale "free with rebate". I've been "buying" Mcafee stuff this way for 5 years!!!Oh! and welcome to Besttechies! This is a terrific place full of the best folks on the web Hope you like it here as well as I do! Liz Edited October 4, 2005 by blim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 What Liz said. (Liz, I think it's time to remove the "newbie" label!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheTrueDarkOne Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 Well if you have SP2, go to internet options and turn on the POP UP blocker for IE. Just for those few times you have to use it, you wont be bombarded by pop ups. Liz, Yes i think that newbie must come down~Jose Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vile_DR Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 (edited) What Liz said. (Liz, I think it's time to remove the "newbie" label!)<{POST_SNAPBACK}>No More fooling us LIZ...we all know you have the Techie Power in...I use each one those programs listed and then some. Symantec AV, A2 AV, S&D, Adware, SB, and M$ AntiSpyware...the only time i have any errors, is when one wants to run over the other, but setting up schedule times stopped that...I haven't had any peices of trash get on my machines in several months...i don't think it is much of an overkill, but more for preparation Edited October 4, 2005 by Vile_DR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 I like my Newbie label Although I've been thinking "town nut" or something might be more descriptive... Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DumbTerminal Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 I have Ad-Aware SE Personal, Spyware Blaster, and Spybot Search and Destroy. These are in addition to McAfee Personal Firewall Plus and McAfee Virus Scan. ? I don't want competing programs doing the same thing if this is going to create problems, <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Adaware and Spybot basically do the "same thing" as you put it, but it is good to have both. The reasoning is that not all spyware definitions are exactly the same, therefore Adaware may find some things that Spybot does not, and vice versa.SpywareBlaster is not a scanner. It sets killbits that help prevent spyware from being installed in the first place.When you run this program, you need to Update, then Enable All Protection. You should do this every couple of days or so.Heres a tutorial on how to use SpywareBlaster and what it does. http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/ind...showtutorial=49I personally hate McAfee, so I cant really comment on it.If you like it, then it should be fine. Keep in mind, an anti virus program such as McAfee and Norton are not the same as a spyware scanner such as Adaware and SpybotSo, in a nutshell...You can use as many spyware scanners as you want. Some pickup things that others do not.You should only use one firewall and one Anti Virus program, as these have processes that run in the background that could cause conflicts if you run more than one.SpywareBlaster really doesn't run, it just makes adjustments to the registry that helps prevent certain spyware from getting installed in the first place.I think that you have plenty of protection, and it is not overkill at allLet me suggest one more...IESpyadThis puts harmful websites in your Internet Explorer restricted site zone.Run IESPYad, and it will extract to C:\iespyadOpen that folder, and click on install.batThen choose option 2Then choose option 1 (yes)When it tells you to press any key to continue, press the space barThen choose 2(exit) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chappy Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005   I like my Newbie label   Although I've been thinking "town nut" or something might be more descriptive... Liz<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm with the others....you don't deserve to be a Newbie anymore...I just may force your hand, and change that title for you, then lock you out of it so yuse can't change it back!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Honda_Boy Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 ad-aware and Spybot along with Norton Internet Security 2003 (Anti virus, firewall, ad blockers and other crap, it came with the mobo so i used it, ad blocker is nice) work great for me. i like to use both ad-aware and spybot in conjuction cause one catches some things while the other catche other things and norton prevents half this crap from comeing in anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tootsdog9 Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 My son got a pretty good pc for free. It had nothing but Norton antivirus and the subscribtion ran out a year ago. I have been working on it all day. Trust me on this, you need what you got and the other sugestions as well. Several trogans and a few hundred bugs makes for an interesting day. I even had to get some special programs to get rid of some of this stuff. So to me there is no such thing as overkill. I would also run an online scan once in awhile from Trend Micro. Just in case your Mcafee misses something. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I have never given multiple Anti-spyware tools a thought of Overkill. Yes, One firewall and one AV will do (and like the others said, you don't want to be running more than one). As for Anti-Spyware apps, I run the following (or have them running in the background) on a regulal basis:a² FreeMicrosoft AntiSpywareSpywareBlasterHijackThis (But don't use this uless you know what your doing of have had an expert analyze your log)SpywareGuardAd-AwareSpybot - Search & DestroyAlong with my Firewall and AV:AVG FreeSygate PersonalOverkill? Nah, just more protection--just make sure you don't get into any Rouge Anti-Spyware apps.About your question of switching to all McAffe apps, in my opinion, I would say no. You already have good free tools that can do the job, and a lot of people think McAffe isn't always up to par . Like I said, there's nothing wrong with having all those applications on your computer.Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheTerrorist_75 Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 All I run is Panda Titanium with TruPrevent, SpywareBlaster, AdAware SE and IESPYAD. I have visited many sites to see why posters have become infected. My computer has yet to be taken over by malware. Panda emailed me and stated I do not need to use SpywareBlaster or AdAware SE when I complained that Titanium detected those program's files as malware. All AdAware does is find MRUs. I did try SpyBot but it never found anything. I still run the other programs out of habit. Panda stops the malware dead before it can infect my PC. The only thing I haven't tested was P2P sites. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vile_DR Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005   I like my Newbie label   Although I've been thinking "town nut" or something might be more descriptive... Liz<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm with the others....you don't deserve to be a Newbie anymore...I just may force your hand, and change that title for you, then lock you out of it so yuse can't change it back!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Admins...you gotta love 'em Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Martint Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Well if it helps, I haveAd AwareSpyBotSPyware BlasterAvastand XP Service Pack 2 firewall Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005   I like my Newbie label   Although I've been thinking "town nut" or something might be more descriptive... Liz<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm with the others....you don't deserve to be a Newbie anymore...I just may force your hand, and change that title for you, then lock you out of it so yuse can't change it back!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Admins...you gotta love 'em<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ahhhh, a is no match for a Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Dang folks... I have used nothing but freeware for three years. Avast has to be the best free AV out there...... Of course, SpywareBlaster, SpyBotS&D, AdAware, and IESpyad for the few times I'm forced to use it. Asquared is a good scan to have on hand for your monthly security checks. I know your're all gonna hate me, but I have *NEVER* had a "bug" that these programs didn't identify and remove or stop. My biggest scare was when Avast tagged <cough> Panda's on-line scanner as a trojan. Yep, it was for sure a tag that sent info back to Panda, ""for the interest of our customers"" They say in their *finest print*. I found in in my temps file and elsewhere. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheTerrorist_75 Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 (edited) Dang folks... I have used nothing but freeware for three years. Avast has to be the best free AV out there...... Of course, SpywareBlaster, SpyBotS&D, AdAware, and IESpyad for the few times I'm forced to use it. Asquared is a good scan to have on hand for your monthly security checks. I know your're all gonna hate me, but I have *NEVER* had a "bug" that these programs didn't identify and remove or stop. My biggest scare was when Avast tagged <cough> Panda's on-line scanner as a trojan. Yep, it was for sure a tag that sent info back to Panda, ""for the interest of our customers"" They say in their *finest print*. I found in in my temps file and elsewhere.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>That little item that Avast found of Panda was the ActiveX control it uses for the scan purpose. When you use the scanner it asks your permission to download the ActiveX installer. The only thing that gets reported back is a listing of detected viruses/trojans/malware found. This enables them to keep alerted to new malware out in the wild. They do not obtain personal information. Panda is one of the most trusted companies in the anti-virus community. Trend Micro's Housecall does the same thing. Edited October 6, 2005 by TheTerrorist_75 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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