[arcticsid]

Howdy All, I am happy to start by saying I am not having a problem!:) I would however appreciate some feedback. First of all I use, and have for a long time AVG free, it has never caused me any trouble and in fact has worked wonderful all these years. After start up, I always run my AVG scan and windows update. Each Saturday, I run CC Cleaner, including the registry option, Windows Live One Safety Care, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Super Anti-Spyware, of course downloading the current definitions before scanning. Once a month I run the complete scan. I follow this up with Auslogics disk defrag. The defrag does not run in the backround, I run this manually after my "cleaning" and usually only find 2-3% fragmentation each week. All of these programs, including IE8 are the current editions.

So my question is, is this enough? I am not trying to fix something that isn't broke, but I don't want to feel overconfident or complacent on my security or privacy.

I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions, advice, or warnings on any other programs that may compliment my current "arsenal". This is a stand alone non-network system. I feel pretty good about the performance and feel I keep it pretty "clean". If you have any suggestions on anything else I should or could be using, I would sure be receptive to the input.

Sure appreciate the forum.

As always, thanks in advance.

ArcticSid

[Evildave]

If running in XP, make yourself a 'user' account. Only log in with that account unless you plan to install/uninstall something. Unfortunately, Windoze will punish you for doing this in many small and annoying ways.

If running Vista, continue using UAC. Do not turn it off. The 'correct' answer to every UAC prompt is STOP, think about what you're doing, and usually abort, especially if you're just browsing the web or opening email. NOTICE if UAC stops being an enormous pain in the butt, because that means something has turned it OFF 'for you'.

MAKE BACKUPS. Buy a large external USB2 hard drive and routinely copy your files to it. No amount of software will save your data if the hard disk becomes a brick. Nothing will 'recover' deleted files like a backup.

[arcticsid]

Thanks for the git back Dave, I have been looking at an external drive, and they are actually pretty cheap, I only have 70 GB in here and still have plenty of room but something crazy like 2 TB external can be found for a couple hundred dollars, and you're right, no amount of software can save you. I have had the horror of having a couple systems DIE on me, and I had no back up. I swore I would never go through that again, but I admit as I write you, I have no external memory. I really need to do that, and in fact if I make it off the hill into town in the next day or so, I need to buy one.

ArcticSid

[mjd420nova]

This really sounds like a very good process and showing diligence in keeping the unit running clean and efficient. No, I don't think it's overkill and running on a weekly basis is a very good idea. The more often you run the defrag routine, the shorter time it will take. Like you, I run a daily routine of updates and scan and a weekly cleanup and defrag. Pretty painless when done on a regular basis. Keep it up.

[coastie65]

Hey Sid, Now here it was I thought I was a bit over the top with that stuff. Actually that is a good practice. I do in depth scans, cleanup, and defrag weekly. I don't really do anything on a daily basis, except for the auto update for the security stuff. coastie

[tek101]

Sounds like you got it cover ......as long as you don't poke around too much ...
Sometimes the question "how much security" really depends on who's using it .....

For myself .....I turned UAC OFF "Vista" the day I bought my laptop .... Only have Avast for virus ..and scan malwarebyte once a month or any unsual thing happens ..

So far ......I 've not gotten any infection ....."Can never say never ..."

If you still on the uneasy side ...you should have pro-paid version of AVG or Avast ....They both are exelent AV programs.....IMO.

(BTW.....To Tune up my laptop i have "Tuneup utility 2009" ...to keep my pc in top shape ...)

[Flashorn]

Hey Sid !!



Nice to see that all is well with your PC. I hope the need for a run in the

backyard with a 12 gauge is over LOL !

I have a few suggestions for your browser. First , if you haven't installed

W.O.T. Web of Trust , I suggest you take a look

at the site and install the add-on for a safer web experience.



If you like to visit sites that are a little on the Fringe then , I would suggest

you take a look at Sandboxie . This is like having a

Virtual Machine only , your browser is in a Virtual Environment and thus

will not get infected. I use it all the time and have not encountered any problems

while surfing. If you want to download a program or music , you can recover

the downloads from the Sandbox or leave it in and scan before taking it out.

Very useful to have around and Both are Free.



FLASHORN. !http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
1!

[Car54]

arcticsid, I happened to notice, unless I overlooked it, is that your probably just running a one way firewall, as your using XP Home SP3. That would be my only concern, is getting a 2 way firewall. Here is a link with some info on that.
www.andyrathbone.com/tips/twoway.html

[coastie65]

> {quote:title=tek101 wrote: }{quote}For myself .....I turned UAC OFF "Vista" the day I bought my laptop ....
[/quote]




Hey tek, Yeah I did the same thing with the Lappy I got my Mom. That thing is a pain. Once I made up the recovery Discs, I got rid of the Norton 360 that came bundled with it and installed Avast! as well as Webroot Spysweeper ( Comes free with the service ).

[coastie65]

Hey car, It depends on his internet service. If he is using a router then mostly likely there will be a hardware firewall in the router. If not then you are right and it probably should be looked into. coastie

[tek101]

Coastie...welcome to the Vista's pain in the B.....t ...Beside that thing ...I have NO complain at all ....

[smax013]

coastie65 said:

Hey car, It depends on his internet service. If he is using a router then mostly likely there will be a hardware firewall in the router. If not then you are right and it probably should be looked into. coastie

Actually, this will highly depend on the router. Some routers do not actually have a "true" firewall in them...they only are a NAT router, which can have a similar effect to a router. Generally, speaking, most routers (including those with firewalls) do NOT address/block outbound connections...for that you generally need a software firewall that has that capability.