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Anti-virus recommendations.
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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:03:13
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Can anyone recommend a good anti-virus program (preferrably a free one).  I've got something on my laptop that's making surfing a tremendous pain in the ass and causing other issues as well. Spybot and AVG can't identify it though.  And for some reason I can't even do a System Restore to fix this.  So if anyone has a good solution that they use please let me know.
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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:08:42
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I use Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. They're both free, and have worked well for me.
Edited: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:11:02

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:33:16
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Backup and reinstall.  There are no guarantees in success, even if it looks like you've cleared out the problem.  If you ever want to trust the machine again, wipe it.

For backup, you can boot into a Live CD to grab files without having to deal with the infection.

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:02:32
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i didn't used to have an anti-virus at all and i would just re-install every so often but i've been using the free AVG on my current system

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:07:54
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Thanks Raven. Malwarebytes found something that the others weren't able to. That's a good start.

Yoda, I'm trying to avoid doiing that but I know it's inevitable. Part of the problem with that is for some reason the laptop won't read my external. Probably just a fault USB cord, but weird all the same given the timing.

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:15:17
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robio said:

Thanks Raven. Malwarebytes found something that the others weren't able to. That's a good start.

Yoda, I'm trying to avoid doiing that but I know it's inevitable. Part of the problem with that is for some reason the laptop won't read my external. Probably just a fault USB cord, but weird all the same given the timing.

Are you trying to backup while in Windows?  If so, I wouldn't rely on it not letting you read as a reliable prognosis, nor would I advise that be the way you do it in the first place.

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:19:45
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Yodariquo said:
robio said:

Thanks Raven. Malwarebytes found something that the others weren't able to. That's a good start.

Yoda, I'm trying to avoid doiing that but I know it's inevitable. Part of the problem with that is for some reason the laptop won't read my external. Probably just a fault USB cord, but weird all the same given the timing.

Are you trying to backup while in Windows?  If so, I wouldn't rely on it not letting you read as a reliable prognosis, nor would I advise that be the way you do it in the first place.

At the moment I'm not trying to back-up anything. That was just an observation of when I plugged in my external drive.

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:08:27
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Ravenprose said:
I use Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. They're both free, and have worked well for me.

 This is what I'm on as well. 

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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:21:19
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Ad-aware can be a tremendous pain in the ass when it wants to be. But that's rare and otherwise running a full scan can do wonders.

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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:26:20
I'm an experienced IT hack, that's why I'm retired.  I use no anti-virus.

I use Mozilla with the no-script plug-in and don't enable javascript, images or anything else on sites I don't trust.

I've been living this way since the internet was around and have not had any trouble.

For other users I've always endorsed Trend Micro's products.  They've only failed me twice.

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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:33:08
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^ Same, though I still have scripting in most cases.  My rule has always been don't be stupid, which consequently means don't use Internet Explorer.  That's about all you need to know.  Throw in being patched and behind a router and you're golden.

I have two positions on antivirus as a preventative measure.

1. If you need antivirus, it's already too late.  Antivirus has a sub-50% success rate at best, and if it's catching anything, that means something's gone catastrophically wrong already.  At that point, there's a much bigger problem at hand that will get you eventually.

2. Antivirus is a trojan.  The traditional reason for not wanting a virus is that it slows down your computer and makes everything screwed up and frustrating (though modern malware is a bigger threat as it wants to steal personal and financial information).  Antivirus does just that.  I'm also in the never got a virus camp, and if I did suddenly, it would still be worth it for all the time saved by not running it before.

The only antivirus that I've seen that was not a horrendous demon hellspawn is Microsoft Security Essentials.

Though that's not really applicable to a recovery effort, so it's a bit off-topic.
Edited: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:34:00

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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:35:50
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I'm pretty anal about this stuff. I have Ad-Aware (like GG said a pain in the arse but still valuable), Malware Bites, and Windows Defender from MS.

I also have a anti-virus protection but barely use it, but Ad Aware now has anti-virus, so that suffices.

But like Yoda said, there's no guarantees. I try my best to avoid any website that looks suspicious or dangerous and if I do get a virus or spyware, I usually force install everything just to make sure everything is wiped clean.

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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:37:17
MS Security Essentials is the way to go if you have Vista or W7. It's free - so why not? It certainly doesn't hurt.

If your OS is pre-Vista, a system restore would be the way to go if you've been carelessly surfing.  Or at least go to Trend Micro and use their free House-Call scan to see what it turns up.

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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:47:32
aspro said:
MS Security Essentials is the way to go if you have Vista or W7. It's free - so why not? It certainly doesn't hurt.

If your OS is pre-Vista, a system restore would be the way to go if you've been carelessly surfing.  Or at least go to Trend Micro and use their free House-Call scan to see what it turns up.

Security Essentials is available for XP.

Oh, and I should mention Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool that's on every Windows machine.  You can run a scan by going to Start->Run then entering "mrt" and hitting enter.

Edited: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:48:32

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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:26:35
Call me a dunce but I really didn't know that MS had a free Security Essentials Anti-Virus!

Just downloaded it and scanned my rig. Came out clean! Happy

I'm glad this thread was made!

Yodariquo said:

Oh, and I should mention Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool that's on every Windows machine.  You can run a scan by going to Start->Run then entering "mrt" and hitting enter.

 Didn't know that! Thanks.



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Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:40:26

ASK_Story said:
Call me a dunce but I really didn't know that MS had a free Security Essentials Anti-Virus!

MS doesn't seem to be doing much in letting people know about it. I only know about it because of Download.com had a positive review of it, and Yoda mentioned it shortly after it was released, which is why I started using it.


Edited: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:41:10

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