[Erica Kline]

Hi,
I have Windows Vista, and it came with Windows One Care Antivirus and Firewall, but I suspect they're not very effective because I got infected anyway.

Now that my system is clean, I want to use better Antivirus and Firewalls.

Is the Firewall in One Care any good, or should I get something else?

I also have Windows Defender, but it's not running - is that any good?

If I get something like Avast!, can I also run Superantispyware and Spywareblaster at the same time or do I just keep those for when I want to scan for a possible infection?

Thanks in advance for your advice,

Erica

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Avast
SuperAntiSpyware
Malwarebytes
Windows Firewall

This is my configuration and i have not been infected since I joined GTG back in Feb ironically due to a infection.
This is all you need to protect your system, Please understand that nothing is 100% for sure. There are 100's of new virus's and malware created everyday. I use Avast myself because it updates every morning and every night. It seems to have the best definitions update of all that I have tried.
Watching where you go online and what you download and from whom will help a long way toward protection. Emails are another source of infections so be careful not to open attachments or open emails from people you do not know.

[rshaffer61]

Avast
SuperAntiSpyware
Malwarebytes
Windows Firewall

This is my configuration and i have not been infected since I joined GTG back in Feb ironically due to a infection.
This is all you need to protect your system, Please understand that nothing is 100% for sure. There are 100's of new virus's and malware created everyday. I use Avast myself because it updates every morning and every night. It seems to have the best definitions update of all that I have tried.
Watching where you go online and what you download and from whom will help a long way toward protection. Emails are another source of infections so be careful not to open attachments or open emails from people you do not know.

[xblindx]

Hi, for an anti-virus program, I would recommend either Avira AntiVir free/personal edition or avast! 4

A good free firewall is Comodo, but be sure that if you decide to use Avira or avast! as an anti-virus program, that you only install the firewall from Comodo. You will be prompted during installation to install just the firewall, or the firewall and anti-virus program.

Yes, SUPERAnti-spyware will work fine with any Anti-virus program. I also recommend downloading Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Please note that SUPER and Malwarebytes are both on-demand scanners, which means they only run when you do a scan, they offer no real-time protection unless you purchase the pro version of either one of them.

Spywareblaster is not a scanner. It is a program that blocks connections to dangerous sites by modifying your HOSTS file and changing some IE settings. It will also work perfectly with any anti-virus software because you only have to run it once. After that, all you need to do is make sure you keep it updated.

Windows Defender is....quite pitiful in my opinion.

Edited by xblindx, 31 December 2009 - 09:47 AM.

[Spyderturbo007]

Avast
SuperAntiSpyware
Malwarebytes
Windows Firewall

This is my configuration and i have not been infected since I joined GTG back in Feb ironically due to a infection.
This is all you need to protect your system, Please understand that nothing is 100% for sure. There are 100's of new virus's and malware created everyday. I use Avast myself because it updates every morning and every night. It seems to have the best definitions update of all that I have tried.
Watching where you go online and what you download and from whom will help a long way toward protection. Emails are another source of infections so be careful not to open attachments or open emails from people you do not know.

Do you use the free versions of those, or the paid that include real time protection?

[rshaffer61]

Free home version for Avast and it has the real time protection. Free register for a year and at the end of the year just register again.
All others are the free version and i have had no problems.

[Erica Kline]

Good info, I will give some of these a try.

Thanks for all your help!