[REJ]

Can anyone tell me, is the AVG web tuneup addon for my Firefox worth it? I am mostly concerned does it create a list I dont know about of every site it scans for me, and is it preventing me from doing anything or protecting me in any way that I cant protect myself with browser settings?

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Best Answer

Hi REJ

AVG PC TuneUp serie of programs aren't worth using it at all. They are part of the "PC Booster" category of programs. When it comes to messing up your system (Windows), these are as worst as malware. They are completely worthless and useless to use. The worst is that they'll often take action on your system without you knowing, nor authorizing it, which could lead to your system being altered in a way you don't want it to be or even worst, a "broke" system. Every feature they provide, you can either do it natively under Windows, do it via another standalone executable (which is way easier and safer to use) or they aren't providing something you need. Here's a few examples:

• Cleaning temporary files: TFC (standalone executable), CCleaner (installed), Cleanmgr.exe (in-built);
• Managing start-up entries: Autoruns (standalone executable), CCleaner (installed), Task Manager and Registry (in-built);
• Driver Updater: Not needed, all you need is to go on your manufacturer website so you'll be sure to get the right, official, working drivers for your computer or hardware;
• Registry Cleaner/Defragger: Completely useless and also dangerous;
• Disk Defragging: Disk Defrag (in-built), O&O Disk Defrag (installed), Defraggler (installed);
• Powerful uninstaller: Not needed, only needed when you have to make sure a program is completely uninstalled. Revo Uninstaller have a portable version you can use;
• "Enhanced" Task Manager: Procexp (standalone executable), Process Hacker (portable or installed);
• "Active security": Any Antivirus and Antimalware can beat that, easily. These programs aren't made to replace Antivirus or Antimalware products and shouldn't be seen as such;
• Repair Hard Drive issues: Simple chkdsk /r command under Windows (in-built);

Having such program installing on your system will just bloat it down and you have more chances to have issues by using them than without. These products are advertised as a program that can solve all your issues, remove every malware, speed up your computer performance over 100%, etc. The truth is that there's not a single program that can do that. First of all, these programs aren't made to remove virus and malware, leave this in the hands of Antivirus and Antimalware, period. Secondly, there's so many kind of issues under Windows that there's not a single program that can address them all. If you think that BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) issues can be solved by opening a program and clicking on a "Fix" button, then I'm sorry to tell you but, you're wrong. Also, you cannot boost the performance of a hardware over it's hardware capabilities. Of course you can overclock some components, like your CPU, RAM and GPU, but these aren't done via these programs, but via your BIOS interface. I could recommend you a program for every feature these programs advertise, and also tell you exactly in detail why most of them are completely useless, such as Registry cleaner (dangerous to use), and driver updater (dangerous to use, and also completely useless, it'll not improve your system performance). In the end, buying such programs is the exact same as being scammed (because this is what it is, a pure scam) and using one of these programs will result you in having a system less performant than prior to using it.

Relevant articles if you want to read more about PC Boosters/Optimizers and why they are useless:

• How to Optimize and Tune-Up Your PC Without Paying an Eletronics Store - HowToGeek
• 10 Types of System Tools and Optimization Programs You Don't Need on Windows - HowToGeek
• PC Cleaning Apps are a Scam: Here's Why (and How to Speed Up Your PC) - HowToGeek

If you want security-oriented web extensions for Firefox, I can list you a few recommendations.

[Aura]

Best Answer

Hi REJ

AVG PC TuneUp serie of programs aren't worth using it at all. They are part of the "PC Booster" category of programs. When it comes to messing up your system (Windows), these are as worst as malware. They are completely worthless and useless to use. The worst is that they'll often take action on your system without you knowing, nor authorizing it, which could lead to your system being altered in a way you don't want it to be or even worst, a "broke" system. Every feature they provide, you can either do it natively under Windows, do it via another standalone executable (which is way easier and safer to use) or they aren't providing something you need. Here's a few examples:

• Cleaning temporary files: TFC (standalone executable), CCleaner (installed), Cleanmgr.exe (in-built);
• Managing start-up entries: Autoruns (standalone executable), CCleaner (installed), Task Manager and Registry (in-built);
• Driver Updater: Not needed, all you need is to go on your manufacturer website so you'll be sure to get the right, official, working drivers for your computer or hardware;
• Registry Cleaner/Defragger: Completely useless and also dangerous;
• Disk Defragging: Disk Defrag (in-built), O&O Disk Defrag (installed), Defraggler (installed);
• Powerful uninstaller: Not needed, only needed when you have to make sure a program is completely uninstalled. Revo Uninstaller have a portable version you can use;
• "Enhanced" Task Manager: Procexp (standalone executable), Process Hacker (portable or installed);
• "Active security": Any Antivirus and Antimalware can beat that, easily. These programs aren't made to replace Antivirus or Antimalware products and shouldn't be seen as such;
• Repair Hard Drive issues: Simple chkdsk /r command under Windows (in-built);

Having such program installing on your system will just bloat it down and you have more chances to have issues by using them than without. These products are advertised as a program that can solve all your issues, remove every malware, speed up your computer performance over 100%, etc. The truth is that there's not a single program that can do that. First of all, these programs aren't made to remove virus and malware, leave this in the hands of Antivirus and Antimalware, period. Secondly, there's so many kind of issues under Windows that there's not a single program that can address them all. If you think that BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) issues can be solved by opening a program and clicking on a "Fix" button, then I'm sorry to tell you but, you're wrong. Also, you cannot boost the performance of a hardware over it's hardware capabilities. Of course you can overclock some components, like your CPU, RAM and GPU, but these aren't done via these programs, but via your BIOS interface. I could recommend you a program for every feature these programs advertise, and also tell you exactly in detail why most of them are completely useless, such as Registry cleaner (dangerous to use), and driver updater (dangerous to use, and also completely useless, it'll not improve your system performance). In the end, buying such programs is the exact same as being scammed (because this is what it is, a pure scam) and using one of these programs will result you in having a system less performant than prior to using it.

Relevant articles if you want to read more about PC Boosters/Optimizers and why they are useless:

• How to Optimize and Tune-Up Your PC Without Paying an Eletronics Store - HowToGeek
• 10 Types of System Tools and Optimization Programs You Don't Need on Windows - HowToGeek
• PC Cleaning Apps are a Scam: Here's Why (and How to Speed Up Your PC) - HowToGeek

If you want security-oriented web extensions for Firefox, I can list you a few recommendations.

[REJ]

I am about to mark this as solved but wasn't sure if I could comment after doing so. So as soon as I post this I will let you reply and you can tell me when to close it perhaps? Yes, please suggest security based plugins for either Firefox or my laptop itself if that might be safer/more secure. I really appreciate this help. I am new here and wasn't sure where to set my expectation levels, but I can assure you, the bar is now set very high. You rock!

[Aura]

If you are using Mozilla Firefox, here's a few extensions you should consider:

• Ghostery - Blocks websites from tracking you. This is more about privacy than anything else;
• uBlock - General purpose blocker for ads and scripts. Get rids of annoying ads and can also prevent malicious scripts to run. It'll also block your connection to a webpage if the domain is included in the list of domains to block for your security;
• Web of Trust - User based website rating extension. It'll display a circle at the end of every URLs, links (Green, Yellow or Red) showing the trust rating of the website based on the ratings of the WoT community. Very useful to identify suspicious websites and links;
• LastPass - Password manager that can be integrated in any web browser. Useful to manage your passwords and auto-login on websites, auto-fill forms you define, etc. Very secure as well;
• NoScript - Blocks every scripts present on a webpage. Useful mostly against Exploit Kits since they use scripts to work;

Also, you cannot close a thread here. Simply pick the best answer you have so future users who have this question will know what post to pay attention to

[REJ]

I installed web of trust and last pass buy now when i open links from my emails from this web site it opens a blank window and the url remains a google mail long url instead of rerouting. Any ideas?

[Aura]

You mean, when you receive notifications from replies to threads? LastPass and Web of Trust won't cause these kind of issues since they don't affect the loading content of a webpage. Does it works properly in Internet Explorer?

[REJ]

Its really strange I click the link and it opens a mail.google long url of randomness if i right click and open in a new tab, works fine. Firefox

[Aura]

Which extensions do you have installed on Firefox? Except for LastPass and Web of Trust.

[REJ]

I didnt know a quicker way... Attached images are screenshots

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[REJ]

I dont know if this matters but I had installed some google ad track blocker and i couldnt some facebook pages to load right so took it off (they still load with boxes of content it wont load)

[Aura]

Clean your temp files.

Temp File Cleaner (TFC)

• Download Temp File Cleaner (TFC) and move it to your Desktop;
• Right-click on the executable and select Run as Administrator;
• Simply click on Start to launch the clean-up and wait until it completes;
  
• Depending on which processes are running, all your programs will be closed and explorer.exe (your Windows shell) will be killed, it will however be relaunched shortly after so do not panic;
• There's no log to give for this tool;

[REJ]

No change. going to refresh browser

[Aura]

Alright let me know how it goes

[REJ]

All better now and I forgot how well the browser runs without stuff installed LOL

[Aura]

Well glad to see that it all worked out for you