ExcitedBrit

I recently had to format my pc as my browser stopped working - I wasnt able to to send any email and acess hotmail, the browser just refused to send over information. I was able to acess email (other than hotmail)without sending though. quite strange. I updated I.E to the latest version, it didnt help at all.

I was stupidly using using the pc as an admin user and think I might have been victim of all the malware roaming on the internet. The anti virus i used was avast home free edition plus a free firewall.

Im using norton now with a 3 months licence and until I buy proper antivrus software after my norton expires I was wondering if anyone could advise me on what free antivirus (preferably one which has firewall too) I could use for peace of mind? Any ideas? Cheers

JonboyE

There is nothing wrong with avast, but it is an anti-virus program. You should also be running an anti-malware software. There are plenty of free ones about. Windows defender works just fine if you are prepared to give up a bit of control of your PC.

I also regularly scan my system with Spybot and Adaware. Superantispyware will remove just about any crap from your system.

Norton is very resource hungry, and good luck trying to uninstall it.

Edit: is your PC is behind a wireless router with an encrypted signal windows firewalls are perfectly adequate.

ExcitedBrit

cheers, I use adsl, so i guess i do need a good firewall. yeah know about norton's appetite...its has slowed down my laptop already, thats why i never used it before, my pc was shipped with a 3 months licence.

i want to keep it simple- need malware, anitivirus and firewall in one application, dont think this is available for free though.

thanks for reply

Alan2005

Norton 360 is actually a big improvement on their previous efforts. Not that that was particularly hard to do given how rubbish the previous versions were (for some reason the free ones AVG, Avira etc didn't want to install on my missus's laptop - but if you are behind a router/firewall the free ones should be good enough for most people)

Aviator

Your ISP may provide security software for free. As JE said, Avast is a good free choice, you can run any number of AV programs without screwing each other up. Only run one software firewall though or they will fight with each other, it ain't pretty. The Windows firewall is OK. If you have more than one installed uninstall so you only have one and make sure the Windows one is off if you are not using it.

You can also do a free online scan with Trend Micros 'Housecall' It is free to use and will also fix problems, where the other online scanners will only identify them and you have to buy the software to fix them. Check out some of the reviews on PC Magazine etc. I used Norton once! I'm not a great fan of IE, Firefox 3.5 is more secure and faster.

ExcitedBrit

dont know what went wrong, I also installed firefox when IE stopped working, it didnt work either, never experienced this before, it just wouldnt let me check my hotmail account and I thought there was something wrong with hotmail.The browser wouldn't let me do an online malware scan as well and Avast found a few viruses too but this didnt help. Not too sure ISP provides security software though, I use ACANAC...never checked this maybe they do!

Aviator

You may have a virus. There are some that will prevent the computer doing online scans and reaching certain sites for their own survival. My daughter had this problem and one we cleared the virus, complete reformat and clean load it was OK. No anti virus software will find everything, finding some means there may be more. Were you trying to access hotmail through a mail client, such as Outlook or through the web browser. You do need to accept cookies to get onto Hotmail, check the settings allow Hotmail to set cookies.

ExcitedBrit

there was no problem with cookies, there must have been something on my pc, I couldn't even acess the sign-in page. I tried both ways, through outlook(had the connector installed) and IE. Who are these guys busy writing those virus codes

Aviator

Many of them are very good and under 15 and do it just because they can. One has to feel sorry for them if this is all they can do to fill their time. Just think what they could achieve if they put their knowledge to something constructive (some grow up and eventually do).

ExcitedBrit

good that they cant muck with the robust softwares of aircrafts systems

By the way the new norton 2009 reviews say it has improved a lot from older versions.....doesnt slow down the pc. dont know how true this is....although I dont teh licence is for one year only.

dingbat

I went back to Norton this year as I bought a new laptop. It seems to be quite efficient and has not slowed down this laptop at all. I had been using Avast, but I got a virus which went undetected, and destroyed my computer. It was pointless trying to recover it, given the damage that was done.

Aviator

They can just as easily get through Norton as Avast. No AV program stops every virus. Avast is equally as good if not better than Norton. I'd stick with Avast and its free. For those with Telus, their security software works pretty well, albeit a but cumbersome on resources.

Oink

Why is using the PC as an admin a bad thing to do? I have a mac at work and home but I think my mate does the above and he got a very nasty virus called Home Antivirus 2010 which took ages to get rid of.

ExcitedBrit

Being logged as an admin all the time makes spyware and all the other 'wares' easily installable on the pc I have been told. I ignored this ...paid a big price the other day although I think if one logs as admin vista still gives a hint that something is being installed ...I might be wrong there. Anyway I am sure I had a virus ....was very weird to see how my browser wouldnt send over info, and I couldnt even update avast when this happened!

Bob

Avast for AV, Comodo for FW...don't need active spyware scanning unless you keep going to dodgy sites, in which case, don't go to dodgy sites and just do a weekly scan..