Idiots guide to XP? Help. Techies look in. ;-)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Dec 2005, 15:11

Why do you say that? Which AntiVirus product?

Many like AVG: Free Edition but I found it VERY poor. I suspect they like it because it's free. I found it cack at removing viruses and wouldn't trust it. The version I used only detected viruses and quarantined them it wasn't able to actually remove the virus, it was okay as the file wasn't important but if it was say a system file or important document I could be screwed. I also suspect most people who like AVG have never actually had a virus on their system.

What about Spyware support? I've recently installed Ad-Aware SE Personal and find it to be very good, better than Microsoft's AntiSpyware which looks nice but is also poor. Both are free. I find the Spyware support built into Norton AntiVirus weak and wouldn't trust it alone. It's by far the weakest part of Norton Internet Security; I hear Norton didn't want to get involved in the Spyware game but were forced to as most support calls regarding viruses turned out to actually be Spyware. It smells of an afterthought.

Personally I'd install Norton Internet Security (which version do you have btw? I wouldn't go lower than 2005, it would seem a waste not to use it, you have a new system so speed shouldn't be an issue) or ZoneAlarm Internet Security (this looks very promising). Many prefer a dedicated program to do each job but I prefer the easiness of all-in-one.

XP's Firewall is good and very simple but I don't think it's quite as strong as a proper firewall.

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 18 Dec 2005, 16:42

Many like AVG: Free Edition but I found it VERY poor. I suspect they like it because it's free. I found it cack at removing viruses and wouldn't trust it. The version I used only detected viruses and quarantined them it wasn't able to actually remove the virus, it was okay as the file wasn't important but if it was say a system file or important document I could be screwed. I also suspect most people who like AVG have never actually had a virus on their system.

Strange, as AVG: Free Edition, had found and clean viruses from my system, 6 months ago. Since upgrading to the purchase edition, I have had no viruese, (but i simply delete any emails that i do not reckonise)

Sorry but i personally think Norton Internet Security is poor and i will explain. The amount of headaches it generates for our clients since upgrading to the lastest patch. I work for an Off the shelf ecommerce company called Actinic. It a product with you build you store on the pc, and it will generate the site and upload it to the server. It uses static html but also perlscripts as well. Now we use a referrer method, so that when you add to cart, the referrer remember when you have come from, eg google, or even the last page. Now every 3-6 months, norton release a patch on their build, and it screws up the referrer on our software, because they deem it as exploit. This results in us changing the perlscripts to allow Norton to Accept that the s/ware is not taking out valuable information from the client cookie or session files.
My last company who i worked for, which was Tiny Computers, (back in good old 2000), after people updating the Norton s/ware, when the customers put in the restore disk to install or update a driver, Norton kept on saying they have a virus!!!. Upon checking, it seems that somewhere within the Norton program, they had screwed up a part of the program which was scanning the zip file. The amount of customer who thought they had a virus, was unbelievable, the support desk was getting swamped on this. A week later Norton produced another update and all was well..

So on the Support/Development side of a job, all i can say to norton is.... :shock:

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 18 Dec 2005, 17:11

AGV gets better reviews than most the pay ones like Nortan and Mcafree crap! in fact the top Virus checkers are free like Avast anitvirus. I think people are crazy to pay for any programme to do with security when its pretty much a sure thing far better software is out there, but FREE! but if you have absolutly loads of cash go ahead and waste it and think your getting a better product just because you pay, as thats not the case with most things on the PC.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Dec 2005, 20:32

I can't comment on Avast that maybe very good. I've not used AVG in a couple of years but have seen it on a friends pc recently and it still looked as basic as ever.

It has virtually no options to speak of. Still if you're happy with it great. The reason people pay for security above anything else is because it's just not worth the risk. I don't pay for all software but do for security.

I'm not sure what reviews you read Romero but all three (Norton, AVG, McAfee) all get good reviews. None of them are perfect and reviews tend to say so.

Don't forget ZoneAlarm guys, it's harder to find as it's not one of the big boys but gets fantastic reviews (better than the previous 3). I'll be installing it on my Mum's PC when her 12 month Norton virus license expires in March (so around Feburary time I'll be installing it).

The nice thing is you can pick up legit OEM copies of Norton and McAfee dirt cheap on eBay (£20) but ZoneAlarm is hard to find. The cheapest I can find is £35 from Amazon. £20 is nothing.

p.s - Fair point Slasher but Norton being the biggest shouldn't you program your software to work with it. I presume it's compatible with IE??? 8)

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 19 Dec 2005, 10:10

Hey Bradvon

p.s - Fair point Slasher but Norton being the biggest shouldn't you program your software to work with it. I presume it's compatible with IE??? 8)

hehe yes our program uses the I.E API for uploading to the client server. Our Q.A dept tests alway on IE 5.x and 6.x , then on Firefox. My biggest problem is that Norton seem to treate the referrer as an exploit. Thus removing it, and client lose out on tracking where their customer have come from, or it drops the customer onto the front shop. We have tried to contact them, but Norton being such a big company... it really really hard to get them to listen. Norton is the biggest, but it quite annoying that one change could leads in endless support cool, and then development need to bring out a quick fix.. Most annoying..

@Romeorpg

I think people are crazy to pay for any programme to do with security when its pretty much a sure thing far better software is out there, but FREE!

hehe my company pays for it, they have to, because working from home, i cannot have AVG for free. If you see the licence agreement, it free for personal use, but not for commerical use.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 19 Dec 2005, 10:49

Exactly Slasher regarding the AVG licence. Besides it's really no good for a corporate environment as it doesn't let you administer it over a network, it's not meant for that.

Fair enough on the other Slasher.

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 15 Mar 2006, 22:00

Bit of a long story, but I've only actually just got my new PC. Anyway, thanks for the previous advice.

I've now got it up and running with XP Home as the OS.

A few things I want to ask....

Now I'm using XP it is necessary to install stuff such as:

ActiveX
Macromedia Shockwave
Macromedia Flash

It may sound like a silly thing to ask (for some), but as I said, I'm no expert... :mrgreen:

Thanks in advance!

Unrealnils · Post by **Unrealnils** » 15 Mar 2006, 22:57

Just wait until it prompts you too install them.........

I presume you have broadband right?

Personally i use sygate personal firewall (windows firewall is cack and not advised though better then nothing) and every two weeks i run spybot i dont have anti-vurs running i cant be dealing with programs running in the background and loading up when the pc boots up.

I play games (and online) and like to have the least amount of stuff taking up my ram even though i have enough to go around

And dont for get dont use internet explorer use mozilla firefox