(No Fun at all) 'Norton Security Scan' hocum.

[big_teee]

I figured all you MS Guys used PC Matic.
I thought that was all you have to do, or least they do on TV.
Was Also wondering if the Good Looking Blonde went with the PC Matic?

[The Dude]

Malware bytes works sometimes.
But it's a really poor way to protect a computer.
Very vulnerable to attacks. The security is full of holes.

I would not recommend that you depend on it to protect your computer.

As much as it pains me to agree: Yes, the free version of MWB offers NO realtime protection. You should still have virus protection that does real time scanning. It will not stop you from getting a virus/malware. However, it is one of the best at removing the disease if you've already been infected.

[Steve A.]

Some programs, including the one I make my living with, require very specific data file locations, on the C: (boot) drive so the option of having data separate doesn't work for me. I do want to make clear that these data files are NOT changed with system restore.

In that case I imagine that you backup your data files on a daily basis.

10+ years ago a lot of applications expected to find their program files and data files in specific locations. If I redirected the install to D: rather than C: I found that the uninstall program might not work because it was looking for the files on C:. (Back then the recommendation I read for a digital audio workstation was to keep system and Windows files on C:, program files on D: and data files on E:.)

After running across problems I let programs install themselves in their default location and if I can save the data files to a different drive, great!

Speaking of default locations unless otherwise specified Windows Notepad will save data files in its own folder which happens to be the Windows/System32 folder. So with Windows 7 Home Premium I did not have access to some of the txt files I had meticulously saved. (Notepad will normally save txt files to whatever folder it saved them to last but if that folder no longer exists it reverts to the default which is the folder from which notepad.exe was run. There were some tricks and workarounds that allowed me to eventually access them.)

SOLUTION: I just now copied notepad.exe and pasted it into the E:/My Documents folder and copied a shortcut to that to my taskbar to keep those txt files out of the System32 folder. Something that I had thought about doing for some time now but with me bitching about it I thought that now was the time to do something about it.

Steve

[soundguruman]

I figured all you MS Guys used PC Matic.
I thought that was all you have to do, or least they do on TV.
Was Also wondering if the Good Looking Blonde went with the PC Matic?

I would consider "PC Matic" the most foolish thing possible to install in a computer.

Anybody who is offering "free" solution to your computer problem...
is also installing spyware in your system. And who knows "what" else.

But, as Forest's Mom said:
"stupid is what stupid does."

"Free" programs that fix computers.........are for the very gullible.

[big_teee]

I would consider "PC Matic" the most foolish thing possible to install in a computer.

Anybody who is offering "free" solution to your computer problem...
is also installing spyware in your system. And who knows "what" else.

But, as Forest's Mom said:
"stupid is what stupid does."

"Free" programs that fix computers.........are for the very gullible.

That was a joke!
Don't think PC Matic is free, However I don't know that.
So what do some of you guys charge to cleanup, or reload a Windoz Box (computer)?
Just curious what all that costs?
Viruses seem to be a lucrative Biz?
T

[soundguruman]

That was a joke!
Don't think PC Matic is free, However I don't know that.
So what do some of you guys charge to cleanup, or reload a Windoz Box (computer)?
Just curious what all that costs?
Viruses seem to be a lucrative Biz?
T

About $40 an hour.
Most of that time is spent waiting.....for stuff to process.
Kaspersky is what I have been installing. About $22 per machine, per year.
We usually buy the 3 license version, and split up the cost.

Kaspersky has proven to be about the best currently.

Yeah PC matic says it's "free." Of course, that's just a bait and switch come-on.

Anything that says "free," is the subject of immediate suspicion. Or should be.

Lucrative? Well, you make some money the first time.
but after it's done, antivirus installed, it usually won't re-occur.

[big_teee]

When I go in Best Buy to look at laptops, I listen to the sales guys talk to customers.
You can pay as much or more for additional software, (MS office, and VirusScan), and a maintenance contract than what the initial computer costs?

[soundguruman]

Of course the software costs more than the computer.

If you have student ID, you can get software from digital River.
Microsoft software for students.
Windows 7 pro = $40
Office Pro is a similar price...etc...you can get Photoshop for 1/10th the price, etc...

[big_teee]

Of course the software costs more than the computer.

[soundguruman]

This computer runs on Win 7 Pro.
Due to my college ID, OS costs $36 including a backup disk.
yes, it's true.
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/edu

[Steve A.]

Anybody who is offering "free" solution to your computer problem...
is also installing spyware in your system. And who knows "what" else.

That may be true for most "junkware" programs but many PC techs install the free versions of Avast! and Malwarebytes on every computer that they work on that does not already have AV protection. There is a "catch" and it is that they are hoping that you are so impressed with the free consumer version that you will register it or install the paid commercial version at your office. By adding crapware to their free versions they would be defeating their purpose.

Malwarebytes received an PC Magazine's Editors Choice Award last year. Here is the review:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70
By Neil J. Rubenking
PC Magazine's Editors Choice
Reviewed February 08, 2013

When a Trojan or other malware gets a foothold in your PC's innards, clearing it out can be tough. The nastiest ones fight back, interfering with your attempts to install antivirus software. When that happens, who ya gonna call? In many cases the answer is Malwarebytes. Even tech support agents for other companies may turn to the free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 when their own product won't install. And the latest edition is better than ever.

Pros: Scored better than all free or commercial competition in my malware removal test. No problems at all with installation. Extremely quick installation. No problems at all with cleaning up malware. Corrects malicious changes to Windows settings.

Cons: No real-time protection against attack.

Bottom Line: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 is probably the best-known free removal-only antivirus tool. Even tech support agents for other companies use it. In my own testing it beat out all free and commercial competition, quickly and without any fuss.

[NOTE: Malwarebytes now offers a premium version that gives you real time protection so the one "con" listed in the review is not applicable to that version which costs $24.95 for a lifetime license.]

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Steve Ahola

P.S. I was a service tech for 30 years and there is a tendency to stick with a particular method when you have found that it works successfully most of the time. But it is presumptuous to think that your particular method is the only one that is valid. (Hmmm... I made that same observation when I was studying religions!)

[soundguruman]

That may be true for most "junkware" programs but many PC techs install the free versions of Avast! and Malwarebytes on every computer that they work on that does not already have AV protection. There is a "catch" and it is that they are hoping that you are so impressed with the free consumer version that you will register it or install the paid commercial version at your office. By adding crapware to their free versions they would be defeating their purpose.

Malwarebytes received an PC Magazine's Editors Choice Award last year. Here is the review:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70
By Neil J. Rubenking
PC Magazine's Editors Choice
Reviewed February 08, 2013

When a Trojan or other malware gets a foothold in your PC's innards, clearing it out can be tough. The nastiest ones fight back, interfering with your attempts to install antivirus software. When that happens, who ya gonna call? In many cases the answer is Malwarebytes. Even tech support agents for other companies may turn to the free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 when their own product won't install. And the latest edition is better than ever.

Pros: Scored better than all free or commercial competition in my malware removal test. No problems at all with installation. Extremely quick installation. No problems at all with cleaning up malware. Corrects malicious changes to Windows settings.

Cons: No real-time protection against attack.

Bottom Line: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 is probably the best-known free removal-only antivirus tool. Even tech support agents for other companies use it. In my own testing it beat out all free and commercial competition, quickly and without any fuss.

[NOTE: Malwarebytes now offers a premium version that gives you real time protection so the one "con" listed in the review is not applicable to that version which costs $24.95 for a lifetime license.]

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Steve Ahola

P.S. I was a service tech for 30 years and there is a tendency to stick with a particular method when you have found that it works successfully most of the time. But it is presumptuous to think that your particular method is the only one that is valid. (Hmmm... I made that same observation in religious studies!)

Pretty much 90% of all infected computers I fix...
Has Malware Bytes and Avast free versions installed.
And it don't do any good to protect it, at all.

[JoeM]

Malware bytes works sometimes.
But it's a really poor way to protect a computer.
Very vulnerable to attacks. The security is full of holes.

I would not recommend that you depend on it to protect your computer.

Where did I say I depend on this to protect a computer? In the particular case, the anti-virus on my sons computer didn't block or even find the virus. Malwarebytes was the only program I found to remove a very pesky malware infection.

[JoeM]

In that case I imagine that you backup your data files on a daily basis.

<...>
Steve

I absolutely have to. I would be in very serious trouble if I lost clients data.

[soundguruman]

Where did I say I depend on this to protect a computer? In the particular case, the anti-virus on my sons computer didn't block or even find the virus. Malwarebytes was the only program I found to remove a very pesky malware infection.

"Where did I say I depend on this to protect a computer?"

You didn't.

You just lucked out that MB worked. Many times, it does not.
Depends on the virus...