Strange behavior with mom's computer

MSE has never found Malware or a virus on my systems but it's not designed to be a anti malware. That is why I also use Malwarebytes Premium and SAS.

Knock on wood, I haven't had a virus ect in years.
Malwarebytes and Eset online scan finds a few PUP's now and then but never a virus or rootket. MSE does not block these PUP's but it's not designed to. It's a anti virus program.
Malwarebytes does block a site once in a while.

At the present time I don't want a anti virus program that is a fit all do all.

If a anti virus program does what it states, blocks viruses I'm happy.
That is why I use MSE. No fuss, no muss and no viruses.

RichO said:

What would be a less bloated free AV that you would recommend? Avast used to be that way.

I don't believe the problem is any malware or spyware because this is a fresh install I am working with and the reason I started over is because it was dragging despite all scans (virus/malware/adware/disk errors) coming up clean.

It seems to be working fine here at my house, although after start up the first attempt to open Firefox is slow but it's probably because Avast always downloads the database update upon start up.

Tomorrow will be the test when I bring it back to her house.

Thanks for all of the help!

Did you read Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7? Your question is answered there.

If you reimported any files or installers from previous install then scan for Malware using those two scans recommended, which should be done anyway without dickering.

When we need to enter negotiations or spoon feed clearly stated steps that have worked thousands of times, it almost always means the fix is going to be out of reach.

whs said:

Jack, did you MSE ever find anything. Mine did not. Even when I scanned the system, I got a clean bill of health although SAS and Mbam found malware.

The same can be said (and has been said) of ANY AV - they look for different things to AM software.
MS is treading on eggshells with a consumer AV, and has to err on the side of 'innocent until proven guilty' as it could be (and has been, IIRC) sued for a lot of money if it makes a mistake in detection - or even just gets a little too enthusiastic.

MSE is lighter in resource-usage than almost any other AV - if it does start being a hog, simply uninstall and reinstall it.

Because MSE does not come with Windows 7 and one has to choose it to get it in my opinion is the reason Microsoft didn't end up in a E.U. court room.
Now with Defender in Windows 8 and probably Windows 10 is taking another step to see if the E.U. is going to take them to court.

It seem like every time Microsoft wants to have one of their operating system have thing that are free (come with the install) some one want to try and stop them.

MSE and Malwarebytes Premium active at the same time does not bog my systems.

The only thing I have ever found that Malwarebytes doesn't get along with is malwareware and PUP's.

Layback Bear said:

The only thing I have ever found that Malwarebytes doesn't get along with is malwareware and PUP's.

I hear it doesn't like Norton too much, either - but then....
:)

Speaking of Norton - My Norton NIS was the only AV program I had that ever found things and blocked them. I did not renew it and installed MSE because I now do most of my internet work in a virtual Linux system. That is the safest.

Btw - the Norton footprint was smaller than the MSE footprint - if that matters. And NIS scans during system idle time which is more convenient than those constant MSE reminders for scans.

I do all my scans manually. I must be doing the often enough because MSE is not giving me any reminders.