are these PC protection shareware superfluous?

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  1. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #11

    You have ThreatFire and Avast running at the same time. My understanding is they are both Anti Virus. You should not run two Anti Virus at the same time. One Anti Virus and one firewall at one time. I also use MSE and Windows 7 built in firewall.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #12

    I also only use, only recommend and only install MSE which automatically sets up Windows Firewall.

    You need nothing more.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #13

    Simply removing ALL of your anti stuff and using MSE should solve your problem.

    If not, then please:

    Install CCleaner:
    CCleaner - PC Optimization and Cleaning - Free Download

    list of STARTUP PROGRAMS

    CCleaner | Tools
    icon | Startup button | Windows tab |
    click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
    accept Startup.txt as file name | SAVE button

    list of SCHEDULED TASKS

    CCleaner | Tools
    icon | Startup button | Scheduled Tasks tab |
    click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
    enter Scheduled Tasks as File name | Save button

    List of INSTALLED PROGRAMS

    CCleaner | Tools
    icon | Uninstall button |
    click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
    accept install.txt as File name | Save button


    UPLOAD, as an attachment, the startup.txt file
    UPLOAD, as an attachment, the Scheduled Tasks.txt file
    UPLOAD, as an attachment, the install.txt file.

    HOW TO UPLOAD
    Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums

    ===========================
    thanks
    karl
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 115
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #14

    gregrocker said:
    Sometimes problems are solved by uninstalling Avast to replace it with Microsoft Security Essentials.

    There are reasons most here have stopped recommending Avast.
    funnily enough Avast has started pestering me right now while I'm uninstalling ThreatFire (and everything else, ready to install MSE). (looks like a rootkit false positive related to a restart-needed uninstall)
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 115
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #15

    oh, I also have Spybot and "anvir task manager free"

    is the latter superfluous since I have CCleaner?

    I've used Spybot in the past to get rid of tracking cookies, I don't think I have any other program that seems to get those.
      My Computer

  6.    #16

    Spybot is old school. Nobody here recommends it any more, except to uninstall.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 115
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #17

    gregrocker said:
    Spybot is old school. Nobody here recommends it any more, except to uninstall.
    cool.
    hadn't even heard of MSE before today.

    are there any 'exclusions' recommended (relatively safe to not scan, worth it for a performance increase)? (or, at least, after scanning the entire PC once, is it pretty safe to ignore some unchanging archives of files like one's music/etc., or is it common for newer definitions to eventually catch something it had missed for a long time?)
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 263
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #18

    Lykho said:
    oh, I also have Spybot and "anvir task manager free"

    is the latter superfluous since I have CCleaner?

    I've used Spybot in the past to get rid of tracking cookies, I don't think I have any other program that seems to get those.
    Oh man, I remember when I installed Anvir Task Manager Free. It secretly put toolbars on all my browsers and hijacked my home pages. It also installed a silly instant messenger gizmo.
      My Computer

  9.    #19

    Lykho said:
    gregrocker said:
    Spybot is old school. Nobody here recommends it any more, except to uninstall.
    cool.
    hadn't even heard of MSE before today.

    are there any 'exclusions' recommended (relatively safe to not scan, worth it for a performance increase)? (or, at least, after scanning the entire PC once, is it pretty safe to ignore some unchanging archives of files like one's music/etc., or is it common for newer definitions to eventually catch something it had missed for a long time?)

    The best practices I've found for reinstalling and maintaining Win7 are in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

    You can implement them with your current install using Clean Up Factory Bloatware.

    It's easy to get behind the curve with the best shareware unless you work every day in the top online forum. I was listening to Kim Kommando on the radio Saturday and she recommended AVG and Avast. No one has recommended AVG here since Win7 beta, probably ever. Somebody got to her during commercial because she came back touting MSE and Avast and suddenly didn't mention AVG's crappy bloatware again.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #20

    So that we can get your system running smoothly:

    Install CCleaner:
    CCleaner - PC Optimization and Cleaning - Free Download

    list of STARTUP PROGRAMS

    CCleaner | Tools
    icon | Startup button | Windows tab |
    click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
    accept Startup.txt as file name | SAVE button

    list of SCHEDULED TASKS

    CCleaner | Tools
    icon | Startup button | Scheduled Tasks tab |
    click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
    enter Scheduled Tasks as File name | Save button

    List of INSTALLED PROGRAMS

    CCleaner | Tools
    icon | Uninstall button |
    click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
    accept install.txt as File name | Save button


    UPLOAD, as an attachment, the startup.txt file
    UPLOAD, as an attachment, the Scheduled Tasks.txt file
    UPLOAD, as an attachment, the install.txt file.

    HOW TO UPLOAD
    Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums
      My Computer


 
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