I want to completely disable all this security

PParks, don't think that I don't respect your experience, knowledge and opinions. If you did, you'd be wrong.

What it all comes down to is a user figuring out what is right for him/her.

What's right for me and many users is not having their screen turn dark with popups. When I install 7/Vista after not having done so in a while...then get the popup....I immediately cringe having forgotten it existed.

Absolutely right. Microsoft had to do something and they did excellent by letting user alter defaults easily. Win-win. Microsoft can no longer be blamed and user knows they are lowering security when they choose to do so.

As far as compromising identity or getting personal information goes: ZA is a good choice because it can block outgoing while setting and forgetting.

torrentg said:

PParks, don't think that I don't respect your experience, knowledge and opinions. If you did, you'd be wrong.

No, I don't think that at all. I think we have had a decent solid discussion..we are both just coming from different viewpoints.

torrentg said:

What it all comes down to is a user figuring out what is right for him/her.

And that is fine with me, but hopefully this decision is made after learning a little and weighing the options carefully. However, I've found the overwhelming majority of users who when they first experienced UAC and it's rather poor implementation on day 1 with Vista who simply shut it off and now that's step 1 on their deployment guide. Many haven't really given the much improved UAC system on Windows 7 a chance, but rather just turned it off rather than learning to work with it. And I sit at a computer on average probably 12 hours a day and somehow manage to get through each and every day with UAC enabled and in place. I just really don't find that it pops up much at all...so it's really not a nuisance at all. I'm far more bothered by my instant messengers and email then I am UAC :)

torrentg said:

What's right for me and many users is not having their screen turn dark with popups. When I install 7/Vista after not having done so in a while...then get the popup....I immediately cringe having forgotten it existed.

So under Windows 7, you can drop the UAC system down to the 2nd tick mark and it no longer darkens your screen. And remember that it only darkens now when APPLICATIONS try to elevate to admin and do admin tasks. It doesn't do it when the user manually does something like system configuration in the control panel, etc.

torrentg said:

As far as compromising identity or getting personal information goes: ZA is a good choice because it can block outgoing while setting and forgetting.

I've had problems with ZA just going nuts on machines sometimes and causing unexplainable behavior. I find that my hardware firewall (router), with Windows firewall, with either AVG, Avira or MSE for A/V, using malwarebytes or sbybot S&D usually keeps me running well.

pparks1 said:

Many haven't really given the much improved UAC system on Windows 7 a chance, but rather just turned it off rather than learning to work with it.

Admittedly, I fall into this category.

ZoneAlarm can be hit or miss sometimes. True. It's all about finding the correct version number and sticking with it. Once they fix something though, it doesn't tend to reappear. So future versions usually don't exhibit same problem any longer.

For instance, I once couldn't cleanly shut down my system with it. It would hang indefinitely. And one version broke Winamp completely. They fixed those things fortunately. These are betas though, too, that I'm describing.

It completely amazes me that someone can ask for something and those that are there to help try to sell that person something completely different than what they asked for.

The person that started this thread specifically stated they didnt get viruses before on windows XP and they wanted to get loosen the security on windows 7 because of how much it slows everything down!

The first 2 pages of this thread is everyone trying to convince the poor guy he is wrong in wanting what he wants, and he eventually gives up and says basically, "ok, since your not going to give me what I want, what can you do to help"

I agree with the person carey, windows 7 is a resource hog and slows down the computer. I still prefer windows xp over windows 7 for usability/speed... when your doing multiple things, time and speed matters.

Don't give me the bs about viruses.... if we are smart enough to ask the question to turn off security then we know what the risks are and don't need a lecture from the "IT professionals" as to what can happen. Just give us what we ask for. Want to give your opinion when its not asked... fine.. but give us what we asked for too.

I had to read through all this garbage, hoping to find a answer the question carey asked.. but no, waste of time.

btw, Norton Ghost is a great option for those that want to screw with their computer... they can always revert back to previous backup.... exact 0s and 1s.... backed up every hour baby... eat it!

Hello Clyde37
I can see answer to the Thread Starter's question at the very first post.
Disabling UAC and running as admin should have solved almost all his problems.
I don't know why this thread have gone so far.

Please post back, if you need anything more specific for yourself.

Clyde37 said:

It completely amazes me that someone can ask for something and those that are there to help try to sell that person something completely different than what they asked for.

btw, Norton Ghost is a great option for those that want to screw with their computer... they can always revert back to previous backup.... exact 0s and 1s.... backed up every hour baby... eat it!

Sarcasm?

Just as an update of sorts (got a notification email and checked back here) I did end up completely disabling UAC and running from an admin account. Now everything works without configuring and it doesnt annoy me at all, yet i still have never had a virus. And if i get one, well, thats what backups are for.