I need help for a regular computer scan and realtime protection

Hello,

Would you be able to help me or guide me to a place, where I can find a recommended list of things to do regularly (say about once a month), in my computer, using free online or downloaded scanners and cleaners, to clean up my computer of viruses, spyware etc. Once I saw a list like that where it gave a sequence of things to do regularly, with different programs in normal mode and safe mode, one after the other. Unfortunately I lost that web page before I could copy the list.

I am running Microsoft Security Essentials. Are there any free, real time, antivirus that I can install, as a second line of defense, which is compatible with MSE, that do not use much computer resources?

Thank you

Melita
This list is all that you need
I personally prefer Avast over MSE, but that is a personal opinion


As soon as you get home with your computer:

Dont install the antivirus software that pops up with instuctions to install.
Should be done at the end and this software, although probably free for a while,
will cost money down the road and is probably not the best.

Windows updates should be done immediately as you are vulnerable to problems
until updated; be sure to include office updates.

Adobe reader should be updated, the most recent version is a sandbox version which
reduces virus vulnerablity to your PDF files.

This is also the opportunity to download Adobe Flash Player

Download an alertative browser; ie FF or Chrome etc. In the event of problems with IE.

Remove any unwanted program bloat. They will slow up your computer and probably
cost money in the future.

Download your antivirus; Microsoft Security Essentials is suggested.

Make your recovery disc.

Now enjoy the internet.

To maintain your computer

10 Tips on How to Properly Maintain Your Computer
ignore, reg cleaners.

Steps that I did not notice on the guide include:

Running a scan disc before doing a defrag

Using Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes.

Making System Restore points, at least once a week

Makaing a system Image once a month (varies by user)

Not relying on your A/V common sense, should prevail. You know of many sites can cause a problem.

Do not use any reg cleaning or optimizing software.

Download and use Ccleaner about once every two months. Untick any registry entries.
http://www.piriform.com/

Download and use PSI, to to be sure that all of your software is up to date
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

If you follow these instructions, you will be trouble free for a long time to come.

Be sure to back up your hard drive about once a month (varies by user) and to keeep system restore points up to date.

Optimize Windows 7

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...er-performance

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/81176-speed-up-performance-vista.html

richc46 said:

Melita
This list is all that you need
I personally prefer Avast over MSE, but that is a personal opinion


As soon as you get home with your computer:

Dont install the antivirus software that pops up with instuctions to install.
Should be done at the end and this software, although probably free for a while,
will cost money down the road and is probably not the best.

I wonder whether there is something missing in the blank spaces in your writting above (a link perhaps)?

There is nothing missing. I left space to keep the ideas separate. If you have any specific questions or need links, just post.

You will find that many of us break our post up with spaces like richc46 has done, because it makes it easier to read and understand the instruction and thoughts.

When you read many post in one day it does help.

Melita said:

I am running Microsoft Security Essentials. Are there any free, real time, antivirus that I can install, as a second line of defense, which is compatible with MSE, that do not use much computer resources?

You should only have one real-time anti-virus product. The exception is Malwarebytes anti-malware since it's designed to be a complement to traditional anti-virus products.

As for your first question, an alternative (and IMO better) question would be: what can I do to improve my protection (so I'm hopefully never infected again)?

1. Check all downloaded programs with multiple AV products before running or installing them. This simple solution can help you with that: VirusTotal + HerdProtect - Check Files with Simultaneously

2. Secure your browsers with a sandbox. Then any infections will only be temporary until you close and empty the sandbox. Personally I recommend the free version of Sandboxie - Sandbox software for application isolation and secure Web browsing Introduction and Quick-guide here

3. Use an anti-exploit software. I recommend the easy and free version of Malwarebytes Anti-exploit that protects browsers and Java. https://www.malwarebytes.org/antiexploit/

What is the significance of scanning twice with the same program, once in normal mode and again in safe mode?

Regards

It all depends on the program you are scanning with.

At times some bad things that are running in Normal boot are hard to remove because they are running.
Many times these bad things are not running in Safe Mode therefor can be removed.

Safe Mode doesn't process the Run and RunOnce registry keys. One additional startup method is the Winlogon Shell, but that is also skipped if you choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt. So that's the safest Safe Mode option, but requires the user to know how to start an application.

You can run msconfig.exe and look at the Startup tab, or CCleaner - Tools - Startup, to see the startup items and what key they start from.
(HKCU = Current User, HKLM = Local Machine)

Yes, I can see what keys the different programs start from. Having found that out, how do I use this information is not clear to me. Thank you