I repeat I'm using Avast, MSE-D, and Malwarebytes. Since I tried cloning and cannot boot from ext. clone--- as you or others stated is the case ---my intentions are to do the image thing on the ext. HD.
Again, to me all of the above is an abvious no brainer, for operating a Windows OS PC. Malwarebytes has found two more potential detrimental sites.
I cloned every mac I've owned and once had copy all data from clone back to original.. I'm not clear what the differrence is between clone and disk image. Hope to try that out in the next few days.
This may help to explain the difference between cloning and imaging. (Or not.
clone or image.? - Malwarebytes Forum
But I'm confused about your use of "MSE-D". In your first post (#14 in this thread) you stated, "... I helped my wife put in place MS defender Essentials couple of years ago." Just so we're talking about the same thing, Windows Defender is included in Windows 7. It is primarily an anti-spyware module and NOT a full anti-virus suite. Microsoft Security Essentials is a full anti-virus suite and is a separate download. If you install MSE it should automatically disable Windows Defender. (To add to the confusion, Windows Defender is also provided in Windows 8, but it is the same as MSE in Windows 7.)
Windows Defender - Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows
Avast and MSE both provide real-time scanning/monitoring. Most "authorities" say that running two real-time anti-virus programs at the same time is bad. (This does not apply to Malwarebytes because it's not a traditional anti-virus.) A pretty good explanation of why two real-time AV programs should not be run at the same time is here:
is it bad to run multiple antivirus programs? - BleepingComputer.com
If you have real-time scanning enabled in both Avast and MSE, I think it would be to your benefit to choose one and turn off real-time scanning in the other. But if you're using Avast and Windows Defender, you may find that Avast has also disabled Windows Defender as being redundant. It's perfectly OK to have other AV programs available in your malware arsenal but run them as on-demand scanners, not real-time scanners.
And if I've completely misunderstood everything, my sincerest apologies.
My Computer
At a glance
Win 7 Pro 64-bitIntel i5 2.4 Ghz8GB DDR3Intel HD 3000
- Computer type
- Laptop
- Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
- Sony Vaio VPCEB47GM Laptop
- OS
- Win 7 Pro 64-bit
- CPU
- Intel i5 2.4 Ghz
- Memory
- 8GB DDR3
- Graphics Card(s)
- Intel HD 3000
- Sound Card
- IDT High Definition
- Monitor(s) Displays
- 15.6 WGXA Anti-Glare LED
- Screen Resolution
- 1280x800
- Hard Drives
- 640Gb 7200rpm
- Antivirus
- MSE
- Browser
- Opera (primary) with IE9 backup