Solved Okay I tested a Cnet download (results)

[indianacarnie]

Yeah , its Major Geeks for me too and sometimes Softpedia. Many ads on Softpedia but they at least warn you about the add-ons the programs they host have.

 

[Layback Bear]

Very good point lehnerus2000. The download manager they try shoving down your computers throat. I would recommend avoiding them if at all possible.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Very good point lehnerus2000. The download manager they try shoving down your computers throat. I would recommend avoiding them if at all possible.

I particularly hate it when the download manager they want you to install, is larger than the program you actually want.

 

[alphanumeric]

I've gone to sites to download their programs and they have sent me to CNET.
Normally I lose interest at that point.

I found that Price Gong thing on my PC (January).
I don't know where it came from or when it happened.

I particularly hate sites that insist that you must install their download managers.
Normally I refuse to download programs from those places.
I had to install the Adobe Download Manager to get a trial copy of Flash.

I've seen that too, they have their program or utility hosted on another site like Cnet or even MajourGeeks. Download managers just make me go somewhere else to get the file.

 

[Dsn California]

Reply To My Own Post . . .

Would all of you believe I used CNET for several years,
without having any problems, or knowing it is not
trustworthy? Obviously my ignorance caused me to do
some extra work.

Also, I was once advised that it is better to use
a download site, because they test for viruses
or spyware, as opposed to the publisher's website.

I have since been using other download sites or
the software publisher's website, as suggested
here.

Thank all of you for responding and
sharing your information and opinions.

 

[AddRAM]

I also hate sites that have you use a dload mgr. But personally, Ive never had a problem with downlaod.com.

 

[Alejandro85]

I was once advised that it is better to use
a download site, because they test for viruses
or spyware, as opposed to the publisher's website.

Au contrarie, the original publisher is THE main interested in having clean downloads, it's the only you can trust 100% (hopefully) since it will be uploaded there directly from the author's compiler.

Third party sites that just replicate might have outdated versions, or deliberately alter them to include their own things along with the real program. Not to say that they are evil and infecting everything around, but if you're after 100% confidence of originality, safety, information and support, there is no match for the real publisher website. Keep the other sites for the reviews though.

 

[gregrocker]

Avast has also ruined their reputation by forcing users to install Google Chrome and Toolbar even if you select Custom install and deselect these options along with all the other crapware they've added - WebRep, Gadget, etc. I refuse to have to uninstall this crapware along with 80 registry leftovers again. Fail, Avast. Farewell, Ye Mateys!

 

[Layback Bear]

Hopefully all the quality post in this thread will help many and therefor stop a lot of problems before they start. If in doubt you can go back to the post #1 and start reading again. Then select some very good programs to help you.

 

[rybosix]

Cnet Etc good thread

Hopefully all the quality post in this thread will help many and therefor stop a lot of problems before they start. If in doubt you can go back to the post #1 and start reading again. Then select some very good programs to help you.

Its funny, I was just reading in new to Windows 7 forum and dude recommended by giving link to Malware bytes program download at Cnet. So I opend link, clicked download, open folder but have not installed for two reasons-- but first I recall, I don't remember seeing any additional stuf at Cnet ---and I had no idea that Cnet was all that bad because of ads and additional junk until reading this thread and not sure how i would remember which sites are trusted in future;

1) i'm not sure if malwarebytes will play well with my MS defender and free Avast,

2) it requires me to turnoff firewall--- wherever that is --- and turnoff all anti-virus programs,

so untill I know that they will play well together, not sure if I will take the time.

Do not expect and answer to these latter off topic concerns, just posting that it was funny doing recent inload from Cnet just before reading this thread.

Will take my Malware questions to Security Thread. The knowledge base at this place is incredible to/for me.

Rsix

 

[indianacarnie]

Avast and Malwarebytes "play well" together. Don't see why you have to turn off your firewall, I've never had to when installing MBAM.

The thing about ANY download and download sites is to take your time and watch what they are trying to install on your system. LOOK at the things that are checkable/uncheckable before you breeze past them. Most of the unwanted stuff can be missed this way.

 

[caperjack]

just to test this for my self i downloaded hwmonitor from both cnet and cpuid site .and neither one had a virus of any kind in them ,they both had the Ask toolbar install in them ,but give the option to uncheck the install ,
have to add i usually use the programs home site or filehippo or mayor geeks to download such programs

 

[rybosix]

MBytes

Avast and Malwarebytes "play well" together. Don't see why you have to turn off your firewall, I've never had to when installing MBAM.

The thing about ANY download and download sites is to take your time and watch what they are trying to install on your system. LOOK at the things that are checkable/uncheckable before you breeze past them. Most of the unwanted stuff can be missed this way.

Thanks for the tip, cause I would like to do it. I just read the install procedures for the free version like an hour ago, and it said to turn off or deactivate firewall or firewalls. I'm pretty sure that is what I read.

Just open again, close all applications and disable anti-virus and firewall. I came across my MS firewall yesterday while tracking another problem I was having, so probably search will find it for me again, no problem.

Thanks again for tip above.

rsix

 

[Elwood42]

So, how do they install these programs? Is it during the installation and it says "do you want to try program X" or is it a program that downloads and installs with the correct programs download? If so, where are the boxes you check to opt out?

Could someone make a tutorial for this?

 

[rybosix]

Small Knowledge Base

So, how do they install these programs? Is it during the installation and it says "do you want to try program X" or is it a program that downloads and installs with the correct programs download? If so, where are the boxes you check to opt out?
Could someone make a tutorial for this?

The little have seen is just like you say, you inload it, it goes through security check/scan, then you open to get install window and i have seen it with Avast most recently--- have to unclick install Google bar ---but also have seen similar at beginning of install phase of couplf of other apps/programs last few weeks.

Rsix

 

[caperjack]

So, how do they install these programs? Is it during the installation and it says "do you want to try program X" or is it a program that downloads and installs with the correct programs download? If so, where are the boxes you check to opt out?

Could someone make a tutorial for this?

when you start to install any program you just need to watch what its saying ,like like where its installing the program to ,and if ytou with to install Ask toolbar,google tool bar ,or whatever ,it could be any program ,only say yest to the program you downloaded . .before you click next.
I do computer repair from my home and see some computer with 5 or 6 toolbar's installed ,and when i ask wy they have so many ,they say ,Whats a toolbar ???

how to install malwarebytes ,watch the little video on the bottom of the page ,there is no added programs in the video ,but if one did come with it ,it would give a choice to install it or not ,you would uncheck the box to NO!
http://en.community.dell.com/suppor...nstall-and-run-malwarebytes-anti-malware.aspx

 

[FuturDreamz]

I really try to avoid cnet downloads when possible. I always try to go straight to the source.

i honesly can't understand how cnet can get away with that.

 

[gregrocker]

They traded their formerly-excellent reputation to do this. Imagine how software maker's felt about challenging them for rolling in crapware since CNET back then had somewhat respectable ratings and was considered an authortative site.

But it seemed like the reputation was already being frittered away with gambits like placing huge ads for Norton on AV ratings pages.

You have to wonder who's running things there and whether they even realized the value of the reputation they threw away. It reeks of desperation since a reputation is worth far more than money can buy, certainly the small change they got from crapware makers.

They could take a lesson from 7F which fully knows the value of its reputation and protects it aggressively, one of the reasons we are considered the very top tech Help forum.

 

[indianacarnie]

Well said man!

 

[M1GU31]

Yea that's why I use filehippo, files are clean most of time from my experience. CNET is full of adware crap.