Too many AV/AS?

[cheewongken]

Wow, been a long time since i last came.

Okay, right now i've got AVG free and MBAM (only run for scans, once a month) on my computer.. So i was thinking, is it bad to have too many anti virus/malware?

Well, i know all of them running at once can conflict, but what if its used the same way as my avg and MBAM atm? (avg as main [run on boot everytime], and MBAM just to detect stuff AVG doesnt during the monthly scan)

was thinking of getting spybot S&D alongside MBAM

Also i was considering a new Free AV to try out.. any suggestions?

(Note: i already read both the best AM and AV threads)

thanks y'all.

 

[richc46]

This is one of those threads that will generate a lot of participation.
So, here is the first.
It is my opinion that if you use Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes and the Windows Firewall, you have all the protection that you will ever need. Throw in just a little common sense and you will never have a virus problem.
My suggestion is that you do not need all that other stuff, it will slow things down, especially at boot and the extra benefit will be negligible at best.
But if you insist, it will not cause a problem if you have one anti virus giving full time protection and other malware (not antivirus) protection just for scanning purposes.

 

[cheewongken]

So, MSE is considered quite good now? cause the last time i recall, it wasn't up to the touch of other AVs around.. but that was a long time ago..

 

[richc46]

I can say this. I am very careful when I surf and was using Mcafee. When I decided to go with MSE, I did a full scan and it found 7 nasties one was a trojan. I think that it is excellent. It gets high grades around here and in the ratings.

 

[cheewongken]

I'm also very careful when i surf.. but even so, this site i go to daily had a report from google of having malware since 2 days ago, and chrome blocked me from visiting the site today. which is partially what prompted me to asking this question here now..

I've been doing some reading around and see as you say, MSE is getting quite a good reception... I guess i'll try it out then..

 

[richc46]

This will keep your busy for a while. Im going off line, but others will visit, I am sure.
http://www.sevenforums.com/search.php?searchid=1565783

 

[yowanvista]

MSE is better than AVG which is bloated with popup Ads

 

[Francis93]

Hello Cheewongken,

Your first question was about having multiple anti-virus programs. I cannot say YES or NO if having multiple anti-virus programs is bad. You'll have to consider the PROs (advantages) and CONs (disadvantages). These are the pros (advantages): having another/multiple AV(s) or on-demand scanners add(s) security layers to your PC (toughens your PC's security) besides your primary AV/anti-malware and increased detection rates. These are the cons (disadvantages): they might conflict with each other whenever malware is detected especially if these programs run in the background and increased memory/resource usage especially if you have 1gb RAM or less. It is PROs (advantages) at the price of CONs (disadvantages).

Second question was about running AVG and MBAM in the background with real-time protection turned ON. There's nothing wrong with that. Just consider the PROs and CONs that I have mentioned a while ago.

This is my advise: replace AVG with Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). It's the best and the most popular AV for Windows users. Majority of the members here use MSE because it has high and proven detection rates and it's very lightweight and user friendly.

Just stick with MBAM. Don't replace/uninstall it. Furthermore, you can add another anti-malware/on-demand scanner alongside MBAM such as the one you mentioned (Spybot S&D).

Hope this helps.

 

[cheewongken]

I've replace AVG with MSE atm, and added spybot alongside MBAM already, thats working out to be great so far.. any other suggestions i could consider?

 

[Francis93]

Great! I'm sure you'll love MSE. Try Hitman Pro. It is also an on-demand or second opinion scanner and it uses 5 different anti-malware engines: Dr. Web, G DATA, IKARUS, Emsisoft and PrevX.

P.S. Thank you for the rep!

 

[antharr]

This is what I run but I always recommend that you experiment to see what works best to suit your taste.

-MSE(free) or Avast(free) or Nod32(paid)
-Malwarebytes
-SuperAntiSpyware
-Windows 7 Firewall Control

 

[Max Peck]

MSE and a good router firewall is all I use. Have seldom if ever run into a virus-related problem. Used to load up Norton or McAffee and all they did was bog the system down.

-Max

 

[richc46]

I just dumped Mcafee, never had a virus. When I got MSE, I made a full scan. Had 6 minor problems plus a Trojan. MSE is solid.

 

[antharr]

I just dumped Mcafee, never had a virus. When I got MSE, I made a full scan. Had 6 minor problems plus a Trojan. MSE is solid.

I have encounter this same issue on multiple computers where you uninstall Norton or Mcafee only to see the free product clean up what the "paid-for" apps didn't even detect much less remove.

 

[madtownidiot]

I have encounter this same issue on multiple computers where you uninstall Norton or Mcafee only to see the free product clean up what the "paid-for" apps didn't even detect much less remove.

That happens every time someone brings me a dog-slow computer that has McrApafee or Scamantec installed and I replace it with Comodo and Malwarebytes.

At least Dell is now offering a "no security software installed" option on some of their new systems.. IMO the best option they've offered in years.

 

[antharr]

I have encounter this same issue on multiple computers where you uninstall Norton or Mcafee only to see the free product clean up what the "paid-for" apps didn't even detect much less remove.

That happens every time someone brings me a dog-slow computer that has McrApafee or Scamantec installed and I replace it with Comodo and Malwarebytes.

At least Dell is now offering a "no security software installed" option on some of their new systems.. IMO the best option they've offered in years.

This is very good news indeed.

 

[madtownidiot]

At least Dell is now offering a "no security software installed" option on some of their new systems.. IMO the best option they've offered in years.

This is very good news indeed.

Now, if they started offering systems with unformatted HDDs and a win 7 install iso with drivers slipstreamed to a bootable flash drive.. it would almost make up for the defective hardware they recently got caught selling.

 

[Shadowjk]

I Have MSE and Norton 360 there are a Lot of falls with Norton I have found and I will never buy again I am only using it because I paid for it

 

[Max Peck]

I Have MSE and Norton 360 there are a Lot of falls with Norton I have found and I will never buy again I am only using it because I paid for it

Take the loss and dump the Norton product off your system. You'll be glad you did.

Personally, I think the A/V market has become just like the market for pharmaceuticals. They create diseases so they can sell pills. For many years I wondered if Symantec, McAffee and others were quietly paying hackers to write code that breaks their products so they could sell more of them. Tell me it ain't so!

-Max

 

[Max Peck]

Now, if they started offering systems with unformatted HDDs and a win 7 install iso with drivers slipstreamed to a bootable flash drive.. it would almost make up for the defective hardware they recently got caught selling.

Agreed. Every time I buy a system I always wind up rebuilding it without the crapware that came with the box anyway. I bought this Dell last November and tried using it for awhile with just the factory install. Worked "OK" for awhile but after a month or two I started having driver issues, etc. Reformatted and reloaded it myself leaving out McAffee and the other vendor junk. Installed all my development tools and everything else I use. The box has been solid-as-a-rock since.

By the same token, though ... I can understand that most people don't understand how to do that so they have to sell the systems to be usable "out of the box". They just need to not include all the crapware. However ... putting that stuff on them makes 'em money.

I could probably make a business of "fixing the box" for people. You go buy your system at Best Buy (or Dell or wherever) then come over here and I'll rebuild it so it works.

-Max