What AV/Malware for a new install?

Have a woman who works for me who bought a computer three years ago at Best Buy and had the GeeqSkwad install her Vista for her.

The bloody thing has never worked properly... she's gotten maybe 20 hours on the thing in the whole time she's had it, most of which was farting about trying to make it work.

I am thinking of wiping the drive and re-installing her Vista on it solely for the purpose of migrating to WIN7 via an upgrade.

My question is what malware preventative programs I should also install for her besides installing a copy of CA Antivirus.

I have had Microsoft Essentials recommended but it seems to prevent use of some of my favourite Malware programs (SuperAnti Spyware, Malware Bytes and the like) and I don't like putting all my begs in one "ask-it ", so I thought I'd ask here for the general "champion" programs I can install for her.

 

Here's my two penneth: I look after several peoples computers and by far the most pickled with malware were the ones from a neighbour. That all stopped since I migrated them to windows 7, installed Microsoft Security Essentials, free SAS and MBAM. The real step forward though, I think, was installing Firefox and including AdBlock Plus, MyWOT and NoScript (switched off, only providing XSS prevention). On top of that I set them up with OpenDNS.

I'm not affiliated with these products in any way but they compliment each other well. I also explained that most of the stuff they were getting was from P2P and that helped.

I stopped short of a restricted account because of his protestations, but that would have been ideal.

Never had trouble with MSE and SAS or MBAM though.

HTH

 

Most important is your friends skill set and basic concerns with security. If she likes to get involved with her computer, specialized security apps may provide an advantage, but require extra time and attention. A program such as Microsoft Essentials can provide "as good or better" if individual has no interest in security tools.

 

No idea as to her skill levels but she's pretty level-headed so I hope a warning on the evils of P2P and other idiocies will suffice.... still, the more locks on the door the fewer entries. Will also set up Comodo for her.

Thanks!

 

Could just ask her what she wants to do / use.
Many of us here have travel roads from "Care free to Paranoid" when it comes to security. I continue to to use multiple layers, but I have moved to less "daily upkeep ". Traded Comodo in for Windows build-in firewall, left AVG for Avast and setup my NAT/SPI router with OpenDNS / network filtering/Domain service. Our family network will support 3 to 10 connections on any given day / 20 hours a day ... and not a problem due we have. All of the immediate family computers also have Acronis boot drive image backups. Have accepted the fact Utopia does not live in the world of surf and burn, but I do not want to rebuild Rome on a daily basis.

 

Anyone else is welcome to add their own "two penneth ", but I think I've got a decent suite of stuff to keep her (censored anatomical portion) save for a while!

Thanks for all the fish... I mean, suggestions!

 

I have a questions pertaining to this post.
Is Microsoft Security Essentials a full security system or is it safer to install other systems such as SAS or MBAM & how would I accomplish this w/o any problems? Also, how would I know if I have any P2P on my system & how would I get rid of them?

Thanks for any help & I hope I am doing this right.

 

Not intending to start any fireworks, but I think I read recently that CA is drastically restructuring. Also, it is one of the most poorly rated AV softwares in most of the tests.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100406/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_ca_restructuring

 

That's good to know! (Well, maybe NOT so good in the long run...)

I can only think (along with you, if I take your meaning correctly) that the reduction in force and consolidation will result in a less focused-on-purpose organization that will REALLY be concerned with keeping their jobs over customer service and AV preventions. We've seen this happen often in the past and, "to attempt the same endeavour with a similar structure and expect a different result is tantamount to insanity ". (Unless one is a Lawyer, of course...)

So, failing CA (expecting the worst) and Norton as viable candidates, any firm suggestions? I don't like AVAST too much - the GUI is hard for the average user to navigate; AVG is a real loser since the last release and Kaspersky is a bit pricey. (Picky little buggar I am then, innt?)

(That's really disappointing... I've trusted CA for several years to be a 'stand-up' app!)

I'd like to hear suggestions as to other AV's... pros and cons. Free or paid, although free wins...

Thanks to all for their great comments and replies!

 

You might want to look around AV-Comparatives.org and see what they say about several AVs.

 

Thank you, Sir... I shall do so!

 

You're doing this exquisitely, and IMO (which is certainly open to correction) you CAN install MBAM along with MS/SE. I've had no problems with this on WIN XP SP3, but the (probable) best advice is to install and set up/update whatever AVS and MALWARE preventers you wish, THEN install and set up MS/SE... if there are conflicts, it will tel you so and you can then decide on which to keep and which to lose.

I'll let someone else comment on the P2P, but, as a rule, unless YOU INSTALLED A Peer-to-peer on your computer, you're probably shet of this anaethema.




(Anyone?)

(Anyone?)

(Buehler?)

(Buehler?)

 

If the people you are doing this for are not too computer literate, I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. It is a set and forget AV, but seems to be pretty good at detecting and removing threats (and it is free). I also would install the free version of malwarebytes and have them run it once a week or as needed.

 

MS Security is a full protection, both anti-virus and malware. I have been running Windows 7 for roughly one year now using MSES and the built in 7 firewall, plus WOT and Secunia PSI. I do a weekly sweep with Malwarebytes and have never found any threats on my machine at all. Thoroughly recommend it, the updates can be made automatically, usually daily, and never noticed. Perfect for a beginner, free, and trouble free.

Roger

 

Does the term, "Deer In The Headlights ", adequately answer the question?