firewall and housekeeping question

hmc

hi, it appears i have windows firewall with advanced security and mcafee internet security(dont know if that one is a trial offer as new pc). i also have rappor i think from natwest. cant find if aol has anything on here
could anyone please advise if this is enough . and do i need to do anything with them or do they scan themselves?

also could someone please tell me,or point me in the right direction of what general housekeeping i should do.
id like to keep this lappy running quicker than the last did
thankyou very much:j

dogmaryxx

Possibly consider the following although others will offer alternatives/additional

Download free version of AVAST, AVIRA or MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS and save to desktop.

Uninstall Mcafee (Useless)
Use the MCAFEE REMOVAL TOOL

Install selected anti virus

Download and install MALWAREBYTES
(Use whenever you want but remember to update each time before running)

Download and install CCleaner
(Untick Yahoo Toolbar option)
(Use as required)

Delete selected av download from Desktop

Download Firefox browser and add NoScript extension as alternative to IE for safer surfing

rrf494g

big questions for a thread.

First place I would go (as it sounds like you've got windows of some sort ) is to go to the security centre page. Perhaps via "control panel". See what windows is telling you about virus and firewall protection. If windows is not hopping mad at something, you are probably ok while you pick up a bit more techie experience.

You are right to be concerned from the start about slow running laptops, as it seems to me that every program you load wants to be permenantly in memory and run the show. Nowadays, they also want to bring their friends in too, and as alliances grow between software and hardware companies, each new load brings programs you never heard of (perhaps 30 days trial versions). Before long everything runs at a snails pace. So . . . the bad news is you have to learn a bit about how to spot what is running all the time/ some of the time, and how to control it.

The second thing to learn about is how to clean out files that just constantly grow and track everything you do on the computer - and there are lots of them. Your disk may have lots of space, but even so, constantly going to dispersed tracking files can slow you down a lot too.

On the first point (what's running when you don't need it), I would start by getting (free downloads) "processexplorer" and "startupControl". Learn to use these programs. Take control.

On the second point (clean-up logging files) I would get the free download for "Wipe" from Privicyroot.com. It's unfortunate but true, I think, that to keep a laptop (or PC) sweet running, needs some techie skills from someone.

I use all the above a lot, and have not had any problems with them on Windows XP. (service pack3)

When you can control your laptop I would look at choosing the best (for you) of virus control, firewall and malware destruction. There are endless threads about these, and Nerdy types really care -BUT- there are good free ones (which I use) and good paid-for ones (like Mcaffee).
I hope this gives you a start.
regards

hmc

thankyou for the pointers
i already have the cc cleaner downloaded as i had this on old lappy. windows says it is happy with my protection.
what i did before was pay the local comp man to take it away and clean it up now and then.
so it sounds like the windows firewall stuff isnt enough. i will get reading and pick one of the free ones,though reading martins notes he says the windows one could be good enough? defender i think it is
thankyou

Richie-from-the-Boro

hmc wrote: »

hi, it appears i have windows firewall with advanced security and mcafee internet security(dont know if that one is a trial offer as new pc). i also have rappor i think from natwest. cant find if aol has anything on here
could anyone please advise if this is enough . and do i need to do anything with them or do they scan themselves?

also could someone please tell me,or point me in the right direction of what general housekeeping i should do.
id like to keep this lappy running quicker than the last one did
thankyou very much:j

Well .. .. .. I wouldn't start from where you are that's for sure. You already have three programmes fighting against each other causing you problems - ask yourself this : Why are they free, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck - its a duck !

- tell people what O/S you are on, it helps structure their reply's to you

- McAfee / AOL & Rapport are totally useless products
- McAfee is as dogmaryxx says a big pig use the URL h/she gave in #2 to get rid of it
- McAfee is not free it will ask for money in about 28 days
- I disagree with dogmaryxx only in that you do not need Malwarebytes
- I do agree with dogmaryxx on Ccleaner use the URL h/she gave in #2 get it and use it its benign but effective
- Rapport is an anti~keylogger and totally useless and slows your machine, want more info ask me !

You are correct in saying that windows firewall is not enough and if Martin [ I have not read it ] says that Windows firewall is enough he badly needs to review his slack advice to this board. Get Microsoft Security Essentials from here put it on and its all you need have running [ assuming you are getting all your Microsoft updates ]

The info from rrf494g thinks McAfee is a "" good paid for thing "" so I make no comment other than based on this sentence please do not do anything h/she advises, wait for other opinions do not just take mine, but do not take the advice h/she gives till other people on antique computers that are no longer supported can vrify the efficacy of the programmes h/she recommends.

Now to the msconfig which as you already use Ccleaner you will know is part of Ccleaner, list the items that are in the startup section of msconfig, many of them are not required and can safely be disabled but you will need to tell the group what's in there.

Schrodingers_Cat_2

hmc wrote: »

hi, it appears i have windows firewall with advanced security and mcafee internet security(dont know if that one is a trial offer as new pc). i also have rappor i think from natwest. cant find if aol has anything on here
could anyone please advise if this is enough . and do i need to do anything with them or do they scan themselves?

also could someone please tell me,or point me in the right direction of what general housekeeping i should do.
id like to keep this lappy running quicker than the last did
thankyou very much:j

Ignore what others say.....Mcaffee on its own is just fine. You then don't need windows firewall ( useless ) running. Incidentally you get Mcafee free with BT Internet.

Mcafee has its own maintenance tool. But personally for really good housekeeping I use System Mechanic. Costs about £15 a year but is well worth it.

Schrodingers_Cat_2

Lol....i love the way some totally unheard of anti virus that one has to 'remember' to update every time before use is better than McAfee.

hmc

oh blimey everyone says different lol

Schrodingers_Cat_2

hmc wrote: »

thankyou for the pointers
i already have the cc cleaner downloaded as i had this on old lappy. windows says it is happy with my protection.
what i did before was pay the local comp man to take it away and clean it up now and then.
so it sounds like the windows firewall stuff isnt enough. i will get reading and pick one of the free ones,though reading martins notes he says the windows one could be good enough? defender i think it is
thankyou

A word of advice on security.....never ever ever download any 'security' software that someone gives in a link in a post on a forum. Always find the web link yourself independantly.

Richie-from-the-Boro

BTW Windows Defender is now an integral part of Microsoft Security Essentials

Defraggler is ok get it only from here and run once a week
Get and install this from here and you will be able to play any Music / Video
Get this and install this from here and you will be able to burn any CD / DVD

Now you really do not need any other stuff tying up cycles your nice new lappie !

Schrodingers_Cat_2

hmc wrote: »

oh blimey everyone says different lol

I work in I.T

Every network I've ever worked on has used Mcafee security. If it's good enough for them...it should be good enough for you.

By way....a word of general advice. People have this habit of making their PC 'user name' their real life name. That's great if you want Netbios displaying your RL name across the internet ( one can disable Netbios.....most don't know how ) to every address you log into and to every hacker on the planet........and if you want your RL name as author on every document or pic or whatever that you ever send even on anonymous sites !

But......if you think you ever once might want anonimity....call your username Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia or something.