System Crash - New On-line Safety Wanted

Loobeylou

My system crashed big time just before Easter. The result was that a chap came along and sorted my computer for me, but he had to take everything off and start again.

However, I now realise that I have lost the freebie protection that I previously had. I have downloaded a firewall via AOL, but I did have things like AVG and/or Ad-aware and a system registry which have now all gone.

Can anyone recommend up to date freebie downloads so that I can feel marginally safe whilst surfing and run checkups for cookies and such like?

Links to sites would be appreciated.

Browntoa

AVG is still free and available from

www.grisoft.com

free firewall from

www.sygate.com (personal is free) or www.zonealarm.com

adaware from

www.lavasoft.com

but if you have Xp then download the FREE microsoft anti spyware from

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

as it gives live protection against homepage hijackers etc

Loobeylou

Many thanks Browntoa for responding so quickly - I am actually on quite an old system with Windows ME - the chap who sorted out my computer stated that XP would take a couple of hours to download on my particular system.

Really appreciate your help!

DVB_3

Download what?

Loobeylou

OK sorry - perhaps the wrong use of wording - he stated it would take a couple of hours to put XP on to my particular computing system as I only have Pentium II - that was my understanding of it anyway!

Have looked at the website for Grisoft - it would appear that you get one months trial before purchasing - the previous one I had was a freebie with no option to purchase. Have they stopped doing the total freebie now?

DVB_3

Loobeylou wrote:

I only have Pentium II

XP installation would've made your pc practically unusable.

Loobeylou

DVB - for what reason - are you able to explain further please?

Browntoa

free grisoft here

http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php

I would stick with Me for now, bit unstable but XP needs more memory/hard disk space

just make sure you use sytem restore from time to time and set up the AVG rescue disks when it asks

Toxteth_OGrady

Loobeylou wrote:

DVB - for what reason - are you able to explain further please?

See here

But with a 300MHz PIII it'll crawl along at a snail's pace. XP is much more CPU and memory intensive than 98/Me.

:cool:

TOG

Loobeylou

Browntoa wrote:

free grisoft here

http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php

I would stick with Me for now, bit unstable but XP needs more memory/hard disk space

just make sure you use sytem restore from time to time and set up the AVG rescue disks when it asks

Being a total computer nerd, can you please explain how to use system restore and AVG rescue disks - any help appreciated.

DVB_3

Loobeylou wrote:

DVB - for what reason - are you able to explain further please?

XP is a very demanding OS and as such needs plenty of resouces. Sometimes it will run slow even on pcs which satisfy minimum hardware requirements, simply because the chipset is too old or graphics card is not accelerating enough. Can you post specs of your pc?