The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space

Avatar

Please consider registering
guest

sp_LogInOut Log In sp_Registration Register

Register | Lost password?
sp_Search Search
Advanced Search
Advanced Search

— Forum Scope —




— Match —





— Forum Options —





Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters

sp_Search Search
Go to Bottom
No permission to create posts
sp_Feed Topic RSS sp_TopicIcon
Spybot
Sun 4-Apr-10
6:48 pm
Avatar
Toffeeapple
North Bucks

Members

Moderators
Forum Posts: 16337
Member Since:
Tue 22-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
1sp_Permalink sp_Print

Does anyone here have this on their computer, or anything similar?  It was suggested to me that my computer might be running slowly due to spy/mal ware and the thing to do is download Spybot.  Not being a boffin, I'm reluctant to do anything without referral.  Your input would be appreciated. Cheers

I'll try that again!

Mon 5-Apr-10
9:52 am
Avatar
tascar
Plelauff, Brittany, France

Senior Class
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 29
Member Since:
Mon 15-Feb-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite sp_Facebook
Go to Top
2sp_Permalink sp_Print

Hi TA, I use ad-aware and have been using it for years, I turn off the real time monitor as it can slow the system at times, I just run a check once a week and its clears any unwanted files, but you can set it to schedule it to run when you want it to.

 Hope this helps.

Mon 5-Apr-10
10:07 am
Avatar
Danny
Scarborough, England
Admin
Forum Posts: 5516
Member Since:
Sat 12-Aug-06
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite sp_Facebook
Go to Top
3sp_Permalink sp_Print

Hi TA - no, I do not know about Spybot but I have just done some reading up on t'Internet and it seems to be a good thing in general.

Slow running can indeed be sometimes caused by unwanted stuff running in the background but there could also be harmless reasons.

If you install something like Spybot, the results could possibly be a little baffling for the non-technical minded. I hope it has a means of highlighting only the really important stuff so that you can ignore the rest of the list.

Do you have any ant-virus software installed? Or a software firewall?

Never knowingly underfed

Mon 5-Apr-10
10:51 am
Avatar
elrohana
North West Leeds, UK

Knowledegable
Members
Forum Posts: 275
Member Since:
Mon 28-Dec-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
4sp_Permalink sp_Print

Hi TA, my t'other half (IT person) have also used Ad-aware for years.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.

Mon 5-Apr-10
7:54 pm
Avatar
mike.
Coventry

Councillor
Members
Forum Posts: 1265
Member Since:
Wed 30-Dec-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite sp_Facebook
Go to Top
5sp_Permalink sp_Print

I used Spybot for years on my old computer - like tascar I turned off the real time monitor, not just to stop it slowing the system down but because it could throw up lots of warnings about programmes changing system settings. I'd recommend running a scan every week or so.

Visit my blog for food, drink, photography and hamsters.

Mon 5-Apr-10
8:25 pm
Avatar
tascar
Plelauff, Brittany, France

Senior Class
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 29
Member Since:
Mon 15-Feb-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite sp_Facebook
Go to Top
6sp_Permalink sp_Print

I recommend ad-aware for the malware and avast for the anti virus. Both are free and both work very well, set up your firewall as well and nothing will get through unless you make that choice.

Main thing is the word FREE, they are both supported very well so I can't see why anyone would pay for something like Norton.

These are good products that have served me for years, can't always say the same for Windows, yes I'm on Vista but the support is a bit iffy at times and the updates are very iffy, just had one, 1st April that screwed my system for three days till I found out it had screwed my WiFi mouse, removed it and system now Ok.

Sorry for going off on one but at times Windows have a lot to take on board.

ad-aware and avast I have found are great and free, try them both worth using. 

Mon 5-Apr-10
10:33 pm
Avatar
Toffeeapple
North Bucks

Members

Moderators
Forum Posts: 16337
Member Since:
Tue 22-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
7sp_Permalink sp_Print

Thanks guys.  Still confused though.  I'll get back to you on this one, it needs some TA thinking time.  Yawn

I'll try that again!

Tue 6-Apr-10
11:36 am
Avatar
Toffeeapple
North Bucks

Members

Moderators
Forum Posts: 16337
Member Since:
Tue 22-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
8sp_Permalink sp_Print

Danny said:

Do you have any ant-virus software installed? Or a software firewall?

I think so, I have AVG Security that I pay for, Google Chrome seems to have a firewall too.  I clicked on a blog today that I've visited previously and Chrome warned me that I might harm my computer if I continued, so that seems to be useful.  Do I need more protection?  Confused

I'll try that again!

Tue 6-Apr-10
8:32 pm
Avatar
devongarden
Devon, UK

Councillor
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 1294
Member Since:
Thu 7-Jan-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite
Go to Top
9sp_Permalink sp_Print

TA, I used adaware and AVG free edition when I used a PC.  Clam-win (not sure if it has a hyphen or not) was the last one I used, and I think was good and easy - I am NOT an IT person, and tend to depend on offspring to keep me on the right lines with computers. Whistle Sometimes using more than one av at the same time causes problems.

I now have a Mac, and use ClamXav. DS recently installed an adblocker on Firefox, which cuts out all the annoying ads on hotmail and a lot of them on other sites. Laugh

Wed 7-Apr-10
2:37 pm
Avatar
Toffeeapple
North Bucks

Members

Moderators
Forum Posts: 16337
Member Since:
Tue 22-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
10sp_Permalink sp_Print

Thank you for your input Barbara, I shall wait until my daughter returns from North Carolina before I do anything, she is far more knowledgeable than I. 

I'll try that again!

No permission to create posts
sp_Feed All RSS
Go to top
Forum Timezone: Europe/London

Most Users Ever Online: 767

Currently Online:
28 Guest(s)

Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Top Posters:

brightspark: 10532

danast: 10232

Aly: 9516

Sooliz: 8084

Hattie: 6920

Ambersparkle: 6699

JoannaS: 4800

Terrier: 4518

eileen54: 4424

Hannah: 4231

Member Stats:

Guest Posters: 10

Members: 16141

Moderators: 2

Admins: 2

Forum Stats:

Groups: 6

Forums: 25

Topics: 2271

Posts: 123052

Newest Members:

EulaMoris, lynnmarie, Yelsy, Janice, xxtabsxx, Nician

Moderators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10

Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516


Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder      Our Privacy Policy      Advertise on Cottage Smallholder