Should I Buy Anti-Spyware or Anti-Virus Software? - Comments Page 3

I have been virus-free for years running the Trendmicro Internet security suite. Have just migrated to the ZoneAlarm ver 6 Internet Security suite due to Trendmicro quirkiness and found it to be far superior in terms of resource usage, firewall effectiveness and sophistication of email spam handling. I believe the ZA antivirus is the same CA product you advocated. Abandoned Symantec products years ago due to poor support and major system problems traced to their software.
My antispam approach is Microsoft plus Spysweeper, Spybot S&D and Adaware that are used only in a weekly scan of the system.

I'm a freeware fan: still have Win98SE, with free AVG constant in background, and free ZA firewall. I also run free A-squared every few days, and free spybot-s&d every few weeks. AVG must let the trojans and venomous cookies through, that A-squared finds. Very, very rarely do I find anything with spybot, which has escaped A-squared. Go A-squared !!
However, I'm going to replace 2GB HDD with 80GB one; just as soon as I get a round toowit! I'll then use MSft's XP and MS Anti-spy, keeping A-squared too of course. I'm also considering X-RayPC tool, and checking if I'll need ZA in addition to XP's buil-in firewall. I will NEED 80GB with all that!!

I have been using eTrust EZAntivirus since it was totally free and I suppose I was testing it, although I wasn't aware of it at the time. However, even though I have to pay for it annually, I still trust it 100% and I let it update itself automatically whenever it wants to.

I also use Spyware Blaster, SpyBot and the free Ad-Aware. Each of them seems to do their own thing, although Spyware Blaster is the only one running in memory that I can determine. I run the other two on a daily basis early in the morning and clear out anything they suggest I should.

ZoneAlarm rounds out my protection and although it is an older version, I prefer it to other later versions because several of them have nasty issues with them.

I didn't see any postings regarding the McAfee Online Virus Scan and McAfee Firewall Express that come with AOL 9.0 Optimized SE Broadband at no extra charge. I havn't had any problems whatsoever.

Microsoft is working on a comprehensive program that will do all of these functions -virus, firewall,and adware checks - in one package called something Live. I believe it is now in a public Beta which allows one to try it out at no cost. I don't know who has had the opportunity to try this out, but it might become a good alternative if priced correctly.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's called Windows OneCare, and you can see it at http://www.windowsonecare.com/ -- I think the service will be part of the new Vista OS.

My computer is at the law end and any resident anti virus program slowdowns it. Virtually all antivirus programs are great slow-downers and Norton Anti Virus probably the strongest slow-downer among all. So I prefer the anti virus programs that are not insist to be resident and that I may run manually. So far I have not been infected more than 20 years. I simply use text mail and open attachments only after checking it.

Free Avast works great for me. Free Microsoft Anti Spyware is also good. One word of caution about Spybot S&D. There were documented cases with Spybot false alarm for very widespread and popular Inno Setup installer that many small companies use to pack their programs. Now they fixed this, however it means that SpyBot was not due tested before the release.

Onecare is in beta and I have it on one of my computers. Haven't really pushed it to see if it's worthy of paying for but it's a no-brainer program. updates automatically and reminds you to back-up regularly. Ewido, AVG and MS anti-spy are my favorites right now. IE 7 will be good for phishing problems. The beta 1 I have has already found a couple of sites.
I have run AVG after running Norton several times on different systems and AVG has always found things that Norton couldn't.

I bought Trend Micro's PC-cillin Internet Security Suite 2005. It was garbage. It allowed a worm in that had been in their database for at least 2 years. I found it by accident. Their scanner never once picked it up. Their 'fix' didn't work. Their Tech Support (Level 2 or 3) couldn't do anything about it. Their anti-spyware is a joke; it never found anything. Their security check is also a joke; it never recognized that i don't have SP2 installed. As a result, they've given me a free year of service, as if i would ever install that hot mess back onto my PC.
I was using Avast Antivirus, and SensiveGuard's Firewall as freebie protection until i found a new security suite, but i've decided to keep and use them both exclusively. Avast updates almost daily. It even tells you if you have corrupted software, and where the corruption is; Trend Micro didn't do that. Both products are easily configured to your liking. SensiveGuard's firewall (which no one else has mentioned here) offers more configuration options than free Zone Alarm does, and it seems to work really well.
I use both Spybot S & D and Ad-Aware SE, and i have SpySweeper through MSN. I like all three, and use all three (not at the same time). Of the three, it seems like Spybot finds the most, but each one seems to pick up something the others didn't pick up from time to time. I also use a SpoofStick just in case i've been redirected to a site that's not the one i think i'm on. SpoofStick lets you know exactly what site you are on.

I,as do several others who commented,use a multi-layed defence system. XP home firewall (a router would be even better); AVG runs every morning 3:00AM ; Ad-Aware; Ewido ; and Prevx.
Of course the most important thing is to use common sense and reasonable care. What do you think of Ewido and Prevx if you have tried them.

Have Norton Internet Security, dumped all but the antivirus. Run ZoneAlarm and Spyware Blaster constantly in background. Bi-monthly checks with Ad-Aware and Spybot, usually don't find much. Monthly runs with Registry Mechanic works well for me to. So far no problems for years with this combo!