An Update from Snowth (and a Public Opinion Needed)

[MartyMuppets]

I know enough about them to use the internet and to handle the virus protection system I bought at a computer shop (Trend Micro PC-cillin) but otherwise I'm illiterate about computers. Sorry Snowth. I wish you good luck in finding out about the advice you need from somewhere.

 

[Luke]

Well, this IS one of the off-topic boards.

Yea but Off Topic at a Muppet Forum is like "The Gobots Are Making A Comeback" threads, you'd get the best advice from a specialist forum where people talk virusware 24/7 and can look at your log files etc. IMO, AVG Free (with latest updates) is fine for the average user and it seems it did its job for you. It's not having a firewall that let you down, they wouldn't have been able to get into your computer in the first place if you had one. Oh yeah - and get some anti spyware stuff like Adaware or Spybot Search and Destroy (both free). Manually uninstalling those trogans may not have completely erased them and something like that will pick it up and get rid of it.

 

[MuppetsRule]

Definetely agree with Luke and download Adaware and Spybot! They are a must. And make sure you have a good firewall. A good inexpensive antivirus program is Computer Associates EZ Antivirus.

 

[Beauregard]

I have AVG Free and it's worked fine for me for years...either that or my computer is falling apart at the seams and I just don't know it. Either way, I'm happy.

That's all.

Beau

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, I'm still having some problems with Internet Explorer, even after I did as instructed by downloading the setup files (it takes forever to open, and it's kind of bogged down), so I'm sure there's still some traces of Spyware on my computer (if that's the case, I'm surprised none of my passwords have been modified by now), so I'll have to have it checked out tomorrow.

I'm definitely going with Kaspersky, I can't update my AVG because the Trojans corrupted the files that enable me to reboot in Safe Mode, and I'll be sure to have a Firewall put on!

 

[MrsPepper]

USE ANOTHER BROWSER. Go download Mozilla Firefox right now. It's free, has built-in pop-up blockers (so you don't have to add toolbars that slow down your computer) and doesn't crash nearly as easily as Internet Explorer. I ALWAYS have problems with Internet Explorer, no matter what computer I'm on.

I've used Panda before, and it makes my computer VERY slow at startup. It takes programs a very long time to open as well. I don't know what else to suggest in it's place but this is my experience with it.

 

[D'Snowth]

I've used Firefox before, didn't like it.

 

[redBoobergurl]

I used to not like Firefox either, but I agree with Mrs. P, it's better than IE and just takes a little getting used to.

 

[D'Snowth]

That's just it, I COULDN'T get used to it! It's like if Americans suddenly had to stop using inches, miles, pounds, and Farenheit, and start using centimeters, kilometers, grams, and Celcius, or vice-versa.

 

[Luke]

I'm definitely going with Kaspersky, I can't update my AVG because the Trojans corrupted the files that enable me to reboot in Safe Mode, and I'll be sure to have a Firewall put on!

It sounds to me like you'll have problems continually unless you do a complete reformat of your PC. Too many corrupt system files and it messes everything up from there on, so its worth having a clean start. Then once you got all your new protection stuff you won't have to do it again.

Realistically your MC or other general site passwords arent what you need to worry about - its credit card details and ISP logins, paypal or bank logins. Anything like that, change em quick from another PC.