best free anti virus

[Blue Hills]

[QUOTE 2795876, member: 9609"]Another Avast user here, I also enhance it with NoScript (although I mainly use this to filter out adverts) it is good in stopping unwanted stuff running when visiting unknown sites.[/quote]
What's "No script" Reiver.

Can it block stuff you need?

Is it safe itself (I'm kind of assuming it's free).

Does it let you know what it's doing?

 

[Blue Hills]

Will MSE continue support for XP after April 2014?

I guess some of the antivirus/firewalls will continue as there's still a lot of us out here.

I don't know but isn't it sort of irrelevant since there won't be any Msoft updates to plug sercurity holes?

A drag - my XP PC is running fine now despite its low rating (mainly because I switched to the low load MSE) - so I'll have to buy a new PC for no good reason - at least I can avoid this madness/blatant con with my bikes though of course the bike industry is doing its best to go the same way.

 

[mustang1]

Some linux distro? (shrugs)

 

[MontyVeda]

I don't know but isn't it sort of irrelevant since there won't be any Msoft updates to plug security holes?

A drag - my XP PC is running fine now despite its low rating (mainly because I switched to the low load MSE) - so I'll have to buy a new PC for no good reason - at least I can avoid this madness/blatant con with my bikes though of course the bike industry is doing its best to go the same way.

I suspect an XP machine will run fine without the MS updates... as long as it's protected by a firewall and decent anti virus.

 

[Over The Hill]

Since I have had three computers all on windows 7 pre installed I have had nothing extra on there. What it comes with seems to deal with everything and I have had no problems. I am not a tech bod so this may be dangerous but I sort of went with the thought that they have sold me a package of hardware and software (windows and office all pre installed) so it is looking after security too.

I have had issues in the past with add on systems upsetting the pre-installed stuff.

 

[MontyVeda]

[QUOTE 2796953, member: 9609"]I often wonder if using older systems may be safer, for example criminals won't be spending a fortune building software to target win98 users - the latest software may be the most risky as it will be full of holes.[/quote]
if all the XP updates are really still plugging security holes... after 12 years... something must be seriously wrong. Before i had a genuine copy of XP I had all the updates turned off. Then my geeky brother told me how insecure my system must be (in spite of having decent AV and a firewall) and I reluctantly started getting the updates. I'd had no viruses before i allowed the updates and had none after (the odd bit of adware got through but ho hum) ... I don't see any improvement or increased security as a result of these so-called MS security updates.. maybe they're actually national security updates???

 

[MontyVeda]

[QUOTE 2796945, member: 9609"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NoScript

Like all good powerful medicines, it does have one or two unwanted side effects.

Many web sites use content from lots of other sources, noScript allows you to choose what you allow, for instance with CChat, I allow all of CC but block the content from Google-Analytics and vigLink. What ever these two scripts do every time you visit the page are unnecessary. CC is very good with having only two outside add-ons, some sites can have up to 20, who knows what half of them are doing.

You basically set up white-lists for all-of, or parts-of sites you regularly visit. So basically all the sites you regularly visit remain as normal. But you do need to remember when surfing new sites that if the page is not working properly, you need to turn on all or some of the elements. (its quick to do when you get used to it)

Even on sites that you trust, you can disable annoying adverts - a good example of this would be a site I use to play Chess on, an excellent site but does sometimes use irritating adverts, noScript can disable just the advert!

I have used it for a few years and really like it, but I can certainly see how others would find it a real pain.[/quote]

this is a cracking plug-in.... took me a while to realise that i had to allow cyclechat.co.uk as well as .net to get the editor back to normal, but other than that, it's simple and intuitive enough for even a blonde to use!

cheers Reiver!

 

[Blue Hills]

if all the XP updates are really still plugging security holes... after 12 years... something must be seriously wrong. Before i had a genuine copy of XP I had all the updates turned off. Then my geeky brother told me how insecure my system must be (in spite of having decent AV and a firewall) and I reluctantly started getting the updates. I'd had no viruses before i allowed the updates and had none after (the odd bit of adware got through but ho hum) ... I don't see any improvement or increased security as a result of these so-called MS security updates.. maybe they're actually national security updates???

Interesting stuff from folks here and above about XP still being safe come April 14 - would be interested in other views.

 

[MontyVeda]

i wonder if one of the final XP updates from MS will install an annoying pop up saying "XP is no longer supported... click here to upgrade to the latest version of windows" every time I turn on my PC???

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Microsoft Security Essentials

I've never heard of it or used it, but jumping on the bandwagon it must be good so I recommend it

 

[Blue Hills]

By coincidence, this: saw it on BBC digital text so went looking.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25152328.

I went on to MS to look for security updates but it showed nothing.

 

[Blue Hills]

Worrying piece here on MSE:

http://www.howtogeek.com/173291/

By the way, er, that post of mine above about that XP issue - I read the piece too fast - there wasn't an immediate security update so that's why my running of of Windows update found nowt.
You were supposed to, I now realise, do a workaround.
I didn't and am now pretty sure that it's that exploit which earlier this week disabled my XP machine - so this is being typed on a new Windows 8.1 machine.
Shouldn't MSE have stopped this?

The only good thing is that old XP machine is startable in safe mode so that I can at least get at files on it and copy them off.

 

[cyberknight]

Gievn up on MSE, keeps disabling itself because it will not download updates .

 

[Blue Hills]

Gievn up on MSE, keeps disabling itself because it will not download updates .

Can't that be a sign of a virus?

You installed something else?

Did it find anything?

all working OK?

 

[ASC1951]

Given up on MSE, keeps disabling itself because it will not download updates .

That must be user error, I'm afraid. It has worked faultlessly for me with XP for several years and I am no geek (hence still on XP).