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Other => General Topics => Topic started by: Avastfan1 on July 19, 2009, 05:50:48 PM

Title: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 19, 2009, 05:50:48 PM: Hello Forum,

What other regular scans would YOU recommend?

- Avast boot time scan
- MBAM complete scan
- SAS complete scan
- HJT log (and analysis on www.hijackthis.de)
- Spybot Scan
- Secunia OSI online scan

All of these say my PC is clean.

Would you scan in Window$ safe-mode? Or is it wiser to scan in regular mode with an administrator account?

Thanks in advance! Would really appreciate your thoughts, ideas, comments or criticism.

Avastfan1
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: bob3160 on July 19, 2009, 06:01:38 PM: Unless I was having a problem with my system, I wouldn't waste my time running any of the scans.
Using good browsing habits and having all the security software in place is enough to keep my system safe on an ongoing basis. :)
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: DavidR on July 19, 2009, 06:07:50 PM: No other scans or you really are becoming a slave to your system rather than it serving you.

I wouldn't do an HJT scan unless there was a specific problem and need to check if something might be running, unlikely given the number of scanners you have.

Personally I would get rid of spybot, if MBAM and SAS don't find it I doubt spybot would find anything.

Secunia is a once in a blue moon scan for me as I keep my system up to date, usually monitoring the << Updates >> topic in the forum helps.
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 19, 2009, 07:42:16 PM: Gents,

Thanks for the replies. Very good points regarding a symptoms-based approach.

If you were to scan, would you do it in safe mode? Or rather in normal mode from an administrators account?

Thanks

Avastfan1

PS: The updates thread on this board is also my 'Secunia' :-)
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: Marc57 on July 19, 2009, 07:43:33 PM: It's not a scan, But I always recommend Spywareblaster to help keep a system clean.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/index.html

As for the scan, If it's just a weekly scan, use normal mode, If you think you have a problem, use normal mode, But if that doesn't find anything, Then think about a safe mode scan. (Except MBAM)
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: YoKenny on July 19, 2009, 07:47:38 PM: MBAM should only be run in Normal mode as its needed drivers do not load in Safe mode.

From what I read about MBAM it should be run from the Administraor account and each User's account only if it is experiencing a problem.
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: RZPogi on July 19, 2009, 07:59:00 PM: Usually I do those once a week except for spybot and secunia. I hate spybot's 100% cpu usage when scanning. secunia maybe once a month after installing MS updates.
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: Lisandro on July 19, 2009, 08:25:33 PM: Too much noise imho...
I'll keep only MBAM for a second opinion.
Secunia from time to time.
Spyware Blaster as immunization.
A firewall (Windows at least).
Nothing more.
Oh, avast of course.
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: YoKenny on July 20, 2009, 05:26:26 AM: Quote from: RZPogi on July 19, 2009, 07:59:00 PM
Usually I do those once a week except for spybot and secunia. I hate spybot's 100% cpu usage when scanning. secunia maybe once a month after installing MS updates.
I gave up on Spybot S&D about a year ago as it never found anything on my system and like you say it is a system resource hog when the scan runs.
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: CharleyO on July 20, 2009, 05:48:52 PM: ***

Well, if you are practicing safe hex and your main av program is doing it's job correctly, no scans should find anything harmful regardless of whatever the other scanning program happens to be used. It is unfair to the OP and/or other programs to single out the ones you do not like. Otherwise, there is no need for any other security programs on your computer other than your main av program.

***
Title: Re: What would YOU recommend?
Post by: Lisandro on July 20, 2009, 08:48:00 PM: Quote from: YoKenny on July 20, 2009, 05:26:26 AM
I gave up on Spybot S&D about a year ago as it never found anything on my system and like you say it is a system resource hog when the scan runs.
Feel the same...