Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: illinoisteve on February 26, 2011, 08:40:53 PM
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I have been doing a reinstall of everything on my Dell Lattitude C640 now running updated XP Pro SP3. I decided to finally try Avast's free antivirus, after considerable years of experience with Avira Antivir, AVG, and some others. The claim of compact update files was especially appealing. So far the scans seem to be faster than what I am used to, as well.
In the past I have nearly always kept one or two antispyware/antimalware programs on my computer too, occasionally running scans to ferret out nasty critters and tracking cookies, etc., that my regular antivirus program wasn't preventing or finding. Usually these additional programs were Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware. In re-setting-up this computer I loaded the current versions of each of these, first Ad-Aware, then Spybot. But during its install Spybot said that Ad-Aware was going to conflict with it. And it might have done something to the Adaware installation, because it wouldn't even launch after that. Having not seen these sort so conflicts before, I uninstalled both programs, and started wondering whether I should now only have one antispyware program, BUT if so, what one? Maybe it should be a different one? Or maybe, with Avast, I won't need one.
So, I appeal to other users of the current Avast free antivirus: Do you also use a free antispyware program? If so, what do you think would be most effective and still not cause conflicts with other programs, including Avast's of course. If you think I don't need an antispyware program, too, perhaps you could explain how or how well Avast's free antivirus is handling those problems, too, better than antivirus programs used to do.
Thanks!
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Or maybe, with Avast, I won't need one.
You found the right answer..!! :)
Nevertheless, you can use Free Mbam for a second opinion.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
asyn
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A lot of people here like Malwarebytes.
I prefer SAS. No problem that I have noticed with AIS using SAS Pro Edition.
MB updates their definitions more often and scans quicker than SAS but I like some of features in SAS that to my knowledge are not in MB so I use it.
Don't know which is better at blocking and finding Malware but SAS does a good enough job at it for me.
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MBAM, SAS (on-demand only)
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Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware are obsolete!
SAS is good if you have malware but Malwarebytes resident (MBAM) with its one time fee is excellent.
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I been with Avast for a few years and I use Spybot and SpywareBlaster, MBAM free as a scanner only and SuperAntiSpyware as a third opinion scanner also MBAM doesn't scan Tracking cookies and Superantispyware does also it has repair itself in case of security center changes, and is only 10mb.....Adaware in my opinion is probably better than Spybot S&D and probably the best out there, I just think it's a very big program probably over 100mb just the download So I find that my Computer is much faster with Spybot S&D...Also with Spybot if I am surfing Safe sites I disable the Tea Timer and the Rsident and just keep it immunized, and still have SpywareBlaster running with Avast Spyware protection ..Also If you do a "custom scan" with Avast and set it to scan Auto Start, Rootkits and Memory, it finds Spybot teatimer as a high risk, although it doesn't delete it, just shows in the report.. So I undo the teatimer and the Rsident when doin a Custom Scan. and it's OK on a regular Scan ...If you use a commercial firewall, although I don't but have tried all of them, and find that they mess up my computer services and make Event viewer errors..And before you know it my computer slows down because they block some programs..Privatefirewall, Filseclab, Outpost, "Comodo firewall only", all go good with Avast, Ashampoo doesn't..Online Armor, I found that if you do a Custom scan with Avast and scan "autostart programs" Avast finds Online Armor a threat and deletes the exe files of Online Armor...But they might have fixed this..Luck and welcome to Avast...
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Adaware in my opinion is probably better than Spybot S&D and probably the best out there
Pretty much anything is better than Spybot, anyway - both of these are just history, long beaten by much better applications. The best out there - for sure not.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-adware-spyware-scumware-remover.htm (http://st Free Adware-Spyware-Scumware Remover)
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May I suggest http://filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/
And http://filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/
Neither one will conflict with avast! Please take a look at all the various signatures for more info on what to use.
And...don't be afraid to ask questions.
AdAware has an anti-virus engine which will conflict with avast!
SpyBot S&D isn't worth the time.
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May I suggest http://filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/
And http://filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/
Neither one will conflict with avast! Please take a look at all the various signatures for more info on what to use.
And...don't be afraid to ask questions.
AdAware has an anti-virus engine which will conflict with avast!
SpyBot S&D isn't worth the time.
Both Ad-Aware an Spybot S&D are not worth the huge hard disk space they consume and are obsolete compared to Malwarebytes.
Nor would I use Advanced System Care free nor stay with IE7 Daris ::)
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Both Ad-Aware an Spybot S&D are not worth the huge hard disk space they consume and are obsolete compared to Malwarebytes.
+1 :)
asyn
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Sorry for any misunderstandings...I was relating more to the FREE anti spyware protection programs...Most people do use Malwarebytes and Superantispyware like me as 2nd or 3rd opinion scanners .and I agree they are awesome but the FREE versions of these doesn't give you any real time protection...And Yes I prefer IE 7 cause I tried IE8 and I am very dissatisfied with it...In my Opinion IE 8 is a very big browser with too much junk and over rated cause they're Microsoft,and too much goes wrong with it...I use IE 7 as a default search engine just so that there is no issues with my Windows programs, And I use the Opera browser 100% of the time when surfing the net....I have tried the IObit Security 360 a few years ago and couldn't get it to work properly....well anyways when I downloaded it Avast found a few trojans...BUT I have been using Advanced System Care for about 4 years now and never had any issues or problems "YET" ...I know that Iobit doesn't have a good reputation..But in my opinion I think that the only good thing that still keeps them around is the Advanced System Care...If they ever screw that up, they would definately be History to the few Users they still have... Sorry for any Inconvenience or misunderstanding to any of my Avast acquaintances but this is just my opinion
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Daris, unfortunatly iobit are still around because silly people keep using there product, superantispyware is a good program but if your only keeping it because it delets tracking cookies (well that is pointless) so does ccleaner, adaware and spybot aren't even worthy of being compaired to superantispyware or malwarebytes. MBAM is by far the best program to run with avast and the $25 fee for life time license is a very small price to pay for the extra realtime protection that it will bring.
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IObit as thieve: http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=33217
NEVER use an IObit product!
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Thanks for all of the responses. I, too, had been under the impression that both Spybot and Adaware were becoming left behind. I know that there was a long stretch of months, some time in the past when Spybot didn't seem to be getting updated. But when I started to redo the setup on this machine I discovered that both of those programs had recent new releases.
I AM mainly considering freeware alternatives, and also, since my hardware is a few years old I am also a bit concerned about bloatware. It seems like Adaware trying to also be an antivirus program could lead to it being in conflict with a regular antivirus program. Also, I wonder whether I should be looking for a spyware/malware fighter that is ONLY as scanner. Are not ones with "active" prevention more likely to conflict with a program like Avast's antivirus which has its own active prevention processes?
I also use CCleaner, so perhaps it is cleaning the tracking cookies, which the earlier antispyware verstions I used would itemize and then zap.
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Thanks for all of the responses. I, too, had been under the impression that both Spybot and Adaware were becoming left behind. I know that there was a long stretch of months, some time in the past when Spybot didn't seem to be getting updated. But when I started to redo the setup on this machine I discovered that both of those programs had recent new releases.
I AM mainly considering freeware alternatives, and also, since my hardware is a few years old I am also a bit concerned about bloatware. It seems like Adaware trying to also be an antivirus program could lead to it being in conflict with a regular antivirus program. Also, I wonder whether I should be looking for a spyware/malware fighter that is ONLY as scanner. Are not ones with "active" prevention more likely to conflict with a program like Avast's antivirus which has its own active prevention processes?
I also use CCleaner, so perhaps it is cleaning the tracking cookies, which the earlier antispyware verstions I used would itemize and then zap.
Superantispyware pro and malwarebytes pro do not conflict with avast but if you only want free stuff then stick with avast free and malwarebytes free which you can update manually and run a scan with once a week, get a decent free firewall since the xp firewall is no good, privatefirewall is good and very light on the system, online armor is very strong and simple but slightly heavyer on system resources, both of these firewall's have a hips monitoring componant.
Yes ccleaner will cleanup any tracking cookies and the new version will do a much better job of cleaning up old registry entries too.
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IObit as thieve: http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=33217
NEVER use an IObit product!
They're crap anyway, but I think all those free download sites ought to remove IObit applications especially Advance System Care which is really a fake system optimizer and scareware, but unfortunately I think they still like to carry it and all the other stuff they really ought to get rid of because they like having the total programs and download numbers statistics and no doubt cynically know that people who download them are likely to eventually download more even after they figure out they are bad... unless they never wise up and are still misguidedly duped into thinking they were actually good!
@ Daris: Hmmm, a multiple program set up after my own heart, but get ride of Advance System Care pronto, try Glary Utilities instead at least which mostly works properly free.
@ OP Certainly a free multiple AV/FW/A-M/A-S security set up can be based on Avast!5 (or now 6) and is a very good idea, personally I prefer that to buying a single full Suite security package or even ever opting for a single free one.
Firstly, I have what I call the "3 A's" of free AVs Avast, Avira & AVG and choose one as resident (Avast since Avast!5, before that usually AVG of the other 2) and have the others for back-up on demand AV scanning for which I also have BitDefender v10 Free, which can only be used for manual scans (I prefer to turn off auto-update and stop its couple of start up processes) I sometimes trial paid AV/AS programs too, but not often.
Secondly, I use either W7 FW or else Online Armour, which is the only good free FW for W7, but I've used it on XP because its FW needs to be replaced although it is heavier than I would like but not as bad as Comodo's FW IMHO. I think Outpost FW might be OK for XP too, I don't like PC Tool's or Ashampoo FWs and I think Zonealarm FW isn't free and I think these are all heavily ad supported. I don't know Private Firewall.
Thirdly, like with AVs I like the idea of a running resident Anti-Malware/Anti-Spyware program backed up by several on-demand manual scanners. I tried PC Tool's Threatfire on both XP and W7, but IMHO it is too scareware fakey for my liking, so I ditched it. I tried Spyware Terminater, which ran fine on XP, but slowed things down on W7 so I turned it into a scanner only, which I have done with Spybot S&D for years (don't use SS&D shield or Tea Timer) but I have been using Lavasoft Ad-Aware Free on W7 and SpywareBlaster as well, but like Daris I avoid using IE like the plague and prefer Opera, but I also use Firefox, Chrome, Apple's Safari for Windows and Comodo Dragon, which is based on Chrome. (I don't like any of the IE based other web browsers, nor Flock, Seamonkey or Gecko based Lunascape 5.) To back up Ad-Aware (and by extension Avast!) I also have Hitman Pro 3.5 Free for scan checking only, never use it to clean, Emsissoft Anti-Malware (formally A2 or a-squared - but it's updates are hugely long, but since it's very good I use it regularly still but less frequently and I wouldn't recommend it for a small or slow connection), Webroot Spy Sweeper and definitely Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware and finally CCleaner to especially get ride of cookies, temporary internet and windows explorer files. I don't like Super Anti Spyware because unless you pay for it I find it quickly becomes malicious, OTOH I've read that MBAM is best not paid for since its resident protection isn't yet effective and not up to it's manual scanning credentials. (I've had Avira report and get rid of SAS free downloads - Avast! ought to do that.)
IME all that seems to work with Avast! including SS&D and ST, but set them both to only be on-demand scanners because SS&D's shield and definitely Tea Timer conflict with Avast and other proper AVs, I'm not sure about Clam AV that comes with ST, but you are best to opt out of it and the Toolbar that comes with ST's shield either of which or both probably conflict with Avast! or any others too. You could have PC Tool's Threatfire, although I don't recommend it or Lavasoft Ad-Aware, which AFAIK doesn't conflict with Avast or the other A's or the B AVs for that matter nor slow down either XP or W7 like Comodo Free AV or MSE.
So by all means keep SS&D and ST for manual scanning with Avast! they still work, but their residency is falling behind, although personally I'd like to see something better than Lavasoft Ad-Aware and especially Threatfire, but I did like Spyware Terminator as well backed-up as I had it supported on XP, used it and AVG for a decade I think, but it didn't play on W7 comfortably, but it is behind Ad-Adware now anyway although not as much as SS&D.
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Saulius i would say that with all the extra scanners you have on your system is major over kill, also dont know where you heard that rubbish the the paid protection of malwarebytes is no good because thats a load of bull#### and if superantispyware became malicious on your system it is more than likely because of all the other crap you have on there.
No point even mentioning threatfire because it is not compatable with avast's behaviour shield, spybot is not recommended as it scanning capabilitys are outdated nowdays, even glary utility's is not recommended because it can mess up your system so is alot safer to use ccleaner and a good defragmenter (defraggler is excellent with boot time defrag included), i dont know to much about spyware terminator these days but a few years ago crawler software was just as bad as iobit's.
I think what has already beem mentioned to the op would be the best to keep his system light fast and well protected imo.
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And Yes I prefer IE 7 cause I tried IE8 and I am very dissatisfied with it...In my Opinion IE 8 is a very big browser with too much junk and over rated cause they're Microsoft,and too much goes wrong with it...I use IE 7 as a default search engine just so that there is no issues with my Windows programs
IE is the basis for all Windows and it is used in Windows Explorer.
Please read Windows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is possible without Windows Explorer running (for example, the File | Run command in Task Manager on NT-derived versions of Windows will function without it, as will commands typed in a command prompt window). It is sometimes referred to as the Windows Shell, explorer.exe, or simply “Explorer”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Explorer
The Benefits of Upgrading to Internet Explorer 8
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/49975.aspx
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Saulius i would say that with all the extra scanners you have on your system is major over kill, also dont know where you heard that rubbish the the paid protection of malwarebytes is no good because thats a load of bull#### and if superantispyware became malicious on your system it is more than likely because of all the other crap you have on there.
No point even mentioning threatfire because it is not compatable with avast's behaviour shield, spybot is not recommended as it scanning capabilitys are outdated nowdays, even glary utility's is not recommended because it can mess up your system so is alot safer to use ccleaner and a good defragmenter (defraggler is excellent with boot time defrag included), i dont know to much about spyware terminator these days but a few years ago crawler software was just as bad as iobit's.
Sorry, yes I should have mentioned STs problems with the Crawler Toolbar bad behaviour - I did recommend not to install that option of ST, AFAIK its OK without it, but I should have emphasized that point, although I don't think it was as bad as IObit AIUI.
Thanks for abusing all my crap, I've had this convo before and yes some may be old, others not perfect but since none are that's why I have several in each category except FW. My be I remember SAS when I had ST shield running or TF (I stopped using TF about the time I started using Avast!5 as my resident AV, but I don't remember a conflict between them) and there could have been a conflicting reason why SAS was malefying, since so many people use it successfully with Avast I might try it again. I'm just trying out Webroot Spy Sweeper for free, but I've read that it doesn't remove items until you pay like Stopzilla so I might drop that but my 3 extra AVs are on-demand scanners, not resident as are most of the Anti-Malware/Anti-Spyware programs. Its like having dozens of games on your system, but only playing one at a time even if many are of the same genre, similar or just old and badly supported. (I'd drop anything that became non-updateable & unsupported.)
I know most people have one each of AV, FW and A-M/A-S, but many like the OP want more than one of the last category to be sure and a few like me go a bit further and have more than one AV, but only one as resident. Each of the 3 free A's AVs easily can be configured or installed as non-resident, so why not, each are highly effective and set up as such I don't have problems, choked resources or horribly long system or browser lags - which do occur with other free AVs and with many paid only AVs and security suites. So yes for the OP Avast with SS&D and Ad-Aware will work, but isn't probably best, personally I think ST is better then SS&D as an old scan only A-S program if one must have an old one, although both that way is fine IME. AD-Aware is still pretty good, but it could be a better program, but it works very well, at least better than SS&D and ST IMHO. One could forgo those two oldies though for sure but I do recommend Emsisoft Anti-Malware (formaly A2/a-squared) Free and as a lot here MBAM free and I'm willing to concede that SAS free might be good too.
Oh, in regard to the protection of paid MBAM I have read a bit and have it in 3 links below, that's not to say that paying for it isn't a completely bad idea because it does purchase auto updates and schedule scans, even if its running protection is lower than its detection performance, but as to whether it is better than Ad-Aware I don't know.
Poor MBAM protection against compressed packages:
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/smb-security/reviews/63922.aspx?p=2
Poor MBAM protection in the comparison charts of this article, esp against keyloggers:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2372369,00.asp
Comments about MBAM, mostly positive as they should be but I'll quote a post from this immediately below:
http://fileforum.betanews.com/review/1186760019/1/view
Quote:
"This program is more a malware removal tool, not a full Anti-Malware product."
That sums up MBAM nicely while the opposite could be said of Comodo, which is their philosophical approach, but I'm not bashing MBAM, its kind of a backhanded compliment. As a malware remover it is the best, but you still need not only an AV and a FW but also more A-M/A-S programs than it alone IMHO. (Check out the charts in the middle link.)
Finally here is a review of Glary's Utilities with other system tune ups including a link for CCleaner, but check out the discussion part below the article, in it they really bash IObit and Advanced System Care. I've always been weary of system tune up programs, especially free except for CCleaner of course. I tried GU briefly but I'm thinking about doing so again even though I use CCleaner, do I really need too?
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-pc-tune-up-utility.htm
@ Daris, I agree with YoKenny, upgrade from IE7 to IE8, it has better protection and why do you really care since you are using Opera 100% of the time, although I think the Windows OS still uses IE for updates even when it is not set as default, same with some other programs too.
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i suggest windows defender (for free resident protection),now it shares most definitions from microsoft security essentials which has been found high in detection in the recent tests conducted by avcomparatives.. many in this forum complain its waste & also interfere's with working of avast. but i never had a problem with it for 4 years..also it notifies u when services/drivers are installed, registry modified and IE page changed!!
it gets updates every week too
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I have to reccomend two of the best products on the market today
and everyday Nick and Marcin great dudes!!
SUPERAntispyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html
Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
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i suggest windows defender (for free resident protection),now it shares most definitions from microsoft security essentials which has been found high in detection in the recent tests conducted by avcomparatives.. many in this forum complain its waste & also interfere's with working of avast. but i never had a problem with it for 4 years..also it notifies u when services/drivers are installed, registry modified and IE page changed!!
it gets updates every week too
Um, sorry but MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) has replaced Windows Defender and anyway most good, including free versions of AVs actually turn WD off. It comes with Windows 7 and Vista, but you can install it on XP. MSE is much better than WD anyway but just not good enough itself either, however MSE doesn't play well together with Avast! or other AVs and some A-M/A-S programs too, although they'll still run with MSE but overall MSE slows down both XP and W7 horribly anyway, especially even more so noticeably lagged with more on there with it. This is because Microsoft intend it to be a solitary single security standalone, but since it isn't good enough it has become mutually exclusive with other AVs and security suite software, hence why are we on the Avast! forum?
WD isn't good enough to rely upon with Avast! which is why the OP is looking for a couple of other, better A-M/A-S programs to complement Avast! Ho.
See history of WD here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Defender
The still disappointing and non Avast! friendly MSE actually replaced both WD and the commercial Windows Live One Care, and also turns off WD.
Look all over the net and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Security_Essentials
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IE is the basis for all Windows and it is used in Windows Explorer.
Agreed...I just don't like IE8 because it is overloaded with lots of junk that don't work properly, it is heavy, very slow, and just too many un needed options that I don't want to see or use....IE7 has more of the basic features, and It is a little faster and came on my Recovery CD originally...Basically use it so that the windows programs are kept original and work with default settings..Also have it set in "options"> "Privacy" to Block 3rd party cookies, and "prompt" first party, that way I only "allow" cookies for updates of my software programs and if anything else tries to update or start.. it prompts me, that way I can see what it is, Other than that. I use Opera 100% ...I have used Firefox for about 2yrs before the Opera browser I did like its addons but it loaded my computer with crash reports from a few years...It does crash a little too much..Anyways I find that Opera is smaller light weight doesn't crash at all...not yet anyways, and in the "Menu" has simple basic settings and preferences...
Windows Defender in my opinion doesn't do nothing but complicate things...the fast scan is pretty fast but useless..the full scan can takes over an hour...I also prefer not to deal with Microsoft or as little as possible....I don't even like the monthly updates, let alone having to update weekly or daily with Microsoft...Also I know when the monthly updates come there is a possible chance of an adware or spyware or something else sliding in along with the update or something not working properly after that update or fix...Just my opinion if anyone cares
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IE is the basis for all Windows and it is used in Windows Explorer.
...Also have it set in "options"> "Privacy" to Block 3rd party cookies, and "prompt" first party, that way I only "allow" cookies for updates of my software programs and if anything else tries to update or start.. it prompts me, that way I can see what it is, Other than that.
Hmm, I too Block 3rd party cookies, but allow first party and session cookies only. I might change that to prompt first party and see how it goes.
Still, it might be your opinion of IE7/8 but that doesn't necessarily make it good advice for others, same goes probably even more so for recommending WD only to accompany Avast!
OK, in regards to SAS and why I've thought it might be malicious as a free version but not the paid Pro version has to do with this video with a spoof address for a rogue SAS download page - not that anyone should follow the link in the video because it is by a NZ guy who posted several videos inwhich he recommended a rogue Spyware Removal Tool scam. This is a very good example of what to avoid on the net, notice the address is not the real SAS URL that hayc59 posted the link to above in this thread.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkV0o8Wq-F0&feature
(DO NOT go to the link at the end of this video or in the description - it is a fake link to a rogue.)
Now I realise this is one example of a bogus SAS download link by a know A-S rogue promoter, but I'm just illustrating that things can be dicey out there and indicate that I was put off SAS. I have read comments elsewhere on the Net that SAS free wasn't good, or became bad plus it has a prevalent piracy / cracking issue, with a number of videos of how to do that with SAS to get the upgrade to the Pro version, etc. I wonder why so many seem to want to do that, unless SAS free isn't good and possibly a bit bad. This is different to what this NZ rogue promoter is doing in the video, although his fake site is called "free pro", which kind of gives it away, because as with Avast! the Pro version is not free.
Here is a recent video comparing SAS and MBAM and shows SAS as very poor, although I don't think the video making reviewer performed this all that brilliantly and possibly hasn't configured or set SAS to scan properly or highly enough and also counts 8 + 1 as 8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxIniDizZrw
Just showing you SAS fans why I'm skeptical about the free version - I might give it another go though, but I'll download it safely from a legitimate site.
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-Malwarebytes (Pro) or free (very effective and gels well with Avast --problem is the scan time is a bit way too long..)
-Superantispyware (Pro) or free (nice info on the free version..thanks good read huh:)..)
-PrevxSOL (facebook edition) --but no removal
-HitmanPro(freeware) --but no removal
Sme of my friends have Mamutu with AvastFree but haven't tried it. If you need a license I have one here unused.
Just my two cents:)
PS:
Don't use Iobit..Don't use Iobit..remember what they did to Malwarebytes....:)
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To be honest I would steer well clear of hitmanpro, I have had to recover to many systems after that was used and rendered them unbootable
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for quick, but effective control scans i recommend using HitmanPro (cloud scanner, that no purchase will not heal, just looking) and Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware Free
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Saulius ... if superantispyware became malicious on your system it is more than likely because of all the other crap you have on there.
SAS = BSOD for my "overlaiden" security set up, however each of my components are suggested to work with SAS so it might conflict with the whole combo of 1 resident AV + 3 on demand AVs, FW, + running A-M/A-S and 5 on demand back ups which I alternate using plus 1 credible system Cleaner. However, I thought that may have been the case a year ago and I now remember installing SAS with just one AV (running), a FW and nothing else and still getting BSODs, both on XP and W7. I also thought it might have been a bad download from my regular download site, so I changed to taking it from multiple "legitimate" places including SAS itself and was still getting the BSODs, including again just now a year later, with my current set up.
That includes me having tried SAS with a FW and just Avast!5 last year and still getting BSODs, so if other people are not crashing then it might be my system, so could be a mobo driver issue or something else peculiar but not related to any of my security combinations.
Interestingly, I configured cookies to how Daris has it with "prompt for first party" and when I tried to download SAS from Cnet it "offerred" to use an unsecured pathway/connection for the download so I blocked it and tried elsewhere. I ran many scans to see if I could get one of my applications to remove the cookie/temp-trace this placed since Hitman found it as a low risk Virus or Trogen IIRC. Finally Spyware Terminator got ride of it, even if it possibly was only a false positive - then I used CCleaner to be sure anyway, but this showed that even some oldies can work better (may be) than advanced others against things although this was only a low niggle example.
If I run a scan with SAS I have a BSOD in about 30 seconds roughly which means I can't use it, so it seems I have to just go without SAS that a lot of people swear by.