What would YOU recommend?

[Avastfan1]

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

[bob3160]

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.

[DavidR]

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.

[Avastfan1]

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' :-)

[Marc57]

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)

[YoKenny]

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.

[RZPogi]

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.

[Lisandro]

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.

[YoKenny]

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.

[CharleyO]

***

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.


***

[Lisandro]

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...