Author Topic: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?  (Read 17902 times)

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illinoisteve

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newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« on: February 26, 2011, 08:40:53 PM »
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!

Offline Asyn

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2011, 08:47:40 PM »
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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Nesivos

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2011, 08:56:13 PM »
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.

« Last Edit: February 26, 2011, 09:00:23 PM by Nesivos »

doktornotor

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2011, 09:02:49 PM »
MBAM, SAS (on-demand only)

YoKenny

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2011, 09:06:55 PM »
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.

Daris

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2011, 09:19:32 PM »
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...

doktornotor

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2011, 09:26:06 PM »
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

Offline Para-Noid

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2011, 09:38:57 PM »
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.
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

YoKenny

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2011, 09:44:04 PM »
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 ::)
« Last Edit: February 26, 2011, 09:49:32 PM by YoKenny »

Offline Asyn

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2011, 09:45:34 PM »
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
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Daris

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2011, 01:42:32 AM »
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

Online CraigB

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2011, 03:27:24 AM »
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.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2011, 03:29:02 AM by craigb »

Offline Lisandro

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2011, 03:30:15 AM »
IObit as thieve: http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=33217
NEVER use an IObit product!
The best things in life are free.

illinoisteve

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2011, 06:26:35 AM »
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.




Online CraigB

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Re: newbie to avast free edition -- compatible antispyware programs?
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2011, 07:15:44 AM »
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.