How much protection is too much

[EAK]

Lately, I have noticed that I might have way too much spyware/adware/virus protection software installed on my laptop. I mostly use Mozilla Firefox to browse on the internet, but I also use IE alittle. Now let me list what I have and please let me know which ones I should keep and what I don't need.
Spybot-Search & Destroy with TeaTimer
AD-Aware SE
Windows Defender
Microsoft windows malicious software removal tool
AVG Antivirus
Ewido anti-malware
RegScrubXP
WinASO registry optimizer
ZoneAlarm firewall
If anyone can give me some pointers/answers I would really be gratefull.
Let me know if you need more info.

[Patonb]

You have alot of programs for alot of things:

Keep:

Spybot-Search & Destroy with TeaTimer
AD-Aware SE

These are good Spy/adware stuff.


AVG Antivirus - Is a good Fre AntiVirus, unless you have Nortonn, or McAfee.

Microsoft windows malicious software removal tool - windows crap, but will always be updated so no use removing it.

If your using XP SP2, which it seems, you can use the Windows Firewall, or keep ZoneAlarm firewall. All up to you, ZoneAlarms more advanced.

Get rid of the rest.

Ewido anti-malware

RegScrubXP
WinASO registry optimizer

These 2 are registry editor/cleaners. And if you don't know what they are, you can destroy your computer.

[EAK]

Thanks Patonb. I thought I over did it. How do you feel about FreeRam XP pro. I don't really notice a difference with the speed of my computer if I use it or not. Should I just chuck that too.

[Patonb]

I've never used them.....RAMs cheap... All my computers have a Gig, so really never run out.

Read and You decide http://carecure.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61594
If you got more than 512megs you should be good

[teyrn]

I would have to agree with Patonb. Spybot S&D and adaware SE together provide the most complete spyware/malware protection. Windows Defender is in the beta 2 phase of testing so it will fail you and it will crash on you it is just a matter of when. The Microsoft malicious software removal tool is good and is made by the same company that gave you your operating system so you would think it would be the safest for cleaning up Windows. I haven't heard any complaints about it or failures or lack of detecting spyware/malware and removing it compared to Spybot S&D and adaware SE. Having 3 tools though to protect against these kinds of threats is better then two but is the sacrifice of ram to keep these programs running and cpu cycles worth the extra protection. Myself would toss it Microsoft seems to not mind making software that eats RAM. It also hasn't been around as long as the other two either. Registry cleaners can potentualy be dangerous before running them you really make a restore point just to be safe. Also cleaning the registry isn't something that has to be done except after doing a lot of software installations and uninstallations. Maybe once every 6 months or so should be about the most you would have to do this. Software that is supposed to free up RAM don't. They divide the RAM up between open and running applications to make what you are working on respond better since it can now use more RAM then before. The performance improvement is negligable compared to not running it. Also the program itself has to use RAM and resorces its self just to perform its job of dividing up the RAM. They can also create an unstable enviroment and cause you to suffer more frequent software crashes. My self would just rather buy more RAM as Patonb said. For a firewall I would stick with Zone Alarm over the Windows firewall. You don't have the ability to tweak the Windows firewall like you can with Zone alarm. Also the Windows firewall won't stop virus or trojans from accessing the internet and infecting other computers if you already have them on your computer. Zone alarm will detect these and prevent them from getting out and infecting other computers. The Windows firewall is better then no firewall but if you have Zona alarm stick with it. AVG antivirus is better then Norton or Mcaffee in the area of resorce usage. I see a noticable diffrance in how my computer performs when I dumped Norton for AVG. However AVG free lacks the ability to set custom scans and other things that Norton and Mcaffee do. Myself dumped AVG and now use Avast and have been happy with how it performs and the resorce usage. So far I like it over AVG and it has a few more abilities that AVG didn't offer with their free version. If AVG though is working for you and you are not suffering infections from virus or trojans on your PC then why switch. As long as it does the job no reason to uninstall and reinstall something else. I would stick with AVG. Norton and Mcaffee offer a lot more features then the free versions of AVG and Avast but they are seriuously becoming bloat ware trying to do more and more over its intended job of virus protection. This is why I don't use them any longer and claim they suck. If you don't mind the resorce hit these progams cause to your system then by all means spend the money and get them if you feel better with the protection they offer.
I don't think there is such a thing as to much protection it just comes down to how much performance loss you want to suffer to be safe. Good luck to ya EAK.

[EAK]

Thanks for all the valuable info Teyrn. I really appreciate it. I did notice some slowing down of my laptop that's why I started to question if I'm overdoing it a little or alot.:) I have one more question if you don't mind, lately when I start up my laptop and it goes from the black screen to the blue screen, which means the windows is starting, it takes a lot longer to come to my desktop than it used to. I would say about 10 to 15 seconds I am staring at the Welcome sign on the blue screen. Does this mean I need to just invest in more RAM or something else might be causing this? Currently I have 512MB, but I know this laptop could go to 2GB, so there is room to upgrade. How do I know it's time to upgrade, is this a sign? :thinking:

[teyrn]

Next to your clock there are icons representing programs that are running in the background. Your AV program, firewall, messenger clients, and other system related programs. These programs all load when windows does. The more programs you have running in the system tray the slower you are going to boot up. It is best to have the minimum number of programs running in the system tray if you are wanting faster boot times and better performance. The only thing is that the majority of these programs running you have to have running. If there are programs running in the background that you don't need it is best to dissable them from starting with windows. Things such as instant messengers. You can start these at a later time after windows boots. Any thing that sits in your tray that can be started at a later time or that doesn't have to run for windows to work should be disabled if you want to improve your boot times. Once you have done this the next thing to do would be add more RAM. XP home really only needs 256MB or RAM to run. Aks any one and they will tell you to use at least 512MB. Today however you shouldn't be running any thing less then 1GB of RAM. The more RAM you have available at boot the faster windows will load up. So in answer to your question yes this is a big sign saying "I'm starving for more RAM". I ddon't know how easy this would be to do or if you could do it at all but upgrading your CPU would help too. I know on my laptop I can upgrade the CPU but I don't know about other laptops. I know I can buy mobile cpu's from http://www.pcclub.com but I don't know what brand of laptops can be upgraded. This would be an expensive upgrade too and not sure it would be worth the expence. Good luck to ya.

[EAK]

Thanks Teyrn for the quick response. I got a Dell 600M for my laptop and as far as I remember it should be easy to add extra RAM on this laptop, I need to take out the manual and check it out. Thanks again.

[Patonb]

Problem your ging to have iks Dell, likealot of manufactuers, cheap out and usually put 2 sticks instead of 1 big one. Just checked your specsand factory says 256megs RAM........ Get MORE... Tiger Direct (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=555) has great price,Unfortunately you can only have a Gig, so get a 512meg and you'll be smoken.

[roshni]

EAK,

You have more protection on your computer than some people have for sex!

[EAK]

Patonb I know I have 512MB right now. I checked it in System info. And I know it's a two slot system and I can have one gig in each slot, so I can get up to 2Gigs. Another question poped up from your response, Can I put any brand of RAM in my laptop or does it have to be Dell brand?

[EAK]

EAK,

You have more protection on your computer than some people have for sex!

With all the viruses out there I like to double up on my rubber.:mega:

[teyrn]

You can use any brand of ram you choose. Dell isn't propriatary when it comes to RAM. Just make sure the RAM you buy is supported by your system.

[Varian]

Wow some of you guys are overkill. At times i see spyware on someones computer slowing them down less than the actual protection software which is the big bottle neck.

I simply run a router w/ firewall
Xp pro sp2
Norton antivirus 2006 but never active or on startup. Just when i am suspicious on a download
Sygate firewall

I never have problems and i download 30+gigs of crap a month.

[EAK]

Thanks Teyrn, again.

[teyrn]

Wow some of you guys are overkill. At times i see spyware on someones computer slowing them down less than the actual protection software which is the big bottle neck.

I simply run a router w/ firewall
Xp pro sp2
Norton antivirus 2006 but never active or on startup. Just when i am suspicious on a download
Sygate firewall

I never have problems and i download 30+gigs of crap a month.
I'm the same way. Only instead of Norton I use Avast. I hate that sygate got bought out by symantec, its as good as junk now and will become part of symantecs bloat ware. I still use ver.5.5 of sygate and don't look to changing to any thing else as long as it keeps working.

[Hunker]

Yea it sux sygate is not free I liked it. I use AOL Saftey and Security. Had some problems at first but now it does ok.