okaeri_man
Tadaima!
- 6 Sep 2003
- 452
- 9
Hello all. I've spent most of yesterday removing crap and extremely nasty viruses from my computer (well it's an on-going process, but yesterday was the major makeover), and am now here to share my recommendations. Hopefully some of you will find this useful 
If you have anything to add feel free, but I can only recommend the programs I've tried and tested of course. I'm not going to cover web browsers here, but I use Internet Explorer like most home internet users around the world.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ad-Aware SE Personal
Verdict: Essential
The Internet would be a scary place without this baby. If you are reading this, then your computer is connected to the internet - and if you don't already have this program chances are you don't have much! Download this right away and start weeding those nasty things from your computer today!
Attention! If you're still using Ad-Aware v6.0, it's time to upgrade. Updates for v6.0 have been phased out.
Usage: Every week if you're keen, every 2-4 weeks for everybody else. Also run whenever you suspect you're infected. Check for updates before scanning!
Hints: After each scan you have to check each box to remove the offending file... or do you? Right click any one of these boxes and select the "Select All" option. Bingo, you've saved yourself a lot of clicking.
You'll notice before the system scan starts you have a choice of which scanning mode to use. The "smart system scan" is the default and should be quite adequate. If you're worried your system has been neglected or are keen to get iron every single crinkle out, a one-off full "full system scan" is for you.
Spybot - Search & Destroy v1.3
Verdict: Essential
Having Ad-Aware and Spybot is a good solid combination. Some say Spybot is the better of the two, but who knows, who cares. Ad-aware looks prettier. Again, if you don't already have this, get it!
Usage: Every 2 weeks if you're keen, every 3-6 weeks for everybody else. Also run whenever you suspect you're infected. Check for updates before scanning!
Hints: Spybot comes with a handy Immunize function. Make sure you're fully immunized, and check the "Enable permanent blocking of bad addresses in Internet Explorer" option. Select "Block all bad pages silently" from the pull-down menu.
Note that whenever you update Spybot, you may not be fully immunized anymore. Always check after successfully updating.
SpywareBlaster v3.2
Verdict: Optional - Highly Recommended
This program isn't exactly rocket science, it's just one big database of banned things you don't want to encounter online. Recommended since it reduces the number of things Spybot has to weed out of your system. The best cure is prevention.
Usage: You don't have to use it... just check for updates. For the keen, check every 2 weeks. Everybody else, every 1-3 months.
CCleaner (Crap Cleaner)
Verdict: Optional - Recommended
I always knew my computer was full of crap, but how much surprised me. Every time you uninstall a program for example, the uninstaller probably didn't remover everything - a registry file here, a broken shortcut there. Get rid of it with this program. If only cleaning my room was this easy...
Usage: Once a month for the keen, everybody else every 2-6 months.
Hints: You'll note you have 3 tabs of cleaning choices, "Windows", "Applications", and "Issues". Issues will remove all the above mentioned crap that doesn't take up much room. As for the other 2, I freed up over 700MB on my computer by cleaning everything here. Unfortunately it gets rid of all your good cookies and pages etc., which means you'll need to re-log into forums that used to remember your password, reselect your favourite font in MSN etc. I recommend cleaning these 2 areas as a one-off thing, or every year or so. Up to you.
Diskeeper Lite
Verdict: Optional - Recommended
Windows comes with it's own Disk Defragmenter, but after using Diskeeper Lite you'll realise just how bad it is. For what I've read, defragmenters basically rearrange the information stored on your computer disk so that it's nice and neat, as opposed to anywhere and everywhere. Keeping your computer defragmented and neat will likely increase the speed of your computer - it did for me. Before I had this program I had to wait half a second for my start menu to load... Unbelievable in this day and age! Now it loads instantly, thank god.
Usage: Here's the catch - if you haven't used the disk defragementer for a while (or ever), this program is going to take a long time to run. Hard to say how long it will take, could be an hour or two, less if you're lucky. Running this reguarly will help however, and it can be over in 5-10 minutes. If you're keen, run every time you install or uninstall a program. For everybody else, hard to say, every 6 months? Depends how long you're willing to wait.
avast! Antivirus
Verdict: Some form of antivirus software essential! This one is one of many that are recommended
Ahh the antivirus program. I've saved this to last. avast! is free and their latest editions don't look too bad (I didn't like their old versions). It doesn't appear to hog too much computer start-up time like some others, which is a plus (I hate virus scanners that start with a huge logo everytime you boot up your computer). It saved my computer from many disasters, and prevented an equal number. It failed at picking up some of the nasty things that were on my computer yesterday though, even after a thorough scan, but overall more than the average user could ask for.
Note you have to waste a bit of time initially by registering an email address and getting a valid registration number off them.
Usage: Whenever you suspect your computer is infected. Auto-updating is activated by default which can be annoying if you're playing an online game, but it's essential to keep up to date with these things.
----------------------------------------------------------
That's all for now...
If you have anything to add feel free, but I can only recommend the programs I've tried and tested of course. I'm not going to cover web browsers here, but I use Internet Explorer like most home internet users around the world.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ad-Aware SE Personal
Verdict: Essential
The Internet would be a scary place without this baby. If you are reading this, then your computer is connected to the internet - and if you don't already have this program chances are you don't have much! Download this right away and start weeding those nasty things from your computer today!
Attention! If you're still using Ad-Aware v6.0, it's time to upgrade. Updates for v6.0 have been phased out.
Usage: Every week if you're keen, every 2-4 weeks for everybody else. Also run whenever you suspect you're infected. Check for updates before scanning!
Hints: After each scan you have to check each box to remove the offending file... or do you? Right click any one of these boxes and select the "Select All" option. Bingo, you've saved yourself a lot of clicking.
You'll notice before the system scan starts you have a choice of which scanning mode to use. The "smart system scan" is the default and should be quite adequate. If you're worried your system has been neglected or are keen to get iron every single crinkle out, a one-off full "full system scan" is for you.
Spybot - Search & Destroy v1.3
Verdict: Essential
Having Ad-Aware and Spybot is a good solid combination. Some say Spybot is the better of the two, but who knows, who cares. Ad-aware looks prettier. Again, if you don't already have this, get it!
Usage: Every 2 weeks if you're keen, every 3-6 weeks for everybody else. Also run whenever you suspect you're infected. Check for updates before scanning!
Hints: Spybot comes with a handy Immunize function. Make sure you're fully immunized, and check the "Enable permanent blocking of bad addresses in Internet Explorer" option. Select "Block all bad pages silently" from the pull-down menu.
Note that whenever you update Spybot, you may not be fully immunized anymore. Always check after successfully updating.
SpywareBlaster v3.2
Verdict: Optional - Highly Recommended
This program isn't exactly rocket science, it's just one big database of banned things you don't want to encounter online. Recommended since it reduces the number of things Spybot has to weed out of your system. The best cure is prevention.
Usage: You don't have to use it... just check for updates. For the keen, check every 2 weeks. Everybody else, every 1-3 months.
CCleaner (Crap Cleaner)
Verdict: Optional - Recommended
I always knew my computer was full of crap, but how much surprised me. Every time you uninstall a program for example, the uninstaller probably didn't remover everything - a registry file here, a broken shortcut there. Get rid of it with this program. If only cleaning my room was this easy...
Usage: Once a month for the keen, everybody else every 2-6 months.
Hints: You'll note you have 3 tabs of cleaning choices, "Windows", "Applications", and "Issues". Issues will remove all the above mentioned crap that doesn't take up much room. As for the other 2, I freed up over 700MB on my computer by cleaning everything here. Unfortunately it gets rid of all your good cookies and pages etc., which means you'll need to re-log into forums that used to remember your password, reselect your favourite font in MSN etc. I recommend cleaning these 2 areas as a one-off thing, or every year or so. Up to you.
Diskeeper Lite
Verdict: Optional - Recommended
Windows comes with it's own Disk Defragmenter, but after using Diskeeper Lite you'll realise just how bad it is. For what I've read, defragmenters basically rearrange the information stored on your computer disk so that it's nice and neat, as opposed to anywhere and everywhere. Keeping your computer defragmented and neat will likely increase the speed of your computer - it did for me. Before I had this program I had to wait half a second for my start menu to load... Unbelievable in this day and age! Now it loads instantly, thank god.
Usage: Here's the catch - if you haven't used the disk defragementer for a while (or ever), this program is going to take a long time to run. Hard to say how long it will take, could be an hour or two, less if you're lucky. Running this reguarly will help however, and it can be over in 5-10 minutes. If you're keen, run every time you install or uninstall a program. For everybody else, hard to say, every 6 months? Depends how long you're willing to wait.
avast! Antivirus
Verdict: Some form of antivirus software essential! This one is one of many that are recommended
Ahh the antivirus program. I've saved this to last. avast! is free and their latest editions don't look too bad (I didn't like their old versions). It doesn't appear to hog too much computer start-up time like some others, which is a plus (I hate virus scanners that start with a huge logo everytime you boot up your computer). It saved my computer from many disasters, and prevented an equal number. It failed at picking up some of the nasty things that were on my computer yesterday though, even after a thorough scan, but overall more than the average user could ask for.
Note you have to waste a bit of time initially by registering an email address and getting a valid registration number off them.
Usage: Whenever you suspect your computer is infected. Auto-updating is activated by default which can be annoying if you're playing an online game, but it's essential to keep up to date with these things.
----------------------------------------------------------
That's all for now...
