Free computer help here!!!

[GaiaLove]

There are 3 items I use on ALL pc's under my care to keep them safe and all are free to download and use. I highly recommend these and only these.

• Anti Virus - AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0
  Award winning protection to meet your basic security needs
  It’s always been our philosophy at AVG that everyone has the right to basic computer security at no charge. And our 80 million users think we’re doing a pretty good job. So if you’re planning to spend time online and you regularly exchange files with friends, check us out."
  http://free.avg.com/ww-en/download-a...s-free-edition
  
  Spyware - Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer. http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html
  
  Malware - Lavasoft Ad-Aware - 10 years of malware experience combined in one dynamic application. Ad-Aware offers radically improved performance and efficiency, along with comprehensive malware protection. With real-time monitoring, threat alerts, and automatic updates you can rest easy knowing that you are protected. Site: http://www.lavasoft.com/ Download: http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Fr...bj=dl&tag=top5

[TruthWillSetUFree]

Originally Posted by GaiaLove

There are 3 items I use on ALL pc's under my care to keep them safe and all are free to download and use. I highly recommend these and only these.

• Anti Virus - AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0
  Award winning protection to meet your basic security needs
  It’s always been our philosophy at AVG that everyone has the right to basic computer security at no charge. And our 80 million users think we’re doing a pretty good job. So if you’re planning to spend time online and you regularly exchange files with friends, check us out."
  http://free.avg.com/ww-en/download-a...s-free-edition
  
  Spyware - Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer. http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html
  
  Malware - Lavasoft Ad-Aware - 10 years of malware experience combined in one dynamic application. Ad-Aware offers radically improved performance and efficiency, along with comprehensive malware protection. With real-time monitoring, threat alerts, and automatic updates you can rest easy knowing that you are protected. Site: http://www.lavasoft.com/ Download: http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Fr...bj=dl&tag=top5

Thanks for these Richard! I am doing much needed scans on my computer now!
I am also going to learn about how to put videos and pictures into a post

Thanks to Stargazer for starting this thread and all help you have both

given to all of us who do not know how do navigate the computer as efficiently as we should given the amount of potential problems from viruses, adware/spyware etc.

Truth

[BlueHand]

Originally Posted by GaiaLove

There are 3 items I use on ALL pc's under my care to keep them safe and all are free to download and use. I highly recommend these and only these.

• Anti Virus - AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0
  Award winning protection to meet your basic security needs
  It’s always been our philosophy at AVG that everyone has the right to basic computer security at no charge. And our 80 million users think we’re doing a pretty good job. So if you’re planning to spend time online and you regularly exchange files with friends, check us out."
  http://free.avg.com/ww-en/download-a...s-free-edition
  
  Spyware - Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer. http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html
  
  Malware - Lavasoft Ad-Aware - 10 years of malware experience combined in one dynamic application. Ad-Aware offers radically improved performance and efficiency, along with comprehensive malware protection. With real-time monitoring, threat alerts, and automatic updates you can rest easy knowing that you are protected. Site: http://www.lavasoft.com/ Download: http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Fr...bj=dl&tag=top5

IT security is my speciality and I advise everyone here on Avalon to run their browsers sandboxed - http://www.sandboxie.com/ or use Geswall http://www.gentlesecurity.com/ this will stop any drive by infections.

Download WOT (WEB SITE ADVISOR) http://www.mywot.com/

Use an anti-virus program that suites your needs,no anti-virus program is the best. Avast http://www.avast.com/en-gb/index and as mentioned above AVG http://free.avg.com/gb-en/homepage or Avira http://free-av.com/ there are many others but watch out for rogue software. If you use sandboxie or geswall you should be protected from anything and everything that the web throws at you. I have used both sandboxie and geswall in a test environment using hardcore trojans , malware, rootkits and rogues and never been infected.

All the products I have mentioned above are FREE.

I personally use Comodo Internet security & Geswall.

Comodo is free, you can download it here http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/free-download.html

Use only one anti-virus, one firewall at a time.

If you have any virus problems please drop me a line and I'll help you if I can.

Blue hand.