At a point in history consumed by the concept virus...

[dlsafrica]

My computer started rebooting on its own from a standing position and when it was picked up yesterday  (guys seem to be repairing at a home workshop which means I didn't have to wait about three weeks to take it in) I was told it had 21 viruses on it, despite having had two antivirus programmes in the past five years. But now that I have extra money I can keep the most reliable antivirus on there permanently.  They told me certain programmes are beyond repair but I hope I can access my music video edits maker. Anyway, I've been able to consolidate my story ideas too so they don't run away.

[babypb]

...guess it's better your computer has viruses and not you? Might be a good thing?

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Get ready to get a new unit. About 5 years is the useful life expectancy of a computer as a frontline unit. Nex, the premium version of MalwareBytes. My tech and I discovered it independently of each other and came to the same conclusion. You will also get a subscription to a ejournal that is a combination of newsletter and educational publication. I remember the days when I was running Spybot, Adaware, Anti-Virus Guard and Key Scrambler. Those days are gone, now you run a single program called iether "cybersecurity" or "anti-malware". the former is more correct as it provides along with scanning, realtime web protection and ransomeware rejection. Scanning is used if some minor stuff gets through and you can akutomate that. Then since EVERY system is not perfiect, you need a recovery plan and safe place to story your tings. I like to use a usb hard drive that I can put off-line after daily backup which is after nightly scan so I know I am saving malware free files. Also use web-based emial since thes major providers use security systems. even AOL and Yahoo, your ISP should also have web-based email. The idea is "defense in depth' so that if it gets by one element it meets another. Windows recommends MalwareBytes be used with Widnows Defender. If you are using multiple anti-malware apps, then put one BEHIND the other so that they do not conflict I also use a premium download manager called Internet Dowload Manager. This lets me assign downloads to specific folder based on filetype, uses segmented dowloading which breaks up the download into segments, in this case 8 which it downloads simultaneously, which makes it VERY fast, then reassembles them (nay need a multi-core CPU) and then runs it through your anti-malware app of choice

[astrodiaper]

15 hours ago, Little Christine said:

Get ready to get a new unit. About 5 years is the useful life expectancy of a computer as a frontline unit. Nex, the premium version of MalwareBytes. My tech and I discovered it independently of each other and came to the same conclusion. You will also get a subscription to a ejournal that is a combination of newsletter and educational publication. I remember the days when I was running Spybot, Adaware, Anti-Virus Guard and Key Scrambler. Those days are gone, now you run a single program called iether "cybersecurity" or "anti-malware". the former is more correct as it provides along with scanning, realtime web protection and ransomeware rejection. Scanning is used if some minor stuff gets through and you can akutomate that. Then since EVERY system is not perfiect, you need a recovery plan and safe place to story your tings. I like to use a usb hard drive that I can put off-line after daily backup which is after nightly scan so I know I am saving malware free files. Also use web-based emial since thes major providers use security systems. even AOL and Yahoo, your ISP should also have web-based email. The idea is "defense in depth' so that if it gets by one element it meets another. Windows recommends MalwareBytes be used with Widnows Defender. If you are using multiple anti-malware apps, then put one BEHIND the other so that they do not conflict I also use a premium download manager called Internet Dowload Manager. This lets me assign downloads to specific folder based on filetype, uses segmented dowloading which breaks up the download into segments, in this case 8 which it downloads simultaneously, which makes it VERY fast, then reassembles them (nay need a multi-core CPU) and then runs it through your anti-malware app of choice

Can we pin this somewhere if it isn’t already?  Especially because I’ve been using Avast, and I’m about over that, after the times it wouldn’t let me update on my tablet. 

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

I used to use avast! free. Is there a premium version? MalwareBytes Premium is way better than the free version

[astrodiaper]

There is, but I stick with free. 

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Big mistake. If you put $1000+ into a computer, what's $50/year to protect yourself from some really nasty things? especially if you do business on line. Free only scans what you have once it gets in. By that time, a decently crafted piece of malware will have disabled it if it gets past your browser defense, which is a lso a freebie and a bit more than cursory. A premium like MB integrates into your browser and stiffens it up quite a bit. What would you do if you get a ransomware attack? And didn't you say you had a few viruses?

[astrodiaper]

That's why I was suggesting as a pin.  At the very least, I know what to look for as far as what others are using, especially when I saw that MB works with Windows Defender. 

[DL-Boy]

Almost every one of my computers since 1985 has been an evolutionary machine, meaning that the same computer will evolve sometimes for 10-15 years constantly before I clean the slate and buy all new hardware.  Even the last "clean-slate" purchase in my case was still partially evolutionary.  I bought a new set of computer parts in March 2014, new case, Gigabyte MB, 16gb of fast ram, 2 Tb HDD, 8-core processor, etc.  I sprung for a custom CPU fan, case fans, and a USB 3.0 front-mounted hub as well.  I installed Windows 7 when I built this PC.  I still kept my old video card and DVD+/-RW.  I'm still using the DVD+/-RW (it's an HP Super WriteMaster with Lightscribe capability).  I upgraded my video card modestly when Microsoft was offering a free upgrade from Windows 7 to 10 because the old card wasn't compliant.  Throughout the evolution, I have always protected my computers against viruses (viri) with appropriate software solutions and sandboxing capabilities.

The purpose of this post is only to show that if someone is technically able, a clean-slate purchase is rarely necessary to "RESET" everything to provide proper protection in the computer world.  Other than laptop computers and my first "store-built" XT, none of my computers in over 35 years has been a ready-made company-built computer and virtually every one of them has been replaced in piecemeal fashion as newer components have been purchased.