Help please, new Anti-virus (& anti anything else harmful!)

[AES]

I'd appreciate help from members with replacing my present McAfee Anti-virus/real-time E-mail checker/protector with something else.

Before you all recommend, please allow for the fact that I'm a DEFINITE PC Luddite so it MUST be simple to install and easy to use- i.e. REALLY simple and REALLY easy (and Oh Yes, it's got to work too!).

Presently I have a Lenovo B590 laptop running Windows 7 Pro and I have NIL willingness to change that system - certainly NOT to Win 8 or 10 (or whatever else is flavour of the month this week), and will most definitely not change to any system which appears to me to be limited to those who understand and can deal with weirdly-named enthusiasts" stuff like Unbuntoo (or whatever it's called).

Reason for changing my present McAfee?

It came ready installed when the above laptop was new about 18 months ago. The installed McAfee was a 6 months free trial version, after which I bought what I thought was 1 year subscription renewal at a discounted price.

The copy of my message to McAfee below is self-explanatory. It is without doubt a complete over-reaction on my part, and I have no illusions whatever that McAfee will care at all, or even bother to respond. But I do HATE being made a fool of, so they're not getting my business again:

QUOTE:
I have unsubscribed from your E-mails, and as soon as my current McAfee runs out I shall NOT be renewing. Why?

Because IMO, your company is applying unethical and immoral behaviour by encouraging subscribers to renew at an apparent discount before the current subscription has expired. When they do so (I did) the subscriber then finds out that the new subscription runs from the date of renewal and NOT from the date of expiry of the original subscription.

I consider this a nasty, underhand and "clever" trick, so although McAfee works well, and I am happy with it as a product, I shall NOT be renewing - there are many other entirely satisfactory products out there.

In other words (if you care at all) your "clever" marketing trick has lost you a customer. I hope many other subscribers join me in this "protest".
UNQUOTE:

As I say, the above is an over-reaction but this sort of business "ethic" makes me very angry.

Anyway, I'm open to suggestions please, bearing my above-described personal limitations in mind. I am BTW quite prepared to pay (a reasonable sum) for a new product.

Thanks in advance (and don't all laugh at my "stroppogram" please!)

AES

 

[monkeybiter]

Initially I used AVG, but it bloated and they also used sharp practise which I objected to. Did some research and switched to Avast [free edition] and have stuck with it for some years now, it seems to work well and unobtrusively.

 

[Myfordman]

I also use Avast on one machine and Avira on another. both seem equally good. Totally agree about AVG Mike.

Also from time to time, run Malwarebytes which helps detect and get rid of malware that sneaks in from normal web browsing.

All free and reliable.

 

[CHJ]

Since McAfee has been taken over by intel they have applied several sneaky tricks to the marketing.

Make sure you log into your McAfee account and (un) check the subscriptions box, they set the automatic renewal on as default, they changed this default on a laptop trial subscription when they changed account details display page despite it deliberately being unchecked when purchasing, they also debit your account 30 days before renewal is due* so if your thinking of ditching it they have got the money and you have the nausea of insisting they refund the money.

* very small print paragraph on the bottom of one of the on-line pages. First we knew was an email thanking for the renewal.

We run "ESET Smart Security" which has Root Kit protection and secure Banking Browser as well as the Anti Virus of the basic system.

(Has options to set it to warn when anything tries to communicate off site, takes a couple of days to set the trusted list up, after that it's only rogue software or new stuff that triggers the warning.)

I covered 2 machines for 3 yrs for about a tenner more than Intel were charging for 1 yr. basic anti virus (multi machines)

 

[devonwoody]

When in the past any dirty internet trick worked on me, I go to my credit card company and request a refund, never had a problem. One free telephone and sorted.

 

[Harbo]

Use the free Microsoft one - works fine and won't upset your system.

Rod

 

[Rhossydd]

Avast free works well for me here. You need to wade through the offers to upgrade to a premium (ie paid for) version, but the free version IS there for home users. https://www.avast.com/en-gb/lp-ppc-win- ... Apvl8P8HAQ
Microsft Security Essentials (MSE) also seems worth having. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/wind ... s-download

Make sure you completely uninstall McAfee before installing the others.

 

[Racers]

Use the free Microsoft one - works fine and won't upset your system.

Rod

+1

We use it at work.

Pete

 

[Woodchips2]

Use the free Microsoft one - works fine and won't upset your system.

Rod

+1
Have used the free Microsoft one for years.

Regards Keith

 

[Normancb]

+1 for Microsoft security essentials - free and works well. I use Malware bytes, Spybot and CCleaner once in a while.

 

[toysandboats]

Hi, nearly the same as Normancb, Microsoft antivirus plus Malware bytes, Ccleaner and Spyware Blaster every couple of weeks.
Did this on XP, then Win7 and now on Windows 10 with no issues
David

 

[Shultzy]

The current number one Virus checker is Kaspersky Internet Security 2016 which I will be changing to in April when my McAfee runs out.

 

[AES]

OK, thank you all for the advice - and also thank you for not laughing at my lack of knowledge and not even sniggering at my "stroppogram"! The consensus count seems to be:

AVG = "dodgy" x 2
Avira = 1
ESET = 1
Kaspersky = 1
Avast = 2
MS Security Essentials (also called "Windows Defender" it seems?) = 5

So based on that, it's clearly the MS thingy.

So I did uninstall the McAfee first, then did all the updating etc, just as instructed (both here, and on the respective web sites) and I now seem to have a safe and fully working system (my laptop has something called a "Lenovo Management System" or some such, and according to the "instrument panel" (yuk!) therein, all the "gauges" (double yuk) show in the green and "fully protected").

Result! (and up yours McAfee!)

A related question if I may please:

@toysandboats: In your response you say you also use other things ("Malwarebytes"; "Ccleaner"; etc). For me 3 questions arise from that - 1. MS say their system does all that stuff ("well they would say that wouldn't they?"!!); - 2. MS say (on their web site) that you shouldn't run more that 1 anti-virus/protection thingy together; - 3. So as you do use those other things from time to time, does that mean that if I want to use them too, I should download them/run them/then delete them again/then download them again next time I want them - and so on and so on? Sorry if that's a daft Q.

A couple of direct responses to the above:
@CHJ: Thanks for the warning about auto renewal of McAfee. My subscription ran out last Friday and judging by the increasingly frantic auto messages received from McAfee since then saying "you're not protected any more" I guess that quite by luck, my McAfee auto renewal box was NOT activated! To translate a favourite saying of my wife's "even a blind chicken will find the odd grain of corn"! But thanks for the warning - McAfee's completely deleted now.

@devonwoody: About credit card refunds for internet transactions - Yes, I would have done just that, except that firstly, it took me a long time to appreciate that after first renewing (at a "discount") before my original subscription expired, the renewal period ran not from the expiry date of the original subscription but from the date of the renewal; secondly, I've no doubt that being a bunch of "scrofulous hounds" that fact was indeed (hidden) somewhere within the small print that I "accepted".

Once again thanks very much to you all. If toysandboats (or anyone else) would be kind enough to respond re my Q about running several "protectors" together/separately then "my cup shall runneth over".



Cheers

AES

 

[Robbo3]

Anti Virus

There are basically two types of anti-virus programmes. Always on (resident) programmes protecting you in the background, or on demand programmes that only run a scan when asked. It is therefore essential to know what type of anti-virus you are about to install. In addition, only one resident anti-virus programme should be installed but you can have as many on demand programmes as you wish &/or use additional on-line (cloud) scanners.

Another important aspect is how much of the computer's resouces the anti-virus will use. Some (Norton/Symantec) had a history of drastically slowing a computer down.

Microsoft Security Essentials (up to Windows 7) or Windows Defender (built in to Windows 8 & 10) are basically the same programme. They add more than sufficient protection as long as you use the internet sensibly ie don't click on unknown links or go looking for pirated software (warez) or porn.
Good article with easy to understand explanations -
- http://www.howtogeek.com/225385/what%E2 ... d=noscript
- http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/wind ... s-download

Or there are other well known free anti-virus programmes ie,
Avast - http://www.avast.com/en-us/index
Avira - http://www.avira.com/en/index
AVG (has gained bad rep) - http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage
Bitdefender Free - http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html
Comodo - https://www.comodo.com/products/free-products.php?
Some will make you jump out of your skin if you attempt to access something nasty - good for novices.

Malwarebytes (free version) is an on demand scanner with no real time protection. Very good as a second scanner if you are ever worried about the effectiveness of your main anti-virus.
- https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/

Despite all the ranking tables, the choice mainly comes down to the amount of resources used & the feel of the programme.

What you have to remember is, that millions & millions of people use anti-virus programmes every minute of every day. If there is a serious problem with any of them it will soon be headline news.

Ccleaner is an excellent cleaner & uninstaller (with a few other handy tools)
- https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds

If you get the slim download (I believe) it installs no additional rubbish. Also, when installed, remove the tick from 'Autocomplete Form History' & 'Saved Passwords' etc if you don't want them cleaned.

 

[AES]

Thanks very much for that Robbo - a clear, understandable explanation in plain English which even I understood.

Thanks for taking the time to educate me. I know what more to do now (Malwarebytes & Ccleaner once in a while).

Cheers

AES

 

[toysandboats]

Yes, thanks to Robbo for his reply.
I have run the programs I mentioned for about 5 years after having a scare which turned to be two AV programs fighting for supremacy and locking me up completely.

David

 

[Robbo3]

You are both welcome.

One further warning.
There are 100s if not 1000s of fake anti-virus programmes & sites. If for any reason you decide to download another anti-virus or 'speed up your PC' type of programme - spend 5 minutes looking it up on the internet first. If it's not respectable you'll probably find out in the first 10 links thrown up by a search engine (eg Google,Bing etc).

 

[Alexam]

My own knowledge is similar to yours, minimal. I have Windows 7 on my PC and several years ago, I changed to AVG free on recomendation from someone who knows a lot more than me. The free version does not have ALL the goodies, so I upgraded to the paid version and have never had a problem. As an additional backup, I run the free version of Malwarebytes Antimalware. I'm happy, but like you, I know very little in this area and as long as it works, it works.
Malcolm

 

[mseries]

My own knowledge is similar to yours, minimal. I have Windows 7 on my PC and several years ago, I changed to AVG free on recomendation from someone who knows a lot more than me. The free version does not have ALL the goodies, so I upgraded to the paid version and have never had a problem. As an additional backup, I run the free version of Malwarebytes Antimalware. I'm happy, but like you, I know very little in this area and as long as it works, it works.
Malcolm

That doesn't really say much. It's their ability to find problems that will be their judge.

 

[Fatboy]

A small point but worth noting for others, the original 'subscription' wasn't a subscription at all, it was a free trial for 6 months, yours to use or not. Reminders may come out with the word renewal in it, (which is misleading) but in fact what you paid for was a paid subscription to use their software which would automatically commence when you ordered it. Lots of software companies do this, 'try our software for free and if you like it you can buy it'. The canny buyer would wait until the trial is over to get maximum value but it doesn't tie them to doing the same.

Most companies using 'free trials' operate on the same basis, its just a taster of the product that they want you to buy, not a 6 month or whatever length of time contract.