Nerds & Geeks: Best anti-virus software?

I think Norton is an anti-virus program, and what you have bandman, sounds like adware. Beach Geek's solution should work, though you might have to download those programs to a jump drive from another computer before running on the problem one, unless you have already downloaded them on that computer.

IMP, Norton stinks and I'm beginning to think that Norton installs little problematic popups when your subscriptions run out. Don't buy intot that crap.

I'm beginning to agree Murray. I had no problems for 3 years of my Norton Subscription and a week out I get nailed. Seems fishy.

start>control panel>add or remove programs>select Norton> remove

use AVG for antivirus and malware bytes or adaware, all which are free and work much better.

Note, these free versions don't necessarily protect you fully, but they clean up very well. You can preset the scans to run automatically, maybe at night when you are asleep. If you want live 24 hour protection, they have subscription versions which provide live protection.

start>control panel>add or remove programs>select Norton> remove

use AVG for antivirus and malware bytes or adaware, all which are free and work much better.

Note, these free versions don't necessarily protect you fully, but they clean up very well. You can preset the scans to run automatically, maybe at night when you are asleep. If you want live 24 hour protection, they have subscription versions which provide live protection.

Hate that doggone Norton. I did the same as you but installed spybot instead of adaware. So far so good

Another vote Avast.

I have been an AVG / Malware Bytes / SpyBot guy for a very very long time. I have found that these in combination far out perform Norton, McAfee, and others. Recently though, I started using Microsoft Security Essentials. It is working fantastic on my systems, and on all of my client's computers. It is free and can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

So would your current recommendation for Windows 7 be MSE/Malware Bytes/Spy Bot?

Avast

And NoScript for firefox

So would your current recommendation for Windows 7 be MSE/Malware Bytes/Spy Bot?

Yep, great combination

Thumbs up to beach geeks

Yeah, that is a nasty little bugger. I would boot to safe mode (assuming it hasn't been disabled) with networking. Install Malware Bytes. Run a full system scan. Then go back, install combofix.exe and run it as well. Then do the same with SpyBot. That should get it. If you can't get it or don't have time, feel free to let me know and I will help you with it. I deal with that virus on a daily basis.

Five star service

Our organization pushed out VIPRE to the entire campus last summer. So far IT is very pleased with it.

I keep thinking of pushing it out to some clients, but, like today, I get a notice that it is causing cpu usage to peg at 100% and stay unless you reboot when it happens. Do not need more tech issues being created so I keep plugging along with AVG. But then last week it started flagging Quickbooks files as a virus. Getting hard to win with antivirus software any more.

Yep, it's a little $astard. I'll try your fix. I don't understand why Norton 360 isn't catching it.

Go at your own risk. But this site
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/index.php
tracks zeus bot computers. And shows that the current antivirus detection rate is now below 47%. The writers of viruses are getting pretty sophisticated.

You should consider setting up a regular user account to work out of everyday instead of an administrator account. With win 7, it is no big deal when something needs installing to just enter an administrator username/password to get it installed. But it keeps drive by viruses from infecting your machine because a regular user account would not have install privileges to the registry.

If you are running XP, it is quite a bit more painful since you would have to log in as administrator to do installs then log back in as your everyday account.

And do not let the mac owners fool you. Norton makes a mac version of their software also.

The biggest security holes out there right now are Adobe Flash, Adobe Reader, and Java so make sure you update all of those as soon as you can.

Definitely Microsoft's Security Essentials. Its free, updated all the time, and runs seamlessly with windows. Best of all, its extremely resource friendly and doesn't bog down the system like Mccaffe's or Norton!