Security Software

[Ringel05]

Tell him there is no need for such kind of tools. CCleaner is enough.

I would add a few, angry IP for a sniffer, Beyond Compare for file replication. CPU-Z to snoop bios. Etc.

Didn't know CPU-Z could do that. Had a problem with their software a while back and stopped using them, unfortunately I don't remember what the issue was but it was bad enough for me to drop em.

 

[boedicca]

You can turn off the pop ups in avast.......
You might think Defender is great but every independent lab rates it sub-par, faaaaaar below Avast and AVG. Are you sure you don't have stock in Microsoft?

If I thought it was great, I would have said it is great - which I didn't.

My real world experience is that some very nasty malware has danced right past Avast and AVG, while stopped by Security Essentials. IF you run Defender alone on a Windows 7 machine, you have no AV at all.

I don't have stock in Microsoft, but I have been in IT for 35 years, in the trenches with thousands of machines. It isn't a game for me, it isn't a hobby. I use what is most effective. Which in my case is ESET with a dedicated server pushing definition files and isolating IP's of any suspicious packets. However, the question was about home use. In my experience, which is considerable, Essentials provides reasonable protection for those who do not frequent porn and Wares sites.

Okay. It's just I've had friends who were Microsoft trained IT techs, the anti-opensource/freeware brainwashing was beyond belief. I don't have 35 years in IT but my couple of decades experience is everyone running Defender/Security Essentials has been infected at least once. I have them put Avast or AVG on their system and only one in twenty ended up being reinfected (probably surfing porn or using torrents).

Thanks. AVG and Avast are the ones mr. boe is checking out.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Didn't know CPU-Z could do that. Had a problem with their software a while back and stopped using them, unfortunately I don't remember what the issue was but it was bad enough for me to drop em.

Actually, ALL the information they present is from snooping the bios.

When you look at stepping and core voltage, the only place to get it is bios. When you poke into the bios, things can go horribly wrong - so the tool can easily cause a hard lock.

 

[Ringel05]

Didn't know CPU-Z could do that. Had a problem with their software a while back and stopped using them, unfortunately I don't remember what the issue was but it was bad enough for me to drop em.

Actually, ALL the information they present is from snooping the bios.

View attachment 44275

When you look at stepping and core voltage, the only place to get it is bios. When you poke into the bios, things can go horribly wrong - so the tool can easily cause a hard lock.

Okay, that's what you mean. Nope, I left the bios alone other than to upgrade it via the Dell site, no problems there. The only reason I would play with the bios is if I was loading OS X on a PC machine and then there are specific instructions to follow for each Mobo to do it right.