Community poll forum: Which antispyware utility would you use?

This suite works well-it has already caught several viruses that came out of nowhere. I also have the trend antivirus that's part of the Fix-It utility suite. These two work together well.

Be sure to listen to twil845 , he is all knowing

Zone Alarm will take your computer prisoner, if you don't configure the Programme Control settings. Once you do that, ZA becomes a dream to operate.

I use ZoneAlarm and I love it as it's actually a very powerful firewall, more powerful than the XP built-in firewall. Not compatible with my AVG antivirus, but beggars can't be choosers. They more or less ignore each other, so there's no conflicts.

like another party asked, HOW do you program zone alarm? i have dell demension DE051 with win.XP home ed., running IE6.0. i don't have a problem except,i don't know how to program zone alarm.

I had used Zone Alarm a few years back.
I'm not sure what to tell you other than Uninstall
ZA. I wouldn't disallow parts of the program.
What good would that do you, it's like running a 4 cylinder car with only 2.
Maybe you can find a different utility other than ZA
that will resolve your current issues. Do some research
at other forums such as the Product you want to buy.
Good luck!

it does basically take over your system and you always have to make the choice of allowing things or denying them and even if u click the checkmark it still comes back whenever you open up the same program. if you download music this is not the program for you.

I'm beginning to think that it has more to do with where you surf.
I've been using MS Defender since the old pre defender beta days(as if it will graduate from beta some day) it used to catch something once in a while, but hasn't come up with anything in over 2 months now.
And-Yes, I did check my computer with adaware just to be sure it (defender) was on and wworking.

As a result of using Microsoft Internet Explorer, I had massive problems with Spyware two years ago. I thereafter routinely ran 3 Anti-spyware programs, none of which eradicated the spyware totally. After 4-months of pain and constant sweeping, I had invasive spyware infection which caused me to spend over 12 hours eliminating all spyware manually from my machine, using Google searches for similar problems and solutions.

Upon doing that, I then installed FireFox in September 2004 and had no subsequent Spyware problems at all, in fact i quit using all three anti-spyware programs. When i got new notebook in December 2004, i immediately loaded FireFox and continue to use it with no spyware problems nor need for Anti-spyware programs.

There are very few websites for which FF does not work. If a website does not work properly under FF, i send the webmaster of that site an email informing that their website does not conform to standards. Use IE only on Microsoft website as needed.

Finally, i am addicted to tabs and find it difficult to navigate the www with IE any more.

I have been using firefox for a couple of years now. Before Firefox I had to run spyware/adware checkers every week and they would pick up heaps, after firefox I run them every couple of months and they only get a few cookies. I currently teach computing for a living and before that I built and cleaned up peoples computers for a living. Firefox makes a huge difference and it is not in my head.

I also have another example, I still do maintenance for a company that has 2 servers and 30 computers. I used to every week cycle around and do checks and updates on the computers and clean up spyware. We then put Firefox on company wide and made it the default. I then left it for a year (went into teaching), christmas time went through and did a check, and it was all clear, after a year!!!!

Check your facts.

Michael

I was responding to a post that said that the person recommending firefox was probably infested with adware and spyware but was to stupid to realise it and that the browser could have had nothing to do with it.why did you not respond to him in the same way that you responded to me, as he clearly did not respect the other users opinion.

In the business I was looking after I was not a way for a year, I still went in there for weekly maintenance on the service but could not do everything that I used to do but I was still aware of everything that was going on.

Also Firefox is a standalone program and does update itself, very automatically I might add (make sure you have the newest version). The browser can have many holes and allow the kind of activity where programs can install themselves or it can be built with security in mind thereby minimising vulnerabilities and the ability of programs to do the wrong thing. Internet Explorer as the former and firefox the latter. I have used both but it does not sound like you have used Firefox, so give it a go.

Michael

Some programs and Browsers do a better job than others.
Problem is that there isn't just One Browser or program that can do it all.
It's a matter of personal preference what works best for you and your PC.
MS Internet Explorer gets hammered often as everyone is competing against them. But there has to be competition in all business related environments, otherwise we'd have Monopolies and little advances in technology.
Firefox, with its growing popularity had made it a very good choice but now it is being sought after just like MS IE6 and others ...prone to attacks and vulnerable. There will be Pros and Cons. Some Browsers work better depending on OS (Operating System) and various programs you have installed on your PC.
Same with Anti-Spyware, Anti-Viruses, etc:
not one application/program can resolve and find all
since people/hackers like to create and destroy.
Select what's best suit your needs and BTY (by-the -way) you're entitled to your opinion.

I've tried most of these either on their own or in combination. In fact I still use Adaware, Spybot and Spyware Blaster. I've been using Computer Associates software for years now but think that I'll be changing to Trend Micro this year.

The reason is that there have been quite a few times that I've run all the above software and come up with a clean computer. I then use Housecall by Trend and it finds all the stuff the others have missed. This has occurred more than once and it really surprised me the first time. Now it's gotten to the stage that I expect it.

Yeah, go Trend.

It was good all right... while it lasted. Now that went from antispyware to defender you have to have a valid winxp something. My XP was bought from a store but was installed in several computers, so no more defender and updates. Im using Spybot and Adaware though and the 2 combined do a hell of a job and of course, they are free.

How can anyone recommend Microsoft window defender Beta 2 when it requires you to download microsoft's own spyware onto your machine before you can download it ?