Guide Clifford's guide to computer security and maintenance.

Hello all! I am making this thread to see if in any way you can take any information from this and learn. In here I will include the information on the following:

1.1 Anti-spyware (Click to View)

1.1 Firstly: The Anti-Spyware

Download info: For my Anti-Spyware I use a program called "Ad-aware professional" and it is free, quick, using little CPU so I can scan with it while scaping/doing everything and it does the job very well.


1.2 Information on Ad-aware Pro:

http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
This is the main website which links you to the information about the free version

1.3 The download can be located at:

http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Free-I...wnload.com

Download.com take it upon themselves to scan all files for spyware/virus's before allowing the upload of them from all companies. Don't take this out of context though, it's not a hosting site. It's a reliable source and feel free to scan all files with the anti virus I'm about to share with you

1.4 Install guide: (Click to View)

Firstly I'm installing on windows 7 so a few things may be different when installing, however I will give you a guide on how to insall anyway and you can just follow it as best as you can.

Firstly once the file is downloaded click on it and press "Run"



Shortly after you should have the file loaded and the initial language selection screen should appear



After booting selecting the language you desire you will then get this sequence of window's





Just click agree because who actually reads these things? and then depending on your computer it shouldn't take long at all at the next window.



After the program has installed, you will get this pop up just updating. Congrats. You now have an Anti spyware program

2.1 Anti-Virus (Click to View)

2.1 AVG

Download info: AVG Anti-Virus has been my chosen AV for years. It's reliable, free, uses minimal memory and overall it's just easy to use. It's a good program.


2.2 Information on AVG Antivirus:

The avg website does not do enough to try and tell you about their product and over the years they've cared more about money and trying to sell their better packages, however at the same time the free package is still amazing and they really don't do enough to show this

Information page:
http://free.avg.com/gb-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free

1.3 The download can be located at:

Here there's two links available. Again using download.com which is a tad bit slower, but reliable. And the second link is for a direct server download, I have downloaded from both and the direct link is faster like expected. However not many people like the look of it. So here it is anyways.

Download.com Link:
http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-...d=11014801

Direct download:
http://free.avg.com/gb-en/download-file-dm-afh

1.4 Install guide: (Click to View)

Once the file has downloaded and you launch if the initial window will launch and look like this



And again, with my logic "Who even reads the terms and conditions?!" just accept



After this make sure you click on "Basic protection" although the other packages may look more promising, with the other programs you will download if you choose to I promise you'll have a better overall protection for free



After that screen click on custom install and make sure to disable that gay little widget thing on the right hand side.



on this next window untick everything minus the "AVG 2011" option. You don't need this stuff, trust me



and make sure to untick both of these boxes



Click next and congrats! You just installed avg. Now just wait while it configures your package chosen and downloads any extra updates and what not

3.1 Firewall (Click to View)

3.1 ZoneAlarm

Download info: ZA Firewall has been my chosen Firewall for 6 years now. It has never failed me and it easy to set up, use and to configure. Infact, it takes very little configuring at all. Don't know what program is trying to access the internet? No access for you!


3.2 Information on ZoneAlarm:
You can get all the information needed for ZoneAlarm from their main products, basically a bunch of bullshit trying to make you spend money, but the free version is amazing so get it

http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/home.htm

3.3 The download can be located at:

Again you've got the choice of a site download or a direct server link download. Either way you'll get the same product, just the direct server link will be faster

Site download
http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/...signup.htm

Direct server link:
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/1...000_en.exe

3.4 Install guide: (Click to View)

Firstly when the setup starts click on "Customise my install"

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/1032/za1u.png

I like the toolbar and I minimize it, but it stops all the fraud sites that try to scam your pass



Put in your name and don't put in an email unless you want to get emails



'Nuff said



It will now install and here comes the fun part. For the next bit follow my specification.



Custom install ftwww



Who wants to help these people?!?!?!



Saves me effort?!?! SURE!





This is their way of verifying if all programs are legit. Since all mine are illegal I turn this off.



You're now done, enjoy the firewall!

4.1 Maintenance Program (Click to View)

4.1 Tune-Up Utilities

Download info: Tune up is an amazing program that I've put on many computers when I've refurbished them for clients (I say clients but I mean backwards assholes who send me their waste of space computers to fix) and it's amazing. It fixes everything and although you only get 15 days free, go to a site http://www.serials.ws after the 15 days for a serial code. However, there is raunchy pop ups on that site. If you want anyone to ask about this program other than me, ask Danny. I told him about it, he used it. His computer is running like the wind atm.


4.2 Information on Tune-Up Utilities:

Tune-up is amazing in every way and every review says so. I know on most sites you get fake reviews that seem like BS but on this site, trust me. They deliver.

Reviews page
http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-u...er-reviews

4.3 The download can be located at:

The link for the program is on the following link. You need to put in an Email addy but I don't think I've ever put a real one in. Infact the last one I used was "Yourmumscock@moarcocks.com"

Link to Tune-Up:
http://www.tune-up.com/download/

4.4 Install guide: (Click to View)

After launching the program you'll come to this screen



Do they same usual BS accept the box



And then sit back while it installs. That's actually it



That's it installed! Already! Now look at the desktop and there should be a program called "One click maintenance" launch it.



Click on the cog wheel settings button to launch this box and make sure your settings look like mine



Click on run the maintenance once you've done that and then let the test run



After you've done it. print screen and post lulz on here.



Install finished.

I have not just randomly started using these programs, I have been using each and every one of them for years and have tested them against other ones and I am very pleased with them. All the programs I will be giving links to and explaining/showing how to install will all be free, however if you want aswell I will also provide a way to tip-toe around that thing line or legality


The guides I have made lean more to the beginner as I've even made a guide on how to install them, however even for advanced computer users, these programs are worth checking out

Great well thought out guide Cliff! Thanks! +1

Great well thought out guide Cliff! Thanks! +1

Thanks buddy, means a lot, you just got me onto my fourth bar too on the rep meter too <33

AVG is my choice too for the anti-virus.
On the other hand, I hate ZonaAlarm as hell. Family had so many problems with it so I don't recommand it anymore. But hey, if it works for you...

The other two programs you suggest seems ok for me. Not much to say about'em.

Like, a minimum for me on a computer is AVG free. Stay away from any Norton or McAfee shit =.= And don't use Internet Explorer. Get any other browser like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari...

AVG is my choice too for the anti-virus.
On the other hand, I hate ZonaAlarm as hell. Family had so many problems with it so I don't recommand it anymore. But hey, if it works for you...

The other two programs you suggest seems ok for me. Not much to say about'em.

Like, a minimum for me on a computer is AVG free. Stay away from any Norton or McAfee shit =.= And don't use Internet Explorer. Get any other browser like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari...

Sucks that you've had issues with zone alarm man, but I suppose we all have issues with different things

I agree man, mcaf and norton are so useless. Also they don't just never want to get uninstalled xD

Great guide, Cliff!

Yeah, I agree that Norton and McAfee are crap. We used to use ZoneAlarm on our laptops at work, but they kept pestering our users with pop ups about upgrading and blocking certain files, even though we kept allowing those files to go through it just fine. So we removed it from all laptops and now use Microsoft Security Essentials on them instead. Even though it's Microsoft, it's still actually a decent program and catches mostly everything that infects a computer.

Webroot is another good anti-virus program to use. I do like AVG, but I've stopped using it and have been trying others out. It did work great while I had it, though. I have Microsoft Security Essentials on my home computer now, just like what we use at work.

Was really shocked not to see MalwareBytes Anti-Malware listed here. That is my #1 favorite program for this kind of stuff. I mean, it doesn't have real-time protection, but when you get infected it sure is a jewel to have. Same with ComboFix. Never had a computer that couldn't be fixed with the combination of those programs. But you are probably just giving people programs to use for real-time protection, so MalwareBytes and ComboFix wouldn't really fall into that category anyway.

Again, great guide! Will help out many people, I'm sure. ^_^

Great guide, Cliff!

Yeah, I agree that Norton and McAfee are crap. We used to use ZoneAlarm on our laptops at work, but they kept pestering our users with pop ups about upgrading and blocking certain files, even though we kept allowing those files to go through it just fine. So we removed it from all laptops and now use Microsoft Security Essentials on them instead. Even though it's Microsoft, it's still actually a decent program and catches mostly everything that infects a computer.

Webroot is another good anti-virus program to use. I do like AVG, but I've stopped using it and have been trying others out. It did work great while I had it, though. I have Microsoft Security Essentials on my home computer now, just like what we use at work.

Was really shocked not to see MalwareBytes Anti-Malware listed here. That is my #1 favorite program for this kind of stuff. I mean, it doesn't have real-time protection, but when you get infected it sure is a jewel to have. Same with ComboFix. Never had a computer that couldn't be fixed with the combination of those programs. But you are probably just giving people programs to use for real-time protection, so MalwareBytes and ComboFix wouldn't really fall into that category anyway.

Again, great guide! Will help out many people, I'm sure. ^_^

Also I've never heard of the program I think when we're doing this, although the programs are on the net, some mainly cater to advertisement for america so I don't even hear of them But thanks for the great suggestions too ^_^ I'm glad people are giving their two cents cos at the end of the day it all keeps our members safe ^_^

I personally didn't like AVG, it struggled to detect anything. I switched to avast and started finding virus's, pretty happy with it.

I personally didn't like AVG, it struggled to detect anything. I switched to avast and started finding virus's, pretty happy with it.

Sounds as if you hated AVG to write a good thing really AVG does the job and always detects things for me. Never used avast so can't pass judgement on it, but AVG it's half as bad as you make it out to be

However I will try avast for a few weeks to give it a go ^_^ no harm in doing so

I switched from AVG to Avast a few months ago. I like it tons better.
You might try the program CCleaner too. I assume it's similar to Tune-Up.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner