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luminary · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Hampshire

Hello

Has anyone suffered computer slowing down problems with Norton Security software? If so, what is the general consensus regarding the best security software avilable that gives reliable protection without slowing down a computer?

Thanks.
Luminary

cdsmith15 · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Montrose

I use AVG with no problems.

NickAskew · Moderator Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 111 Location: Thirsk

The father in law had a problem with Norton slowing his pc down and restricting access to 90% of the sites he wanted to visit so I uninstalled it which had two outcomes:
1) It speeded up his pc considerably, and
2) It deleted every single file from his user profile because he had chosen to encrypt it when he installed Norton.. so back up before uninstall!
I've never met anyone who hasn't had a problem with Norton in one way or another and as such I've never tried it myself..

Which leads me onto two solutions:
1) Use Mozilla FireFox as your internet browser and Mozilla Thunderbird as your email client and rely upon the standard windows firewall - I have for a few years and never picked up a virus or had my personal information taken by malicious web sites.

OR

2)
Anti-Virus product: (free)
This is a link to AVG (free edition) that CSDmith15 recommends as I have used it in the past and many friends highly recommend it and it uses very few system resources. http://www.avg.co.uk/doc/download-free-anti-virus/uk/crp/2

Anti-Rootkit: (free) http://www.avg.co.uk/doc/download-free-anti-rootkit/uk/crp/2

Anti-Spyware / SpyBots / Tracking: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2471.html
I strongly recommend you choose the Immunize option after you have installed it as it automatically bans thousands of sites from being accessible (sites containing known exploitation code and such) - you only need to immunize your system once after installing it, from that point forward it is always immunized.

All free, all tried and tested, all complete with free updates but no support! (there are loads of free sources of help on all the applications listed above if you ever need them)

luminary · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Hampshire

Thank you for the information and the advice to back-up. I like the idea of using existing security facilities but what about pop-ups and pishing? I believe anti pishing can be added on-to Firefox.

I shall look into AVG as suggested by you and previously by a contributor.

Regards.

Luminary