PCA Forums

What's the best free anti Virus, anti spyware, anti root kit, etc... and firewalls now for XP, Vista, and both Win 32 and 64?

Anti-Virus: Microsoft Security Essentials
Malware scanner (run it once a month): Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free Edition

Firewall: You don't need one at all if you're behind a router. Otherwise the Windows firewall does the job.

Thanks FP

Anti-Virus: Microsoft Security Essentials
I never tried that, was hoping AVG or such was still good free stuff as I still don't trust MS for much. I'll give it try though.


Will the Windows firewall stop call homes and such, and can I block outgoing connections for the program I do not want to get out?

I am behind a router, but I still like to block programs like EI or Outlook from getting out at all!
At times I click to send a support ticket and instead of beig an online form they open Oulook for email, I refuse to use that so I have it blocked with fire wall.
Also some progams I have, or had, claim to have built in Browser, but all they do is pop open a EI browser which I also will not use.
So I use the firewal to block such things from getting out at all.

I still use TINY on the XP system so when it pops up for an outgoing connection alert I block stuff.

Security Essentials is very good and it doesn't nag you. Windows firewall works adequately, but you'll need to adjust it to notify you of every outgoing connection if you want that much control, and you'll want to go through it's default rules.

If you want to try a good security suite and avoid MS then I would recommend AVAST. I think the free version may include a firewall. It has a sandboxing feature you may love or hate. I disable it being a techie, but its a nice bit of extra security. Only hassle is they make you renew the free license every year.

about the avast reg code, i found this code C59249769E9900N1595-ENS7ULJH
you only register it once. EVER. its for the free version.