What Software do you use?

Androidable

Okay nice and simple, what software/programs do you use to keep your computers clean from junk files,viruses and just general things. That cause our PC's to slow down and so on.

I re installed my Windows 7 and only have Bit Defender Internet Security 2015 as a anti-virus program.

yoyo

CCleaner Free is pretty good for cleaning up your pc

Nick

Androidable

yoyo wrote: »

CCleaner Free is pretty good for cleaning up your pc

Nick

Thank you Nick, I will surely check it out and give it a test.

Gadgetman496

Malwarebytes: Excellent & free too

varuka

Windows Defender is good and free and comes pre installed in most Windows OS.

Alanstrainor

On my Windows 7 machine I use MS security essentials for anti virus. Supposedly it doesn't score too well compared with other products, but its lightweight, fast, and doesn't constantly spam and annoy me with messages.

I use CCleaner occasionally too to clear up junk as I run a small SSD which is always around 6GB from full.

I would check my startup items (on windows 7, start -> run -> "msconfig") to make sure there's nothign in there I don't want.

PropJoe10

Avast Free Antivirus
Malwarebyes Free
CCleaner

= Secure, lean running PC.

shanec1928

On my work machine I use:
eset endpoint security - does the job in the background while being light on resources.
Malwarebytes Corporate - does what is says on the tin with the added benefit of real time monitoring.
ccleaner once in a blue moon and encryption software.

And then nothing on the home machine being a macbook.

Gadgetman496

shanec1928 wrote: »

And then nothing on the home machine being a macbook.

That's pretty naive of you

shanec1928

gadgetman496 wrote: »

That's pretty naive of you

not really just dont download crap on it. have a old machine for that.

excollier

Linux....;)

BeachView

A lot of the free av have toolbars and pups

Alanstrainor

excollier wrote: »

Linux....;)

Which distro? It's been a long while since I've run any on primary systems...

Khannie

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Which distro? It's been a long while since I've run any on primary systems...

I use Lubuntu. Very fond of it because it's nice and simple. I can't be doing with flashy desktops. The software I use most is:

Keepass (this is available for windows also)
Firefox
Chrome
Pidgin (IM) with OTR (encryption)
Skype (for work)
Thunderbird for email
LibreOffice for officey stuff
Terminal (because it's Linux)

excollier

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Which distro? It's been a long while since I've run any on primary systems...

A mixture / multiboot of Mint 17.1 xfce, Debian Wheezy & Jessie xfce on my main computer. Salix 14.1. & Puppy Tahr 6 on an old computer for other purposes
and Raspbian Wheezy on a Raspberry Pi used as a NAS / file server.
Getting off topic here though, sorry.

PropJoe10

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Which distro? It's been a long while since I've run any on primary systems...

Currently running Ubuntu MATE and Ubuntu Gnome on my two laptops. Very happy with both. I'm a bit of a distro hopper though! Was running Arch XFCE for a while but got a bit tired of stuff breaking so changed to something more stable for the moment.

Dravokivich

BeachView wrote: »

A lot of the free av have toolbars and pups

Which you don't have to install.

Joeface

for removing all the temp , install and other stuff that just takes up space
http://www.diskcleaner.nl/download , works much faster than the windows one.

Baked.noodle

I use Avast free, and I run CCleaner, Malwarebytes and SpyBot frequently. SpyBot is very slow and the free version only gets updated once a week but it will find and remove stuff Malwarebytes will overlook. I also use SpaceMonger to visually illustrate whats on my disks, and Sandboxie is a nice sandbox program if you want to open/use something that may be dicey. Defraggler is great too, but don't use it on SSD's.

excollier

All you Windows users should watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVWFRQ47SG8

eeepaulo

excollier wrote: »

All you Windows users should watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVWFRQ47SG8

Emsisoft gets a good review over at bleepingcomputer.

You have to check the downloaded program, sometimes the program itself, sometimes the sites installer, always click advanced install, always check what t&c's you are agreeing to.

I tend to go to majorgeeks first, they usually either host the program or at least warn you if there is ****e.

Joeface

doesn't www.ninite.com installers remove all the pup crap from the installers..........

Bleachbit > ccleaner

Ensure UAC is enabled, give yourself a Standard account though access to an admin for when needed...

Install adblockers on your web browser.

Avoid using torrent programs on a windows box, if you can, place it on a *nix box, even get a cheap vps and pull from there, if you need to get those linux distros.....

And as other users stated, use ninite if possible for installations, or if your adventurous and want a package manager like linux, try chocolatey.

Gadgetman496

Joeface wrote: »

doesn't www.ninite.com installers remove all the pup crap from the installers..........

They do a great job indeed

Skerries

you can use Unchecky to uncheck the crap that they try to install

I just use MSE and then run MWB and Superantispyware now and again and sometimes ADWcleaner to clean up

danjo-xx

http://www.ninite.com/ is this better than adwcleaner

jca

I've used ninite for years but now use patchmypc it will flag out of date software and you can install programs with it without all the crap toolbars etc. I'm on my phone but I'll post a link later. I use bitdefender free for AV and the occasional run of cleaner I don't overdo it tbh.

Joeface

just swapped out AVG for bitdefender ..........8 items found on my so called clean system . Nothing overly serious but there all the same .

jca

Avg is a bloated dog....

PropJoe10

AVG has been pretty bad for a while now. MSE/Windows Defender or Avast are grand in my book.