cleanning windows

[kickstart]

I want to know the best way to keep windows clean of all toons of viruses, trojans and different waste (i know tha best solution is linux but windows have the 90% of software after all), just want some programs to make effective cleans.

Thanks.

[XDelusion]

NOD32 ESET Smart Security is my virus scanner
Malwarebytes for my anti-malware device.
Peerblock to browse a bit more safely
Adblock for Firefox.

Stick with sites you know and if NOD32 says it is dangerous, it probably is.

That's my solution. It may not be the most secure, I dunno, but it works for me.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

What I set up on all the computers in our company:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
CCleaner
Opera web browser or Firefox
Symantec Antivirus (the corporate version, not Norton home junk) or Microsoft Security Essentials

Don't look at porn sites or "free" game sites, etc.  Using OpenDNS filters and a SonicWall router helps with this.

And for the love of #$@ don't install a bunch of junk you don't need, uninstall all the pre-loaded garbage, and keep your Flash/Java/browser updated.

Obviously none of these solutions are completely foolproof, if a user installs something without reading and un-checking all the free junk that comes with it, or clicks "OK" on a site even after their antivirus has popped up a warning...  there's no accounting for user stupidity!  

[haywirepc]

The best way to keep your computer free of windows malware, viruses, trojans, adware and spyware is to not install windows :elvis:

Linux with wine works for all but newer games. If you must install windows, keep it on a seperate partition and only boot to it for games, don't web browse with it at all or the very least you can.

Works for me.

:idea:

[cecilia]

The best way to keep your computer free of windows malware, viruses, trojans, adware and spyware is to not install windows :elvis:

Linux with wine works for all but newer games. If you must install windows, keep it on a seperate partition and only boot to it for games, don't web browse with it at all or the very least you can.

Works for me.

:idea:

that's basically my solution too  

however, for those times when I go into my multi-boot windows system I just discovered Wise Registry Cleaner

it's also available in a portable version
http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/wise-registry-cleaner-portable

useful for when your windows system is acting weird and you need to clean stuff up with a drive that hasn't been affected.

the Wise app seems to get rid of even more of those stupid temp files windows loved to collect (than crap cleaner does)

[koaftder]

I don't bother with any AV stuff or utilities. What I do is setup a machine with a fresh windows install then resize the partition back ~20 gigs. Defrag windows and run a tool that consumes all the free space with a progressively growing file filled with zeroes (after which the file is deleted). I go back and install Debian in the 20 gig partition. IN there I run the two Windows partitions through gzip. Then I go and setup the boot menu and plop in a script that can uncompress and write those partitions back. Net result is that any time I want a fresh machine I just reset the box, select 'restore' from the Grub menu and wait two hours.

[k4lmp]

I run Linux, and run Windows using VirtualBox for stuff I absolutely have to have it.  I don't do any web browsing or such with Windows on my machine.  It works great.

[asymetrix]

the best way i use :


Ccleaner
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.filehippo.com/download_spybot_search_destroy/

tuneup utilities
http://www.tuneup-software.co.uk/

I Install windows and ghost Image files with progressive more software levels

True Image
http://www.acronis.co.uk

I make C wipeable, while work and current projects on a different partition.

Any problems, go in an elevated command prompt and restore corrupt files by :

sfc.exe /scannow

to reset internet drivers i do

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
arp -d *
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns

chckdsk /f

then restart computer

any browser trouble, look into bowser cache refresh/clear or browser hijack

[Ami_GFX]

If you really want to keep up on Windows security issues and options, this is the place to go:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com

You can read about all aspects of Windows security with long threads about almost every security product out there over the last 10 years or so.

This is their security overview thread and a good place to start:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=252253

[beakster2]

Don't use IE.  Don't use Outlook.  Don't download anything dodgy.    That's worked for me for the last 2 years.  No viruses or Malware on my Windows 7 system and it's still running quick.

I do have an image I made after I installed all the drivers and core software I use, so easy enough to restore it to a good state if something does go wrong.

I find all these programs that claim to clean your registry, prevent malware and such are just a headache.  They are always popping up and wanting to do something or install an update, and they probably contribute to the system slowing down.

Ideally I'd run Mac OS X as my main OS and keep Windows virtualised, but I'm reluctant to pay the premium for apple hardware now and setting up a  Hackintosh is just a ball ache I can't be bothered with these days.

[Lurch]

My background, I support a military base network.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - fantastic product
CCleaner - Fantastic product
Firefox + adblocker - Fantastic product
Symantec Antivirus/ SEP11 - Junk, doesn't detect anything and slows computers down. Even detects itself as a virus.
Microsoft Security Essentials - Quiet, does the job.
Trend - Great product, server support team are using it on servers.

Linux - Not even linux is safe from viruii, hacking etc. Have seen some things :-)

End of the day Linux and Windows, well any OS needs to be properly maintained and kept up to date with patches and have antivirus of some sort running.

[haywirepc]

"setting up a Hackintosh is just a ball ache I can't be bothered with these days."

I have totally wanted to do this since people started making hackintoshes, but I agree, what a ball ache! hahaha.

[stefcep2]

What I set up on all the computers in our company:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
CCleaner
Opera web browser or Firefox
Symantec Antivirus (the corporate version, not Norton home junk) or Microsoft Security Essentials

Don't look at porn sites or "free" game sites, etc.  Using OpenDNS filters and a SonicWall router helps with this.

And for the love of #$@ don't install a bunch of junk you don't need, uninstall all the pre-loaded garbage, and keep your Flash/Java/browser updated.

Obviously none of these solutions are completely foolproof, if a user installs something without reading and un-checking all the free junk that comes with it, or clicks "OK" on a site even after their antivirus has popped up a warning...  there's no accounting for user stupidity!  

No porn sites?  What does that leave?

[smerf]

The best way is  buy yourself a top of the line $8000 do everything machine, put it on a desk, before hooking it up to the internet, install windows, make a ghost copy of your initial windows setup. Turn it off and never turn it on again.  

Virus solution solved, don't believe anything those guys in the military tell you after all  they had wiki leaks, and now they have had personnel identity theft. With military pros like that we don't need enemies.

When will the government and military learn, in order to keep the  druids out, you have to have a secure ethernet that  has no association with the cloud. Your encryption just doesn't work,  just causes us hackers to be more determined to get in.

smerf

[matt3k]

One to add:

Glary Utilitiles