Are there any anti-virus programs on the net? I have windows defender running

[Maraya1969]

but my HP "assistant" says I am in "danger" because I have no anti-virus running. The last anti-virus I had was Norton and when I had that I got this terrible virus that knocked out my entire network. So now I have the free McAcfee site warning system and I don't go where it tells me not to go and I run Super Anti-spyware pretty much every other day and I get a ton of spy ware and even some trojans and malaware. I also run ComboFix and I still don't know how it works but I assume it takes off viruses because the guy who I paid to fix my computer used it, (and tried to hide the name from me).

So do I need another anti-virus? I would have to disable it every time I ran the anti-spyware I think. Right now my computer is/was running funny but we'll see since I just un and re-installed my dear HP "assistant".

[cantbeserious]

1. Yes - Microsoft Security Essentials Is Your Answer And It Is Free

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/security-essentials-download

[Maraya1969]

5. It recommends that I uninstall any other anti-spyware or anti-virus programs. I don't

want to un-install Super-antivirus just yet. I think I may have figured out where I am getting all these malaware and trogans from and what is messing up my computer though. I downloaded a program called "Dashlane" that takes all your information and logs you in to all your website and fills out your forms and even your credit cards. I noticed that I started getting a lot more stuff on my computer after that and since they downloaded an "update" everything has been really screwy. I love the program though, it is really cool but I think I'm going to un-install it and see what happens first.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Defender is Microsoft's Anti-Spyware, Security Essentials is their anti-virus...

complete suite.

You can download it for free here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/security-essentials-download

[intaglio]

3. Also Avast!

[Maraya1969]

4. Thanks to you all!!!!

[A Little Weird]

6. ComboFix

ComboFix can be really helpful but you should not run it if you don't know what you're doing. If done incorrectly, you can really mess up your computer.

[Maraya1969]

7. I was just told to run it and that's it. I wasn't told to do anything with the information, none

of which I understand. What are you supposed to do with it?

[A Little Weird]

8. It can be used to get rid of stubborn malware.

But I consider it a last resort and have only run the program a couple of times over the years. It generates a log file which you can upload to a help forum or show to someone who knows what they're doing and they can help from there. The steps you take will depend on what is found.

Here's a tutorial with some good info-
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

[WhoIsNumberNone]

9. Spybot Search & Destroy

It's passive so it won't interfere with any active virus protection you may be running (e.g. Microsoft Security Essentials) They encourage donations, but the personal use version is free. You can use it to set up system recovery, and the new version can make a boot CD, and also has rootkit detection. Very awesome.

[wildbilln864]

11. Been using it for like ten yrs now.

An excellent program so far IMHOOC!

[Phillip McCleod]

10. all of the above work (avast, spybot,..)

and stop sign. sometimes though windows gets in its own way and the best bet is to go outside the operating system for a solution. for particularly pernicious pests (rootkit, viruses that attack antivirus programs, etc) try 'clamav' with a linux livecd. its one of the few truly open-source antivirus programs out there and is made specifically for fixing windows problems using linux and thereby proving once again that the open-source and free linux operating system is better.