new computer now. i’m sure the old one wasn’t helped by the amount of bugs picked up from dodgy donkey porn websites and such like….

McAfee keeps popping up in the corner, but it costs 🙁

what is the best free anti-virus software available and what can i do to prevent my computer from getting ill?

Microsoft Security Essentials

I used to use MSE, but have gone 100% OSX at home now.

what can i do to prevent my computer from getting ill?

1, don’t disable all the built in security because you get a bit irritated by warning messages in the first couple of hours/days use. They really are there to protect you and get quite rare after everything is set-up.

2, set up an admin account and a normal user account. Only use the admin account for installing software. Do everything else as a standard user, you don’t need to be an administrator to view donkey pron.

3, stay away from donkey porn! (just kidding, I know thats the whole point of owning a computer)

All computers are in a public room. No TV’s or computers in own rooms.
Win 7
Windows Defender
All the kids have their own login accounts, all family accounts (incl. mine & mrs_oab)are monitored from MS Family Safety.
Kids phones are on Vodafone Guardian (Voda lock out all sorts of porn etc as standard, plus Guardian app is ace), Guardian shuts down phone apart from parents or emergency calls at set times etc.
Kids iPods are harder – hence the belt and braces of they do no know their own password and they need to ask to buy app/update etc. also see OpenDNS below.
We use OpenDNS.
Router shuts down during the night. Only mrs_oab and I have password.
I *guarantee* that they will find a way round….

I *guarantee* that they will find a way round….

They probably already have and re-flashed the router and locked you and the Mrs out….

FWIW, I’ve been running a home computer since the days of Windows 3.1. I have only once had a virus on any PC in my house. Other than a regular virus check and then the Windows Defender/MSE equivalent, I take no other special measures.

Format HDD.
Install Linux.

All i’d add, is that in addition to Microsoft Security Essentials you can download a free bit of software called Malware Bytes Anti-Malware.

Run this occasionally/when you suspect a problem and it’ll pick up the things that MSE misses.

Just a note: Be careful when you install, it’ll ask if you want to install their full time scan software which will slow your computer down if you’re already running another piece of AV software. It’ll also want you to pay for it after 30 days.

But MSE + Malware Bytes will stop most of the nasty crap out there.

FWIW, I’ve been running a home computer since the days of Windows 3.1. I have only once had a virus on any PC in my house

Likewise, the only time I got infected was my work laptop using a dial up network connection in China in 2003. Luckily I managed to Google my way out of it and remove it manually. Other than that, not been infected (that I know of). Although according to the docs from Snowden, the NSA/GCHQ have found / engineered enough Zero Day bugs to access any OS anywhere anytime (as long as you’re online).

And to add to my post – we have only ever had one virus, which mrs_oab got from opening a suspect email but worked it out immediately she had.
Virus = user error / and dodgy websites.

Ey-or, ey-or, ey-orways comes on here with that excuse!

MSE Malware bytes and CCleaner is all I have on my Laptop and so far no problems.

MSE, regularly run Malwarebytes, and also have a program called Winpatrol which helps to keep an eye on what’s running on my PC. All free

Microsoft Security Essentials

… is the correct answer, but you *must* remove McAfee first or they’ll fight.

Spyware Blaster is handy too. It’s passive software, blocks known hostile sites without needing to be running constantly.

Virus = user error / and dodgy websites.

… and out of date software. The single biggest attack vector on modern Windows systems these days (aside from user error) is old versions of Flash and Java.

I *guarantee* that they will find a way round….

ha ha – yeah – almost certainly!! 10 seconds thought led me to thinking they could buy a second, £20 router and just plug it in when you’re not there… 🙂

Rachel (who really is that devious…)

so resurrecting this thread….

was looking at installing MSE, but it says it is not for Windows 8.

Windows 8 already has an anti-virus thingyamjig installed, Windows Defender.

does this mean i can simply de-install McAfee and Defender will take over?

cheers.

I’ve never tried it personally but I believe that’s how it works, yes.

Windows Defender in W8 is ostensibly MSE with bells on. In any case, removing McAfee is rarely a bad idea.

I thought it was nearly impossible to remove McAfee!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKgf5PaBzyg[/video]