panhard
Mongo
Reged: 01/20/08
Posts: 5378
Loc: Markham Ontario Canada
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Carol I never thought of you where the type to ride a broom. An AV program worth it's salt will do that. If it doesn't it's not worth having on the computer. I had Avast on my computer at one time also, I just got tired of running out of time with it. Of course I was using the free version.
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astrotrf
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/30/07
Posts: 950
Loc: Rodeo, NM
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Quote:
Well, a couple of days ago, I went to an Astro Vendor's website, & Avast warned about a virus. I called the Vendor, & he said another person also had reported this. So, if I had not had the program running, guess what?
OK, let me be deliberately obtuse here and bite. What?
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Terry (astrotrf)
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markan
super member
Reged: 07/13/09
Posts: 135
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Quote:
Quote:
Rich thanks I downloaded it. I am going to do a scan later. 
Herb
Let us know how it goes...
And does it have real time scanning... 
Thanks
Yes, it has real time scanning and a quick scan. I like it. It's got a nice clean interface. Goodbye Symantec.
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Sky-Watcher 100mm ED f/9 refractor
Sky-Watcher 200mm f/5 reflector
EQ5 mount, Orion SkyView AZ
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psonice
sage
Reged: 07/24/09
Posts: 296
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Quote:
Quote:
Well, a couple of days ago, I went to an Astro Vendor's website, & Avast warned about a virus. I called the Vendor, & he said another person also had reported this. So, if I had not had the program running, guess what?
OK, let me be deliberately obtuse here and bite. What?
What? The browser has a whole in it, which the hacked website exploits to run some code. There's no virus on your computer at this point, so the virus scanner sits there waiting for something to happen. The exploit code sneaks up behind the virus scanner and cripples it stealthily, so it looks normal to you but won't actually do anything useful any more. Then it downloads a backdoor, and links your PC up to a botnet for later use, while dropping a 'man in the middle' online banking attack.
A few days later, you're doing your online banking as normal, and your connection is hijacked. You don't notice any difference, but some bloke in Russia now has access to your bank account. He tells his program to go to work, and it starts making payments out of your account. The payments are fairly small, and to various accounts, and it avoids going overdrawn, so that the bank's fraud prevention systems don't get triggered. When you log in and view your account, all of these payments are removed from the screen so you'll only find out if you actually go to the bank or get a paper statement. Or try to make a payment, and it says you have no more money.
Btw, that is actually what happens, and what I've just described is what happens in current, active scams. Scary huh? 
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rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 5323
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Quote:
Uncle Rod,
May I ask which AV you use...
I ran Macafee and Norton OUT OF THE HOUSE! 
I had stood enough of the yearly demand for MO MONEY, and couldn't stand NO MORE. I got tired of their quirks, too.
I used the free Avira for quite a while, and it worked fine, but I got tired of the pop up advertisements, and as soon as Microsoft came out with their program, I replaced it on all of our machines.
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
Edited by rmollise (10/12/09 08:10 AM)
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rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 5323
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Quote:
disable their anti-virus software during an install so I'm not too surprised at your difficulty... I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing occurs with the MS offering...
As a matter of fact, I had to install TheSky 6 on one of our laptops this weekend, and it went fine with MS' antivirus program. My former program (Macafee) didn't just give a warning. It didn't GIVE any warnings. I just couldn't complete the install; it hung up. I was right put out until I figured out what was going on.
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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psonice
sage
Reged: 07/24/09
Posts: 296
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Quote:
As a matter of fact, I had to install TheSky 6 on one of our laptops this weekend, and it went fine with MS' antivirus program. My former program (Macafee) didn't just give a warning. It didn't GIVE any warnings. I just couldn't complete the install; it hung up. I was right put out until I figured out what was going on.
That would be mcafee detecting something going on that could possibly be bad, and stopping it. It's really annoying when it gets it wrong (and they frequently do, but they should at least warn you when there's a problem. Did you have warnings turned off or anything?) But then, when it gets it RIGHT (which is what it's there for..) it can save you from a whole bunch of trouble.
See my last post above.. there's a fair chance mcafee and the likes would catch that early and block it, while the simple "virus scan only" software would roll over and let it happen. This is the difference really - bloated, annoying, but offering fairly good protection, or fast, streamlined, and risky.
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Zoomster
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/30/05
Posts: 722
Loc: Tampa FL
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I am running Nod32 and it is smooth and unobtrusive.
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Celestron CPC 1100 aka "The Marino"
Moonlite Dual Rate Focuser
WO Dielecric Diagonal
Denkmeier "Big Easy" Binos and assorted eyepieces.
Coranado PST
SPC900NC...not modded...yet. (eh-eh)
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Epicurus
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astrotrf
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/30/07
Posts: 950
Loc: Rodeo, NM
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Quote:
The browser has a whole in it, which the hacked website exploits to run some code.
Ah, so the program didn't detect a *virus* on the site, it detected the exploit code. I understand now.
Thanks.
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Terry (astrotrf)
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StarWars
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 14766
Loc: mNuSa
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Looks like SP2 is required for the install... 
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panhard
Mongo
Reged: 01/20/08
Posts: 5378
Loc: Markham Ontario Canada
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Well mine is still running great and virus free.
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psonice
sage
Reged: 07/24/09
Posts: 296
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Quote:
Looks like SP2 is required for the install...
You're still on SP1?! Win XP was only really much good after SP2.. and it was hopelessly insecure on SP1 too. Unless it's sitting somewhere where it's never connected to any networks, you should really update it. Relying on anti-virus is like standing in a ship full of holes, and hoping a bloke with a small bucket will keep it afloat
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StarWars
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 14766
Loc: mNuSa
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Quote:
Quote:
Looks like SP2 is required for the install...
You're still on SP1?! Win XP was only really much good after SP2.. and it was hopelessly insecure on SP1 too. Unless it's sitting somewhere where it's never connected to any networks, you should really update it. Relying on anti-virus is like standing in a ship full of holes, and hoping a bloke with a small bucket will keep it afloat
My Compaq 700 would freeze up with SP1 or SP2 installed. Don't know why so I need a Anti-virus, malware scanner plus Firewall.
I make a HD backup every week and set a system restore point every two days.. 
My IBM T42 is running Windows XP Pro SP3 with upgraded ATI drivers..
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LLD
Lucky so far
Reged: 11/14/05
Posts: 2197
Loc: MASS.
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Well is everyone who installed Microsoft's free antivirus software still using it? I just downloaded it as my 60 day free trial mcafee expired . I was also thinking about Advast or AVG. Any new or updated opinions on these free antivirus downloads!
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LLD. Meade 16 inch dob. Meade 60mm Polaris refractor 76mm Bushnell reflector
Meade ETX60-BB,Meade 70MM / USB color camera
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rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 5323
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Quote:
Well is everyone who installed Microsoft's free antivirus software still using it? I just downloaded it as my 60 day free trial mcafee expired . I was also thinking about Advast or AVG. Any new or updated opinions on these free antivirus downloads!
Yep. Still using it. Still seems to be working. My computer has not morphed into a virus ridden amoeba, anyhow.
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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LLD
Lucky so far
Reged: 11/14/05
Posts: 2197
Loc: MASS.
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 Thanks Rod! One thing i like is no pop up's and it doesn't slow my computer down so as long as it keeps the virus's and bugs away I'll be a happy camper!
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LLD. Meade 16 inch dob. Meade 60mm Polaris refractor 76mm Bushnell reflector
Meade ETX60-BB,Meade 70MM / USB color camera
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StarWars
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 14766
Loc: mNuSa
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Question about MS AV updates...
How often does the MS AV update the virus definitions..
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panhard
Mongo
Reged: 01/20/08
Posts: 5378
Loc: Markham Ontario Canada
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Rich I will check for updates daily & let you know.
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o1d_dude
o1der than dirt
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 2274
Loc: The TV/SV Wolfpack
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XP and later required.
I'm still on Win2K Pro SP4.
Oddly, I've a copy of WinXP SP2 sitting on my computer desk for about two years now...maybe I should install it one of these days.
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Kit
'Don’t worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God’s wondrous universe.' - Thomas M Back
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deSitter
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 3338
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Windows XP is actually more efficient than 2000, once you pare down the service bloat. It's worth it just to get ClearType.
I've dealt with Windows personally and professionally since 1985 and XP is far and away the most stable version.
-drl
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