Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Free computer software/utilities.

Just curious what programs/utilities you guys use for troublshooting/repairing/protecting your computer. I havn't done much with any regcleaners, but maybe they would be helpful.

I'm always the one people call (friends/family) when they infect their machines for whatever reason. Just curious what else is out there that might be helpful...

Historically, I've been a fan of the following:
Spybot
AVG 8.0
Adaware
Zonealarm

“HijackThis” helps troubleshoot security problems and processes that might be bogging down your system.

I shy away from registry cleaners since you don’t wont likely know what they are doing. There are some specific registry hacks that can be helpful for certain situations but I would do these by hand and only if there’s a specific need. For example I often do multiple downloads from one site. If you do this and run across a two download at a time limit it’s not likely the site that is limiting you it’s a setting in the windows registry, although some sites do have there own cap on downloads.

If you‘re not already using it the built in Windows utility “msconfig” run at the command line. It brings up a GUI interface that allows you to manage things, one of which is startup programs.

thanks Grunt, yep, I have used msconfig before. I've got a friend who keeps messing up his computer, of course, he says he has no idea how he does it....spyware up the ying yang.

lol

Did I mention I do Widows, too? <-- I was going to correct this to Windows, but I think I'll leave it...

It has a stupid name, but I've used SuperAntiSpyware to rid a computer of an exploit that neither AdAware nor Spybot could remove.

After a computer has been cleaned of spyware, I like to use CCleaner to spruce up the registry and delete unnecessary temp files.

spybot is probably the best free spyware program out.

Another good tool is the security task manager from neuber:
http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/

It is free but you have to put up with some "trial messages" unless you want to pay 29 bucks to get rid of them.

Edit: Oops, looks like it has been changed. The "free" version is just a trial version and you must purchase the actually software for full functionality

I've used Startup Inspector for Windows to good effect. I'm not sure it's more complete than the msconfig, but it provided a bit more information.

If you want information overload about processes running on your computer, look no further than Process Explorer.

As far as antivirus goes, AVG is good, but I prefer Avast!. AVG can occasionally slow a system down, but Avast! generally does not. Not in my experience, anyway. It's also free and definitely works.

But as far as registry cleaners go...

Windows Defender and Adaware are my choices for malware protection, but honestly, if I find that a friend/family system has any sort of virus or spyware on it, 99% of the time I feel that nothing but a scorched-earth reinstall can really fix the problem.

I've found that spending an hour or two reinstalling Windows results in a vastly improved system over spending an hour or two trying to hunt down/kill spyware, adware, & virii. Just my opinion. I am a Windows guy, but I still believe that a full reinstall every year or so is a good idea, just to clean out the 'cobwebs'.

Of course someone ought to chime in that the best antivirus & antispyware is a Mac, or Linux.

I know what your saying Peter. The main issue is this guy has no original XP cd's that came with the pc, or any type of restore cds. I do have my copies of XP Professional, but don't think I can use my copies to fix his computer.

Randy, are there any specific problems he is having or is it just bogging down?

You may be able to use your XP CD to reinstall onto his computer and then use his CD key to activate the install. This link gives a couple ways to find the CD key in his registry:

http://www.infopackets.com/news/software...he_registry.htm

AFAIK you can use any XP key on any CD because the key and disk are not directly associated together.


Actually Linux can be hacked directly or through viruses etc… very easily when set up and/or used by and inexperienced user. You just don’t hear much about PCs running it having problems because the install base and therefore potential number of targets is small. And the early adopter were generally very computer savvy and learned how to secure their systems. However, Linux servers are getting hacked all the time.

For security and stability I prefer Free BSD but it’s also vulnerable depending on what services you are running.

Haven't actually looked at it yet. The last few times he had spyware he invited in by believing in fake Microsoft look-a-like pop up's saying he needs to click "here" to protect his system. Plus, although he won't admit it, I found a bunch of porn based temp files, pics, etc., on his pc.

For whatever reason, he has not learnd to keep his antivirus and spyware programs updated, even though I've showed him a thousand times.

This time he better get a cold 12-pack ready for me before I stop over.

I would agree. I cleaned my pc a little over a year ago using a combination of programs. Didn't quite go as far as hijack this.

The computer seems ok now. I no longer have random pupups and random bouts of internet activity, but something still tries to hack Norton almost daily. So far, nothing detects it.

If I ever get my act together and finish setting up my new computer properly I plan to do a full backup that I can do bare metal installs from when I think I need to. It's just simpler.