[HeroHog]

A little background 1st: I am an A+ certified geek who has worked as a net admin for a $300k/yr business and I am now a Sr. Programmer Analyst so I "have a clue."

I play with new software and see what I like/can use a lot. This has its risks as you can probably guess. Currently I am only using MS Security Essentials and the Windows 7 Firewall (Win 7 is my OS) and I haven't had anything infect my computer that wasn't from something I clicked on and ALLOWED to get through because it was a very cleverly disguised Trojan. Frankly, no software out there will prevent the user from doing something like that. As soon as the Trojan was installed, MSSE found it and warned me so it was working as designed. Using only my brains, the Internet (for info) and MS Security Essentials, I was able to clean my machine.

No software will prevent clever apps from a determined/unknowing user. NONE. Your brain is your best defense. Learn what you should look out for and that ALT-F4 is your best friend when you get those fake virus warning window pop-ups! If ALT-F4 won't close the window, SHUT DOWN THE MACHINE even if you have to Crash it! If you are tricked into clicking anything (the Red X that is supposed to cancel the warning/install or selecting NO as ANYTHING you click = YES) you are infected with that Trojan and a hard crash is a better alternative.

Because, as I noted earlier, I DO install a lot of stuff, I wipe out my PC once or twice a year and start fresh. I first save ALL my data and settings using the Windows file manager, the command line interface and XCOPY, and the Windows Easy Transfer utility. When I say wipe, I mean trash all the partitions, make new ones, do the slow FULL format and reinstall the OS THEN reinstall my applications, data and restore my settings. Yes it is a PITA but it is worth it to have a fast, clean running machine I that I know I can depend on.

Spybot Search & Destroy is a good application and I don't hesitate to recommend it as well as Avast. I used to use AVG until MSSE came along and was stable. I run from McAfee and Norton as they aren't all that great in the 1st place and they carry a LOT of crap I don't want/need that you can't get rid of!