Coincidence?

B

Boscoe

Downloaded Windows 7 SP1 and immediately got infected with the nasty
System Tool virus. Been using Windows since 1994 and never had a
compromised machine. Everything is kept up-to-date. Avast! never
caught it, and it knocked over Windows Defender and Malwarebytes
(couldn't update). Put Windows 7 repair disc in and was able to get a
backup image.

I'm sure this must have been a coincidence, but it has dented my
confidence as I was searching in Google when it started.
 
A

Alex Clayton

Downloaded Windows 7 SP1 and immediately got infected with the nasty
System Tool virus. Been using Windows since 1994 and never had a
compromised machine. Everything is kept up-to-date. Avast! never caught
it, and it knocked over Windows Defender and Malwarebytes (couldn't
update). Put Windows 7 repair disc in and was able to get a backup image.

I'm sure this must have been a coincidence, but it has dented my
confidence as I was searching in Google when it started.
Click to expand...
Far,(very far) from being any kind of expert at this, but do you mean
you were running 2 AV programs at the same time? I have often been told
by those who know this stuff not to do that. Don’t know if the reason is
it could allow something to slip past or not. Have always heard Avast is
very good, and have been using WD since it was released with no trouble.
Now my Wife has managed to get a nasty bug a couple times using first
Avast and later WD, but she did a lot of loading games off the net.
 
C

Char Jackson

Far,(very far) from being any kind of expert at this, but do you mean
you were running 2 AV programs at the same time? I have often been told
by those who know this stuff not to do that. Don’t know if the reason is
it could allow something to slip past or not. Have always heard Avast is
very good, and have been using WD since it was released with no trouble.
Now my Wife has managed to get a nasty bug a couple times using first
Avast and later WD, but she did a lot of loading games off the net.
Click to expand...
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is not a resident program, it's an on-demand
program, so it's fine to use it along with WD. The advice you're
referring to relates to running two or more resident antimalware
programs at the same time.
 
G

Geordie

On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 09:36:37 -0600, Char Jackson compiled the following
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is not a resident program, it's an on-demand
program, so it's fine to use it along with WD. The advice you're
referring to relates to running two or more resident antimalware
programs at the same time.
Click to expand...
That is true for the free version, but the Pro version is a resident
programme.
 
C

Char Jackson

On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 09:36:37 -0600, Char Jackson compiled the following


That is true for the free version, but the Pro version is a resident
programme.
Click to expand...
Thanks for adding that. I don't know anyone who runs the Pro version
so I tend to overlook it. Good catch.
 
B

Bob Henson

Boscoe said:
Downloaded Windows 7 SP1 and immediately got infected with the nasty
System Tool virus. Been using Windows since 1994 and never had a
compromised machine. Everything is kept up-to-date. Avast! never
caught it, and it knocked over Windows Defender and Malwarebytes
(couldn't update). Put Windows 7 repair disc in and was able to get a
backup image.

I'm sure this must have been a coincidence, but it has dented my
confidence as I was searching in Google when it started.
Click to expand...
Malwarebytes refusing to update and exiting immediately could just be a
co-incidence, it did that here long before SP1 and almost immediately after
installation. It only updated once and then refused to run again, I sent
lots of data to the authors at their request but, having got it, they
didn't write back, so I assume they can't fix it. I'd advise removing it
until they can fix it. I'm running Windows 7 64 bit, Avast! and Windows
Defender and the SP1 update was routine and uneventful, so I would guess
your virus infection was co-incidence too.
 
A

Alex Clayton

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is not a resident program, it's an on-demand
program, so it's fine to use it along with WD. The advice you're
referring to relates to running two or more resident antimalware
programs at the same time.
Click to expand...
Ok, makes sense, looks like I did not read his post close enough. I had
heard of MB before and meant to look but forgot. Just went to CNET and
loaded it, it’s scanning now. I take it the Pro version is the one they
want to sell for $25.00? I just took the free one that’s scanning now. I
used to use and run Spybot I think it was? Had not bothered to load it
again on the new machines since for years all it ever seemed to find was
cookies that the experts said were harmless. I will have to load this on
the Wife’s machine too since she always seems to be the one who gets in
trouble.
 
A

Alex Clayton

Defender is not an AV program.
Click to expand...
Sorry meant Security Essentials. I oft get lost with all the programs
and the names. One of my instructors was chiding me the other day about
not using the correct terms when I was helping another student. I could
not for the life of me remember the right term for where I was telling
him to click. I got a 3.7 in that class and already forgot a lot of what
they taught me. <g>
 
Z

Zaidy036

Boscoe at laughingboy47 said:
Downloaded Windows 7 SP1 and immediately got infected with the nasty
System Tool virus. Been using Windows since 1994 and never had a
compromised machine. Everything is kept up-to-date. Avast! never
caught it, and it knocked over Windows Defender and Malwarebytes
(couldn't update). Put Windows 7 repair disc in and was able to get a
backup image.

I'm sure this must have been a coincidence, but it has dented my
confidence as I was searching in Google when it started.
Click to expand...
Look at Immunet http://www.immunet.com/free/index.html

It runs alongside other AVs and offers additional protection.
 
C

Char Jackson

Ok, makes sense, looks like I did not read his post close enough. I had
heard of MB before and meant to look but forgot. Just went to CNET and
loaded it, it’s scanning now.
Click to expand...
I'm not normally paranoid, but MBAM is one of those programs I would
personally ONLY get directly from its home site at
I take it the Pro version is the one they
want to sell for $25.00? I just took the free one that’s scanning now.
Click to expand...
Yes, but the free version is good enough and is all most people will
need from this program.
I used to use and run Spybot I think it was? Had not bothered to load it
again on the new machines since for years all it ever seemed to find was
cookies that the experts said were harmless. I will have to load this on
the Wife’s machine too since she always seems to be the one who gets in
trouble.
Click to expand...
Spybot S&D and AdAware were the dynamic duo until a few years ago, but
now they have been surpassed (IMHO) by programs like MBAM,
SuperAntiSpyware, and even Microsoft's own free tools.
 
A

Alex Clayton

On 2/25/2011 8:59 AM, Alias wrote:
snip
Well, you shouldn't have two AV programs running. Nuke Windows Security
Essentials as Avast is better.
Click to expand...
I don’t have Avast any more. It was what I used before MS got their
thing going. The last several PC’s I bought had Mcafee preloaded and the
first thing I would do was remove it, and then install the MS AV. Before
I found out about the free AV programs I had bought Mcafee and Norton.
Both of them were a PITA for one reason or another. Ended up having to
do credit card charge backs on both of them. I had long heard that you
should not have more than one AV but can’t remember why they warned
against it.
 
D

DanS

Downloaded Windows 7 SP1 and immediately got infected with
the nasty System Tool virus. Been using Windows since 1994
and never had a compromised machine. Everything is kept
up-to-date. Avast! never caught it, and it knocked over
Windows Defender and Malwarebytes (couldn't update). Put
Windows 7 repair disc in and was able to get a backup
image.

I'm sure this must have been a coincidence, but it has
dented my confidence as I was searching in Google when it
started.
Click to expand...
Wow....I guess you *CAN* get infected w/stuff w/o having to surf
for porn or installing pirated s/w, and w/o running attachments,
and even when you *ARE* running an AV program, and using IE8,
etc.

[/sarcasm]
 
Z

Zaphod Beeblebrox

Alex Clayton said:
On 2/25/2011 8:59 AM, Alias wrote:
snip
I don’t have Avast any more. It was what I used before MS got their
thing going. The last several PC’s I bought had Mcafee preloaded and
the first thing I would do was remove it, and then install the MS
AV. Before I found out about the free AV programs I had bought
Mcafee and Norton. Both of them were a PITA for one reason or
another. Ended up having to do credit card charge backs on both of
them. I had long heard that you should not have more than one AV but
can’t remember why they warned against it.
Click to expand...
Everyone has their own preferences for AV, but I prefer Avast to MS
AV. I've had too many recent issues where friends with up-to-date MS
AV got infected and had to be cleaned up. Never had that with any of
the PCs running Avast.

--
Zaphod

Arthur: All my life I've had this strange feeling that there's
something big and sinister going on in the world.
Slartibartfast: No, that's perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the
universe gets that.
 
J

jim

On 2/25/2011 8:59 AM, Alias wrote:
snip

I had long heard that you
should not have more than one AV but can’t remember why they warned
against it.

--
"Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites.
Moderation is for monks."

[Lazarus Long]
Click to expand...
According to your sig, you should be running as many AVs as possible!
<g> ;)
 
A

Alex Clayton

On 2/25/2011 8:59 AM, Alias wrote:
snip

I had long heard that you
should not have more than one AV but can’t remember why they warned
against it.

--
"Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites.
Moderation is for monks."

[Lazarus Long]
Click to expand...
According to your sig, you should be running as many AVs as possible!
<g> ;)
Click to expand...
LOL, I probably do not quite live up to Heinlein’s idea’s, but I sure as
hell did enjoy some of his books. Several of my sig lines come from his
book “Time Enough for Love. Probably the only book I have ever read
multiple times and still enjoyed.
 
X

XS11E

Char Jackson said:
Yes, but the free version is good enough and is all most people
will need from this program.
Click to expand...
I'd strongly recommend the paid version for inexperienced users as it
updates itself and will run scheduled scans plus it offers real-time
protection.

The free version depend on the user to update and run scans. That's
fine with me but maybe not for a typical user? The price is
reasonable....
 
G

Gene E. Bloch

do you mean
you were running 2 AV programs at the same time? I have often been told
by those who know this stuff not to do that. Don¢t know if the reason is
it could allow something to slip past or not
Click to expand...
The real reason is that both programs are reaching deep into the OS and
file system, and can easily end up stepping on each other's feet (now
there's a pretty picture!).

Just to give a partial idea of the kind of thing that happens: each
program is trying to scan executable files as they are loading, so they
are both interjecting themselves into the same processes at the same
time. This can lead to various kinds of problems :)
 
A

Alex Clayton

I'm not normally paranoid, but MBAM is one of those programs I would
personally ONLY get directly from its home site at


Yes, but the free version is good enough and is all most people will
need from this program.


Spybot S&D and AdAware were the dynamic duo until a few years ago, but
now they have been surpassed (IMHO) by programs like MBAM,
SuperAntiSpyware, and even Microsoft's own free tools.
Click to expand...
I have just gotten into the habit of using CNET for this stuff over the
years. Have long liked the site both for the reviews the editors give
and the “common users” about stuff. I was always leery about downloading
software from sites other than MS because so often when I would go
looking for something I was never sure if the site I was at was the
actual people who wrote the program or someplace they let pass it
around. I have seen people explain how to check, but it often goes over
my head when they start getting that “tech”. So since I have not yet
heard of a problem with them (CNET) I just use them for most everything.
Of course now that I said that someone will surely post some story about
something that sipped past them. <G>
 
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