Antivirus

[Biff383]

  I could use some input.

[dr.diesel]

I haven't utilized any antivirus or malware protection since ~2000.

[AndyC_772]

What kind of input?

If it's viruses you want to test against, I'm sure there's a few in my spam folder...

[Artlav]

Bloatware that does not do anything useful these days.
Just use common sense and basic security.

[Biff383]

It's for SWMBO's windows 8 laptop. It seems to be doing strange things. ...but I don't like win8 so what do I know.  (I personally think that win8 is the second worst OS only behind Vista.....oh wait there was.....[add any ms product]).

[nctnico]

Microsoft has a free package called 'Microsoft Security essentials'. I have been using AVG free for many years. One of the key things to do is have your wife use a restricted account. That way malware has a much smaller chance of getting in. My kids' computers are configured that way for over a decade and I have yet to find the first piece of malware.

[Biff383]

I am not sure what you mean by "restricted account ".

[Lightages]

If you suspect problems, loading an anti-virus might not do anything. Many malwares and viruses block the operation of these programs. I believe that W8 came with Microsoft Security Essentials as a default. I am not sure as I avoid it at any cost.

Having said that I would run a few programs to see what they find. The first is MalwareBytes:
https://www.malwarebytes.org/
then Superantispyware:
http://www.superantispyware.com/
then an anti-rootkit:
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-anti-rootkit.aspx
then install an antivirus program, my personal favorites right now are MS Security Essentials and AVG. Neither are perfect but do help with some things. Run MalwareBytes and Superantispyware semi regularly to keep an eye on things and you are pretty well protected. If things seem to be running weird still, then some of the system files and permissions might need resetting. The best way I have found for correcting system problems in Windows is a program from tweaking.com called All One Repair:
http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/windows_repair_all_in_one.html

Most people with computer knowledge will start screaming about anything that does things in an "all in one fashion", and I was skeptical about this one too until I ran it out of desperation with a problem I couldn't fix normally. It does help in many situations.

Other things to do? As suggested, run users with restricted accounts, run Firefox with NoScript, Ad Blocker Plus, etc. This keeps pages from loading scripts and redirects without your knowledge. A restricted account is an account for the user with their own password that is not an admin account, and can have restrictions applied to what files that can be seen and/or changed. These settings can be found in the Users Settings in Control Panel, or whatever MS calls these things now with W8.

Oh one more thing, expect as many different opinions on what you should do as replies you get to your question. 

[dexters_lab]

i just use the microsoft security essentials thing, it's free on win 7 & 8

anything thats bundled with a new PC gets uninstalled

touch wood i have not had an infection in several years but i am very careful about where i go and what i do online

[SeanB]

I am not sure what you mean by "restricted account ".

That is a non administrator account. You create a new account, make it the administrator then switch to it and make the original account a limited user account. That way it cannot install programs and such without the administrator password being invoked and you will not normally need to do that.

[nctnico]

I am not sure what you mean by "restricted account ".

If you create an account in Windows don't choose an account with Administrator rights.

[Biff383]

  Thanks for the information.  I appreciate the input.

[XOIIO]

Lol people going without an antivirus, damn lol. I'm sure there is something hidden away on your system despite your best efforts.

I personally go with Avast. If a relative buys a 3 pack of Norton I'll install it for the payed period as it's live protection is better though it does use some more resources. I have mcaffee on my new laptop and once that runs out I'm back to avast. It seems pretty good but it's a pain in the ass to allow a false positive through.

[free_electron]

deep freeze.

infected ? powercycle. gone.

[rdl]

You can do something pretty similar using Windows backup and restore. Just do a fresh install of Windows, let it update, install whatever programs you need, then make a full image back up to an external device. If you ever have a problem just do an F8 boot to repair your computer and do a system image recovery.

deep freeze.

infected ? powercycle. gone.

[John Coloccia]

I use Kaspersky.  Seems to be the least annoying of the ones I've tried.